The Liar

Because her legs wanted to shake, Shelby sat on the bench again when Natalie strolled away.

Twenty-eight million? Stolen jewelry and stamps? Bigamy? Who in God’s name had she married? Or thought she married?

Maybe it was all a lie. But what would be the point?

But she’d check, check all of it.

She pushed to her feet, pulled out her phone as she walked to call Tracey and check on Callie.

By the time she got to the salon she was fired up again.

“I’m sorry, Granny.”

“What kept you? And put the wrath of God in your eyes?”

Shelby shoved her purse under the front counter. “I need to talk to you and Mama, soon as you’re both free. I’m sorry, Mrs. Hallister, how are you doing today?”

The woman in Viola’s chair—that Hallister boy’s grandmother—smiled. “I’m doing right well. I came in for a touch-up, and here Vi’s talked me into highlights. Let’s just see if Mr. Hallister notices.”

“It’s nice, brightening things up for spring. Granny, I’ve just got to make a quick call, then I’ll check supplies.”

“Towels should be ready to fold.”

“I’ll see to that.”

Over the shop talk they exchanged a look. Viola nodded, and held up a hand behind the chair back. Five minutes.

Shelby went back into the laundry and supply room, and called her brother Forrest.

13

She couldn’t think about it. Callie was safe, and Tracey would keep her that way. She didn’t know one damn thing about any stolen jewelry, and wouldn’t know a rare stamp if someone stuck it to her forehead. If this Natalie person thought she did, she’d just have to live with the disappointment.

But it upset her how easily she could believe Richard—or Jake, or whatever his name was—had been a thief, a liar.

But never her husband, she thought, as she folded and stacked towels. In a terrible way, now that the weight had settled in, she took comfort from that.

She’d do her work, smiling and chatting with customers, restocking supplies. Then she’d go home, have dinner with her little girl before heading to the bar and grill to give Tansy and Derrick their money’s worth.

She wouldn’t let anyone down again, including herself.

Forrest found her at the end of the day while she swept the little courtyard.

“Did you find her?” Shelby demanded.

“No. Nobody by that name or description in the hotel, the lodge, in any of the cabins, the B&Bs. She’s not staying in the Ridge. And I’ve got nothing so far about a Natalie Sinclair doing time for fraud in Dade County.”

“It’s probably not her real name, either.”

“Probably not, but a good-looking brunette’s bound to stick in somebody’s memory if she’s staying in the Ridge, or poking around. We’ll take a look further out if she comes back, if she bothers you again.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

“Then start. You tell Mama?”

“I told her, and Granny, and they’ll tell the rest of the family. I’m not taking chances, Forrest, but I don’t know anything about these jewels or stamps she says she’s after.”

“You may know more than you think. Don’t get your claws out,” he said as she whipped around to him. “Christ’s sake, Shelby, I don’t think you had anything to do with it. But along the way he might’ve said something, done something, you overheard something that didn’t click at the time. Now this is all planted in your head, maybe something will click. That’s all.”

Tired, she rubbed a spot between her eyebrows where a headache wanted to brew. “She put me on edge.”

“Imagine that.”

Shelby let out a short laugh. “Is it crazy for me to be glad somewhere down deep finding out I was never married to him?”

“I’d say it’s about as sensible as it gets.”

“Okay then, I’m going to be sensible. I’m finished up here, so I’m going home. Mama picked Callie up already from Chelsea’s. I’m going to be with my girl awhile, make sure she has a good supper. Then I’m going to change and fix up so I look like somebody who should be singing on a Friday night.”

“I’ll follow you home. Safe’s better than sorry every time,” he said before she could object.

“Okay, thanks.”

Did she know something, something buried deep? Shelby wondered as she drove home with Forrest cruising behind her. It was true enough she could look back now, see little signs Richard was up to something. The phone calls that ended when she walked in or walked by, the locked doors and drawers. The dismissal of any question she had about what he did, where he went.

She’d thought affair, and more than once. But until now she’d never really considered thievery—not in a major sort of way, whatever that detective had claimed. And millions of dollars in jewelry?

That was about as major as it got.

And now that she knew? She shook her head as she pulled into the drive. She had nothing. Just nothing.

She gathered her things, waved to Forrest. And when the first thing she heard when she opened the front door was Callie’s laughter, she let everything else go.

After hugs and kisses and an excited retelling of her day with Chelsea, Callie settled down with a coloring book while Shelby helped her mother in the kitchen.