Carolina Moon

that. I’m trying to talk your daughter into hiring me. Maybe you could put in a good word. Nice to have met you, Mr. Bodeen. I’ll wait to hear from you, Tory.”
    She walked out, crouched by the dog. Tory could hear her delighted laughter and the dog’s welcoming bark through the closed door.
    “Well now.” He put his hands on his hips and turned to study the shop. “This is quite a place you’ve got here. Looks like you’re doing pretty well for yourself.”
    He hadn’t changed. Why hadn’t he changed? Did he look older? He didn’t seem to. He hadn’t lost his girth or his hair or that dark gleam in his eyes. Time didn’t seem to touch him. And when he turned back, she felt herself shrinking, she felt the years, and all the effort she’d put into remaking herself, slipping away.
    “What do you want?”
    “Real well for yourself.” He stepped up to the counter, closing the distance. And she saw she’d been wrong, at least partially wrong. There was some age on his face, carved into deep lines around his mouth, sagging in his jowls, scored across his brow like whiplashes. “You come back here to flaunt that in your old hometown. ‘Pride goeth before a fall,’ Victoria.”
    “How did you know I was here? Did Mama tell you?”
    “A father’s a father all of his life. I’ve kept my eye on you. Did you come back here to boast, and to shame me?”
    “I came back here for myself. It has nothing to do with you.” Lies, lies, lies.
    “It was here you set the town talking, had them pointing fingers. It was here you defied me and the Lord for the first time. The shame of what you did and what you were drove me from here.”
    “Margaret Lavelle’s money in your pocket drove you from here.”
    A muscle jumped in his cheek. A warning. “So, people are talking already. I don’t care for that. ‘A liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.’”
    “They’ll talk more if you spend any time around here. And those who are looking for you are bound to find you. I’ve been to see Mama. She’s worried about you.”
    “Got no cause to. I’m head of my own house. A man comes and goes as he sees fit.”
    “Runs. You ran after you were caught and arrested and charged for assaulting that woman. You lit out and left Mama alone. And when they catch you this time, there won’t be probation. They’ll put you behind bars.”
    “You mind your mouth.” His hand shot out. She was prepared for a blow, was braced for it, but he grabbed her shirtfront and hauled her half over the counter. “You show me respect. You owe me your life. It was my seed started you into this world.”
    “To my everlasting regret.” She thought of the scissors under the counter. Imagined them in her hand as he dragged her over another inch. And wondered, as she looked into the terrible and familiar rage in his face, if she was capable of using them. “If you lay a hand on me, I swear I’ll go straight to the police. You hit me, and I’ll tell them, and I’ll tell them of all the times you left me bruised and battered. When I’m done—”
    She gasped, fought not to cry out when he yanked her hair back with his free hand and the rough edge of his fingers scraped like a burn over the side of her throat. Tears of pain leaked out of her eyes and made her voice rasp. “When I’m done, they’ll put more bars around you. I swear it. Now, you let me go, and you walk out of here. I’ll forget I ever saw you.”
    “You would dare to threaten me?”
    “It’s not a threat. It’s a fact.” The fury and hate rolling out of him almost smothered her. She could feel her throat closing against it, her chest clogging. She wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. “Let me go.” She kept her eyes on his as she slid her hand under the counter, feeling for the scissors. “Let me go before someone comes through and sees you.”
    Emotions lit over his face. Fear added to the mix of violence pumping from him. Her fingers brushed the cool metal handles, and he jerked her to the side, all but rammed her into the cash register.
    “I need money. You give me what you’ve got in there. You owe me for every breath you’ve ever taken.”
    “There isn’t much. It won’t take you far.” She opened the cash drawer, pulled out money with both hands. Anything to get him out, anything to get him away.
    “That lying whore back in Hartsville will burn in hell.” He kept his hand on her hair as he stuffed the money in his pocket. “And so will