Bad to the Bone(40)

“I don’t want any trouble,” Fanny said.

“I’m not going to cause trouble, Fanny. I want the truth, and that woman could be destroying a perfectly good marriage. I’m not going to let that happen.”

Fanny sighed. “Okay, come on, let’s get you started.”

Stacey and Cora were handled by two other women while Misty was throwing out one of her vicious lies again.

“I tell you, I don’t know why he’s still married to that woman. He’s always coming to my place for a little of this, you know what I mean,” Misty said.

“Who’s that?” Cora asked.

Some of the customers looked bored with Misty talking, others looked ill, and some were lapping up the gossip.

“What?” Misty asked.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Oh, Thomas Redman. He’s a sexy, hot guy. The local builder around here, and fixer upper.”

Cora nodded. She glanced at Fanny, and her friend simply raised a brow. She was good to go.

“He’s married, isn’t he?” Cora asked.

The clients were all listening, and the beauticians were working along in silence. It would seem Misty wasn’t a well-liked woman.

“It doesn’t stop my man. He’s going to leave that fucking bitch soon, anyway. She’s nothing to him. He told me so.”

Cora started laughing. “Yeah, right.”

“What do you say?”

“Well, I came to get my hair done and here I am getting told some made up story. Thomas wouldn’t look at you when he has Sharon, believe me, I’ve seen him.”

“Honey, you’ve not even been at my home.”

“Where’s your home?” Cora asked.

Misty told her an address, and Cora burst out laughing. This bitch was busted. She’d passed that exact apartment building last night with James. She should have recognized Misty, and now she was so damn happy.

“Oh, my God, you lying little bitch,” Cora said.

“I’m not lying.”

“I happen to have been on the back of a bike last night,” Cora said, looking at the women. “Was Thomas Redman supposed to have been with her last night, around nine?” Cora asked.

They all nodded.

“Well, James and I stopped right outside of the apartment building. I needed to stretch my legs, and I saw you, Misty. I saw you with a man who is the same height as you with long hair in dreadlocks, and that wasn’t Thomas. Thomas is over six foot five, and has blond hair. That wasn’t the man you were making out with last night.” Cora spun in her chair, facing Misty. Fanny hadn’t even gotten to the scissors to cut her hair. “You’re lying, and you’ve been lying about Thomas, Sharon’s husband.”

Misty’s face was red as she stared at her. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Cora stepped out of her chair and moved toward Misty. “No, you don’t get what I’m saying to you. Keep spreading your lies, and phoning Sharon with these vile words, and I will make you pay.”

“What will you do?”

There were ways for dealing with women like her. Calling her out on her bullshit, and all it took was talking to the right people. There were enough people who’d witnessed Misty at the time of her lies, so there would be people willing to speak up.

“It’s not just her, it’s me,” Stacey said, standing up.

“And me.” This was from Fanny.

Several women stood.

Turning to Misty, Cora glared. “Test me, Misty, you won’t win.”

“Misty, clear out your station. I don’t want your vileness spreading through my business. I had no problems you talking about yourself, but when that is lies, and it’s directed at a friend of mine, I don’t want to hear it. Get out,” Fanny said.

Sitting back down, Cora stared at her reflection. She was shaking she was so mad at the bitch. How dare Misty be a bitch to Sharon?

Once she finished her hair, and had a facial, she took Stacey home, and entered the diner where she’d asked Thomas to meet her.

He didn’t look much better than Sharon.

Taking a coffee, she moved to sit opposite him. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey, I was surprised to get your phone call. I’ve been getting a lot of shit from the locals just lately. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do or say. They all have their own thoughts on what is going on,” he said.

“This over the Misty scandal?”

“Yeah, it’s over that. I don’t even know where it fucking came from. I don’t go near the bitch. I’ve never touched her, and yet I’ve got everyone telling me what a bastard I am.”

Reaching over the table, she held onto his hand. “There’s something I need to tell you, and I don’t want you to get angry.”