One of Us Is Dead(5)

“You don’t have to remind me.” I laughed.

“Oh stop.” She patted my shoulder. “You are the ‘it girl’ of this town.”

“Just no one knows it,” I gave a crooked smile and handed her a towel.

“Oh, honey, but they will.”





3

Olivia


“Perfect. Everyone is here.” I glanced at each of the women sitting around a table in a private room of a nice café. A large smile was plastered across my face. I couldn’t help it. I had waited years for this. We were the board of the Buckhead Women’s Foundation. We were the elite because we planned the hottest events for some charity or other. Everyone wanted to be us.

Karen raised an eyebrow at me. “Shannon isn’t here.”

“That’s right. Because this is about her,” I said, lifting my chin.

Sophie, the secretary, sat to the left of me, writing down everything I said like I was Shakespeare himself. She was a nice person to have in line behind me, but she’d never be a part of my inner circle. Sure, Sophie was wealthy, but aside from that, the only thing she had to offer was note-taking. Plus, she was as bland as a box of unsalted saltine crackers. Her appearance matched her personality . . . boring.

Tina, the treasurer, flipped through her ledger. Each flip of the page blew a whiff of that musky, disgusting perfume she always wore. Even though she was rich, she smelled poor. If Tina weren’t so hard to look at, we’d certainly be close. But she had started her plastic surgery journey before it was perfected and with a surgeon that was less than skilled. As a result, it looked as though her skin would slide right off her face into her lap. My eyes could only take so much.

“Tina, your skin is glowing,” I complimented. “I can barely notice the lack of elasticity today.”

“Olivia, you’re too kind,” she said with a smile.

“And Sophie, your outfit is so you. I could never pull that off.”

Sophie looked down at her plain white tee. “I’m sure you could, Olivia. Everything looks good on you.”

“You’re right. Shall we get started?”

Tina and Sophie nodded. Karen leaned back in her chair and tilted her head. I didn’t have to get her on board for this decision. I just needed two votes, and I had them.

“Buckhead Women’s Foundation emergency committee meeting is now in session,” Sophie said.

“Great. So, the reason I called you all here today is out of concern. We all know Shannon has been going through an extremely tough time. My heart hurts for her.” I placed my hand against my chest and made my face sympathetic. It was my least favorite facial expression.

Tina and Sophie nodded again. Karen sat forward in her seat.

“I’m calling a motion for Shannon to step down as chairwoman. All in favor?”

Sophie and Tina started to put their hands up.

“Hold on! This isn’t right,” Karen practically yelled. So unladylike.

Sophie and Tina quickly put their hands down. Cowards.

“No, Karen. What isn’t right is our events and charities suffering like Shannon is.” I kept my voice calm.

“How are they suffering?” Karen’s eyes went wide.

“Sophie, please read out those that were missing from the last two meetings,” I instructed.

She nodded and flipped through her notes. “Shannon.”

“I rest my case,” I said with a tight smile.

“But she’s been planning the upcoming gala just fine. I’ve relayed everything she had to say at those meetings,” Karen argued.

“A leader leads, Karen. She doesn’t relay through the PR chair.” I shook my head.

“Olivia’s right,” Tina cut in. “I don’t even have the finances updated because she hasn’t gotten them to me.”

“And it’s not fair that I have to mark her absent. I get enough hand cramps as it is with all the note-taking,” Sophie added.

I nearly rolled my eyes. Her argument was weak and boring like herself. We had rehearsed this.

“I don’t want to be the bad guy here.” Yes, I do. “But according to our bylaws, two or more meetings missed by a board member without a proper reason is grounds for dismissal from their position,” I said. That was what Sophie was supposed to say.

“Yes, that’s right.” Sophie flipped through her folder and pushed a piece of paper in front of Karen.

Karen quickly read it over and looked back at me. “Isn’t divorce a proper reason?”

“No. It’s not in the bylaws,” I said.

“We didn’t include it because it’s so common these days,” Tina said. “Some of our regular members are on divorce number three, but members get more leeway than the board.”

Karen let out a groan. “Can’t we make an exception?”

In unison, I and my two minions shook our heads. “It’s a slippery slope, Karen. So, motion to remove Shannon as chairwoman?”

Tina, Sophie, and I raised our hands.

“All opposed?” Karen raised her hand.

“Okay, it’s settled. Shannon Madison is no longer chairwoman of the Buckhead Women’s Foundation. Don’t worry, Karen. She is still a member, and she can always run again at the next election,” I said with a smile.