Lavender Lipstick Lies: A Mystery of Makeup & Mayhem Read online

  “Uh, Abby?” Her brow was furrowed and she appeared visibly nervous. “Can you come out here for a sec?”

  “Yeah, sure.” I put the blue dress on the bed. “What is it?”

  She made a fluttering wave with one hand. “Just come out here, okay?”

  I followed her down the short corridor into the main living area of our suite. When I saw the two women standing just inside the door, I felt my stomach drop to my feet. I recognized them instantly: Felicia Gold, founder and chief executive officer of Splendora; and her director of public relations, a woman named Gillian Smart.

  “Ms. Edison?” Felicia Gold turned and beamed a bright smile. “Do you have a moment?”

  I swallowed hard. “Uh-huh,” I muttered anxiously. “Is everything okay?”

  “Well, we were hoping you could help shed light on something for us,” Gillian Smart said in an icy tone. “Do you mind if we all sit down?”

  Emma moved around and stood near the windows. She waited while Felicia and Gillian crossed the room and settled into the two armchairs facing one of the sofas. As soon as they were seated, I forced my legs to carry me over so I could sit across from the two women. I concentrated on trying to relax, but there was something about the way they were looking at me that caused my heartbeat to quicken and a million goose bumps to speckle the back of my neck.

  “What’s this about?” I asked.

  Gillian Smart unlatched the briefcase she was carrying. Her slender fingers reached inside and came out with an envelope. My eyes bulged when I noticed that it was addressed to Felicia Gold in childish letters printed in Lyrically Luscious Lavender lipstick.

  “Where did you get that?” I blurted.

  Felicia Gold glanced at the other woman. “Gillian,” she said. “Why don’t you tell Ms. Edison about the letter?”

  “Certainly, Felicia,” answered the public relations maven before looking up at me. “This rather unusual message was slipped under the door to Felicia’s suite just a few minutes ago. As soon as she discovered what was inside, she alerted me so I could help manage the situation.”

  “What situation?” I asked.

  “The note includes some rather incendiary allegations,” Gillian Smart explained. “And, unfortunately, the allegations are about you, Abby.” She pressed her lips into a tight smile. “Is it okay if I call you by your first name?”

  “Of course,” I said mechanically. “But I don’t…” I felt my heart slamming wildly in my chest. “What does it say?” I asked. “What are the allegations?”

  A faint frown appeared on Gillian’s face. “I don’t think we need to—”

  “No!” I demanded. “If they’re about me, I have every right to know.”

  Felicia Gold sat forward in her chair. “They’re scurrilous claims, Abby. About you. About your husband. And about your marriage.” She paused long enough to give Gillian a quick glance. “They’re also about your suitability to be included as a candidate for our Achiever of the Year Award.”

  Emma walked over and sat beside me. “It’s okay, Abby. Take a deep breath.”

  “May I see the envelope?” I asked.

  Gillian Smart’s mouth twitched. “Are you sure you want to?” she replied. “It has very unflattering things to say.”

  I held out my hand. “Yes, I’m sure. And I have every right to.”

  “Go on, Gillian,” Felicia said. “She’s absolutely correct.”

  My hands were trembling as I took the note. I examined the lettering on the front; it was identical to the envelope I’d received by the pool shortly after we arrived at the hotel.

  “Do you want me to?” Emma offered.

  I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I’ll do it.”

  I removed a sheet of paper from the envelope and felt a knife twist in my back as I read the message:

  Abby Edison is a cheat & a fake & a liar! She is having an affair. Her husband is having an affair. Their marriage is a sham. Is that the kind of person you want as global ambassador for Splendora?

  I gulped in some air as I put the sheet of paper back into the envelope. Then I dropped it on the coffee table.

  “I know who’s doing this,” I said calmly. “At least, I’m pretty certain that I do.”

  “How could you?” Gillian asked coldly. “The note isn’t signed.”

  I felt my cheeks flare with fury. “It’s Amanda Woodworth!” I shouted. “She’s trying to get me to step down so she can move up to the top three rankings!”

  “That’s a rather sharp claim,” Felicia said slowly. “And we should let you know that there was something else in the envelope when it was delivered to my room.”

  Emma gasped softly and took my hand. “What was it?”

  “A photograph,” answered Felicia. “It was a picture of a man greeting a very pretty blonde woman at the front door of a house.”

  I felt Emma’s grip tighten.

  “The information on the back identified the man as your husband, Abby,” added Felicia.

  My body felt suddenly like ice as I struggled to maintain my composure. “Do you have it with you?” I asked.

  Gillian Smart nodded and pulled something from her briefcase. It was a full-size sheet of paper with an image printed squarely in the middle. She carefully placed the photograph on the coffee table. I glanced down and shuddered; Robert was at the front door of our house talking with the curvy blonde who had been in our living room the morning I left for Las Vegas.

  “Is that your husband, Abby?” Gillian asked.

  I nodded. “Yes, but I can explain,” I said in a quivering whisper. “That woman is somehow involved in the scheme to get me to withdraw from Achiever of the Year.”

  Felicia Gold sat back in her chair. “Who is she?”

  I shrugged. “Well, I don’t know for certain,” I answered. “But the car she was driving is registered to someone named Kimberly Woodworth. I haven’t had a chance to find out yet if she’s related to Amanda or not, but I suspect she is.”

  Gillian laughed. “Isn’t this all getting a little out of hand?” she said. “You suspect she is? Did you bother to ask your husband?”

  The haughty tone in the woman’s voice was obvious; she didn’t believe me. I checked Felicia Gold’s expression; it was much more even, as if she was reserving judgment on what I had to tell them.

  “I did talk to my husband,” I said. “He’d never seen that woman before she suddenly showed up at our house the other day.”

  “Or that’s what he wants you to believe,” Gillian nearly hissed.

  I heaved a sigh and narrowed my gaze. “Look, Miss Smart,” I said firmly. “You and I have never met before, but I’m telling you the truth. My husband isn’t having an affair. And neither am I. Our marriage is fine. For some random reason, Amanda Woodworth is targeting me to try and scare me into withdrawing from the—”

  “Yes, yes,” Gillian interrupted. “You’ve already told us all of that. But what I think we’re really trying to—”

  “Gillian?” Felicia Gold’s voice was regal and commanding.

  The other woman blinked. “Yes, Felicia?”

  “Why don’t you go downstairs and take care of the rest of the media requests?” Felicia gave her a firm nod toward the door. “I think I can handle this from here.”

  Chapter 21

  The room was still and hushed as the door closed behind Gillian Smart. I concentrated on keeping my hands folded in my lap and my expression as calm as possible.

  “That’s better,” Felicia said finally. “Gillian’s a wonderful girl, but she has a tendency to overreach and worry.”

  “I’m sorry if I seemed disrespectful,” I said. “But this whole thing has become a stressful nightmare.”

  Felicia nodded. “I can see it on your face, Abby. And I can hear it in your voice.”

  “Well, I’m pretty freaked out,” I said. “I’ve never met Amanda Woodworth before, but for some reason she’s trying to frighten me so that I’ll drop out of the Achiever of
the Award finalists before tonight’s banquet.”

  Felicia winced as if she’d just smelled something rotten. “Why on earth would you say such a thing?” she asked. “And what proof do you have?”

  “Proof?” I said in nearly a whisper.

  “Yes, Abby,” Felicia replied. “You can’t just accuse Amanda of this scheme without proof. That would be disastrous. If it turned out to be a false charge, she could sue you for slander. And she could also file suit against the company. I’ve seen similar things happen during my career.”

  “But I just know that it’s her!” I said, feeling my entire body shudder with anger. “She’s bullying me so I’ll drop out. Just like her husband did when we were kids.”

  Felicia Gold’s eyes went wide. “What did you say?”

  “Yeah!” Emma blurted. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

  I gave her a quick grin. “I just found out a few minutes ago from my husband,” I explained. “Robert has a friend who works as a private investigator. That’s how I learned that the blonde at our house was driving a car registered to Kimberly Woodworth.”

  “Okay, you already told me that,” Emma said. “But why didn’t you tell me that you know Amanda’s husband?”

  Between the look on her face and the edge in her voice, I felt my heart beat quicken again. “I was going to tell you,” I said. “Robert called when I was in my room picking out what I was going to wear tonight.”

  Emma winced slightly. “Okay, whatever,” she said. “I guess that’s not really relevant. But the fact that Amanda is married to the guy is important.”

  I nodded. “Very important,” I said. “And, to tell you the truth, Robert had to repeat the news three times before I actually understood what he was saying.”

  “Who is he?” demanded Emma.

  “Reed Dalton,” I said. “After they got married, Amanda kept her maiden name. And I haven’t seen him or thought about him in years.”

  “I vaguely remember you talking about him a long time ago,” Emma said. “But, anyway—back to what you were telling us, Abs.”

  I glanced at Felicia Gold. She was listening carefully with a neutral expression on her face.

  “Okay,” I continued. “Amanda is married to Reed, and he used to bully me mercilessly with some other boys. They were actually expelled for a week after one particularly vicious stunt that involved anonymous posters in the hallways at school.”

  Emma gasped. “Like the notes you’ve received here this weekend?”

  I nodded. “Kind of like that,” I said. “Back then, I was shy and timid; other kids were always teasing me about my weight and my glasses and my frizzy hair.”

  “But look at you now, dear,” Felicia said. “You’re absolutely stunning!”

  “Thank you,” I said. “I’ve worked hard over the years.”

  Emma patted my shoulder. “She really has, Mrs. Gold. Abby’s done an amazing job of taking care of herself, both inside and out.”

  “Please, dear,” the Splendora executive said as she smiled at Emma. “Call me Felicia.”

  “Well, it’s true,” Emma went on. “Abby’s my best friend. We’ve known each other since we were sixteen. And, to be honest, in all those years, I’ve never, ever heard her tell one fib.”

  Felicia raised an eyebrow. “Never, ever?”

  Emma shook her head. “Cross my heart,” she offered with a smile. “She’s had her ups and downs like everybody else, but she’s never stooped to the level that Amanda Woodworth has by making these threats with her anonymous notes.”

  For a few seconds, Felicia Gold nodded her head. It was like she was sifting through everything we’d told her about the notes written in Lyrically Luscious Lavender along with my suspicions about Amanda. I’d never met the Splendora founder. But after hearing her speak at all of the other annual conferences and reading her autobiography, I felt like she was one of the most honorable women I’d ever come across. After building her business from a one-woman shoestring operation run from a kitchen table to an international empire worth billions of dollars, Felicia remained down-to-earth and honest.

  “Here’s how I interpret the situation,” she said finally. “Abby, you truly are a remarkable woman. And you embody the essence of Splendora with your independence, commitment and hard work. As one of our finalists for Achiever of the Year, you’ve demonstrated impeccable skill and exemplary care for your clients.”

  I felt my cheeks go red. “Thank you, Felicia. That’s really kind of you to say.”

  She tilted her head and smiled. “Well, it’s actually very easy to say, because it’s the truth.” She paused and the grin on her face softened into a neutral expression. “And, as you know, the truth is based on facts and tangible elements, not supposition and speculation.”

  “Meaning that my accusation against Amanda isn’t true?”

  Felicia frowned slightly. “That’s not at all what I mean, dear. I simply believe that you will need more than feelings and conjecture to prove that she is responsible for the unsettling threats and unsubstantiated allegations about you and your husband.”

  “More than feelings?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry,” Felicia said. “We can’t arbitrarily accuse her of doing these things without proof.”

  As she continued explaining what she meant, an idea flickered in my mind. I wasn’t a detective or crime scene investigator, but I’d always loved shows that involved cracking difficult criminal cases and identifying perpetrators through clever twists and tricks. It seemed like my idea might work to unmask the person behind the threats. I ran the scheme through my mind as Felicia continued sharing her thoughts about the situation. When I realized that Emma was glaring at me, I blinked a few times to dismiss the daydream and reconnect with the present moment.

  “…do want you to know that I value you as one of our top image consultants,” Felicia was saying as I shifted my attention back to the conversation. “And I’m not sure what our next step will be, but I can assure you that I want everyone in the Splendora family to treat one another with courtesy and compassion.”

  “I know what it should be,” I said.

  Felicia smiled. “What was that, Abby?”

  “Our next step. While we’ve been talking, I got an idea. It’s something that may help me prove my claim that Amanda Woodworth is making up these lies and sending the anonymous notes.”

  After Emma asked me to explain, Felicia glanced at her phone.

  “I do apologize to you both,” she said. “But I have a conference call with our European leadership team in fifteen minutes. What would you say if we met again tomorrow afternoon?”

  “That will be too late!” I protested. “You’re presenting Achiever of the Year during the banquet tonight. I want this resolved before you make the announcement.”

  She stood up and smoothed her skirt. “That’s a good point, but I don’t see—”

  “Trust me,” I suddenly told her.

  A curious grin came up on her face. “Trust you?” she said. “With what, dear?”

  “With my idea,” I said. “It’s really pretty simple.”

  “You know what?” Felicia said, turning toward the door. “I do trust you, Abby. And even though you and I haven’t met before, I’ve heard nothing but glowing reports about you from our Midwest team leads. Your sales performance continues to grow each year. Your willingness to share your knowledge with new consultants is well-known. And your attitude here this afternoon is more than impressive. There’s a confidence about you, dear. A very, very notable confidence.”

  I blushed and glanced away. “Thank you,” I said, fixing my eyes on her once again. “I really appreciate those kind words.”

  I walked with her to the door and watched until she’d disappeared into the elevator. Then I turned back to Emma and giggled.

  “What do you have up your sleeve?” she asked.

  “I think it’ll work,” I said. “But I need to call Trevor Cole first.”

  “Well,
great!” Emma smiled. “When do I get to hear your top secret plan?”

  “I’ll tell you everything while we wait for Trevor,” I said, walking toward the mini-bar. “In the meantime, how about something cool to drink?”

  “I’d kill for a margarita,” Emma sighed. “But I don’t think that’s a good idea if we’re going to the banquet in a couple of hours.”

  I opened the little refrigerator and plucked one of the bottles of coconut water from inside. “How about this?” I held the selection up so Emma could see the label. “Or we also have a bunch of soft drinks, orange juice or some kind of mocha coffee thing.”

  “Coconut water is great,” she said. “Now, hurry up! I’m dying to hear what you’ve got in mind for catching the freak that’s been sending the threats.”

  Chapter 22

  Two hours later, Emma stood beside me in the hallway outside our suite as I opened the tube of Lyrically Luscious Lavender.

  “Do you really think this is going to work?” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder nervously at the empty corridor.

  “Yes,” I said. “If the person responsible for the threats is serious about getting me to withdraw, I really think this will do the trick.”

  A door opened at the far end of the hallway.

  “Someone’s coming!” Emma hissed. “Put that away!”

  I quickly put the cap on the tube of lipstick and hid it in my hand.

  “Pretend you’re checking your makeup,” she suggested.

  “Great idea,” I said, winking at her. “I was already one step ahead of you.”

  As I gazed at my reflection and pretended to examine my mascara, a man and woman walked toward us. They were busy talking and didn’t even seem to realize that Emma and I were standing near the console table and mirror. As they passed us, the man glanced over and smiled before resuming the animated conversation with his companion.

  “Wait until they’re gone,” Emma said quietly.

  I nodded. “Gotcha!” I whispered. “Thanks for being my accomplice on this, Em. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”