“I will be giving this situation my full attention.” She smiled at all of them, wishing there was an easy way to change the gloomy atmosphere they’d brought into her office. “Just so you know, the city has not permitted a secondhand store in the Barton Building. I’m unsure as to whether there’s been confusion on the part of Ms. Honeycutt, but I am sure we’ll resolve this.”
“When?” asked Cindy, the owner of the Clothes Horse.
“As soon as possible.” Susanna gave them her business smile.
“It’s our biggest season of the year,” Cindy continued. “Matilda’s shop is so out of place. It just cheapens the whole downtown area. It’s a disgrace.”
Susanna forced another smile. “But the Clothes Horse is such a lovely shop. I can’t imagine how it could be cheapened by anything.”
“You know what they say,” Cindy countered. “It’s all about location, location, location. If my shop looks like it’s located next to a frowsy thrift shop, then it makes it look like my merchandise is second-rate too.”
“I do understand your concerns,” Susanna assured them. She pointed to the clock on the credenza. “I have an appointment with the mayor at ten. In fact, I might even mention this to him—”
“Don’t worry,” Ben said quickly. “We already hand-delivered a copy of this letter to the mayor, as well as to all the city councillors. We’re on it.”
“And we’ll be at the city council meeting tonight,” another said.
“I see.” Susanna nodded. “It sounds as if you’ve put together quite an attack plan.”
“That’s right,” said an older man she didn’t know. “Councilman Snider has been very helpful. I didn’t even vote for him last term, but maybe I’ll be voting for him next time.” He chuckled.
As Susanna gathered her things, she thanked the group for their time.
“We’ll see you tonight then,” Cindy told her.
“It’s a date,” Susanna said lightly.
But as she walked to the mayor’s office, she felt anything but light. In fact, she was borderline angry. Councilman Snider certainly wasted no time in rallying the local merchants. She could only imagine what kind of backroom meeting he’d thrown together. It didn’t take a mentalist to guess what the old boy was up to. He wanted that building badly, and he would probably go to great lengths to attain it.
As she waited for the mayor’s assistant to finish her phone conversation, she knew better than to mention this particular element of the Honeycutt dilemma to the mayor. Not only was he a member of the Good Ol’ Boys Club, he and Councilman Snider were golf buddies, or as her old boss used to say, “thicker than thieves.”
“Good morning, Susanna,” Mayor Gordon said as she sat down in the chair opposite his desk. “How’s life treating you these days?”
She made the usual friendly small talk, keeping it brief and not overly personal. Spotting a copy of the letter from Ben and his downtown buddies in the center of the mayor’s desk, she decided to jump right in. “I see you got your copy of the letter too,” she began. “Their committee was just in my office.”
Mayor Gordon frowned. “They stopped by here too. Is it true what they’re saying?”
She pressed her lips together. “It’s partly true. And it’s partly a matter of perspective.” She quickly explained what had transpired.
“So you can handle this on your end?” he asked.
“I plan to.” She nodded confidently. “However, you should be warned.”
“Warned?” He frowned.
“Ben and friends will be attending the city council meeting tonight.”
Mayor Gordon groaned. “Just what we need.”
“I know.” She sighed.
“I was hoping to actually wrap some things up tonight.”
“Well, I’ll do what I can today to resolve this. Maybe we can put the whole thing to rest before it gets too out of hand.”
“Hopefully.” He changed the subject to go over their usual weekly agenda, but she could tell he was
“When?” asked Cindy, the owner of the Clothes Horse.
“As soon as possible.” Susanna gave them her business smile.
“It’s our biggest season of the year,” Cindy continued. “Matilda’s shop is so out of place. It just cheapens the whole downtown area. It’s a disgrace.”
Susanna forced another smile. “But the Clothes Horse is such a lovely shop. I can’t imagine how it could be cheapened by anything.”
“You know what they say,” Cindy countered. “It’s all about location, location, location. If my shop looks like it’s located next to a frowsy thrift shop, then it makes it look like my merchandise is second-rate too.”
“I do understand your concerns,” Susanna assured them. She pointed to the clock on the credenza. “I have an appointment with the mayor at ten. In fact, I might even mention this to him—”
“Don’t worry,” Ben said quickly. “We already hand-delivered a copy of this letter to the mayor, as well as to all the city councillors. We’re on it.”
“And we’ll be at the city council meeting tonight,” another said.
“I see.” Susanna nodded. “It sounds as if you’ve put together quite an attack plan.”
“That’s right,” said an older man she didn’t know. “Councilman Snider has been very helpful. I didn’t even vote for him last term, but maybe I’ll be voting for him next time.” He chuckled.
As Susanna gathered her things, she thanked the group for their time.
“We’ll see you tonight then,” Cindy told her.
“It’s a date,” Susanna said lightly.
But as she walked to the mayor’s office, she felt anything but light. In fact, she was borderline angry. Councilman Snider certainly wasted no time in rallying the local merchants. She could only imagine what kind of backroom meeting he’d thrown together. It didn’t take a mentalist to guess what the old boy was up to. He wanted that building badly, and he would probably go to great lengths to attain it.
As she waited for the mayor’s assistant to finish her phone conversation, she knew better than to mention this particular element of the Honeycutt dilemma to the mayor. Not only was he a member of the Good Ol’ Boys Club, he and Councilman Snider were golf buddies, or as her old boss used to say, “thicker than thieves.”
“Good morning, Susanna,” Mayor Gordon said as she sat down in the chair opposite his desk. “How’s life treating you these days?”
She made the usual friendly small talk, keeping it brief and not overly personal. Spotting a copy of the letter from Ben and his downtown buddies in the center of the mayor’s desk, she decided to jump right in. “I see you got your copy of the letter too,” she began. “Their committee was just in my office.”
Mayor Gordon frowned. “They stopped by here too. Is it true what they’re saying?”
She pressed her lips together. “It’s partly true. And it’s partly a matter of perspective.” She quickly explained what had transpired.
“So you can handle this on your end?” he asked.
“I plan to.” She nodded confidently. “However, you should be warned.”
“Warned?” He frowned.
“Ben and friends will be attending the city council meeting tonight.”
Mayor Gordon groaned. “Just what we need.”
“I know.” She sighed.
“I was hoping to actually wrap some things up tonight.”
“Well, I’ll do what I can today to resolve this. Maybe we can put the whole thing to rest before it gets too out of hand.”
“Hopefully.” He changed the subject to go over their usual weekly agenda, but she could tell he was
Similar Books
