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“Girls' night!” Glenda's eyes sparkled with excitement. “I found this amazing wine bar downtown. They have a live jazz band on Friday nights, and the reviews are incredible.”

Roxie stopped at the reception counter. “This Friday?”

“I know it's short notice, but I've been so lonely since Rob and I broke up. You three have been such good friends, and I thought it would be fun to do something special together.”

“That sounds nice,” Roxie said diplomatically. “But Friday's pretty busy for us usually.”

“Oh, but it's just one night.” Glenda's expression shifted slightly, and I could see her disappointment. “We could meet around seven? I already made reservations for four.”

“You made reservations without asking us first?” Ava's eyebrows rose.

“I was so excited about the idea.” Glenda laughed, but it sounded forced. “I guess I got carried away. But they can always cancel if you can't make it.”

Damn it. I hated seeing her sad.

“It sounds like fun to me,” I chimed in. Glenda gave me a grateful smile.

“I suppose I could rearrange a few things,” Roxie said slowly.

“Me too,” Ava added, though she didn't look thrilled about it.

“Wonderful!” Glenda clapped her hands together. “Here are the flyers about the place. Oh, this is going to be such a special night. I can't wait to spend some quality time together. Just us girls.”

After she went to the bathroom and left, Ava turned to me. “Just remember, you got us into this, so you owe us.”

I laughed. “She’s just lonely. And anyway, from what she’s told me, that Rob guy was an absolute dick. She needs a girl posse.”

“Whatever,” Roxie groused. “I don’t care if he was a colossal dick. We’re the ones stuck, so you owe us.”

I laughed.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of appointments, new patient walk-ins, and routine procedures. By closing time, my feet ached and my head pounded from the constant noise and activity.

“I'll finish cleaning up,” Roxie offered as I gathered my things. “Graham's probably waiting for you.”

“Thanks.” I shouldered my purse, grateful for her thoughtfulness.

I was heading toward the front door when a smell hit me. Something awful, like sulfur mixed with decay.

“Oh my God,” Ava gagged, covering her nose with her hand. “What is that?”

Roxie appeared beside us, her face scrunched in disgust. “It smells like something died.”

We followed the stench to the bathroom.

“I don’t want to go in,” Ava wailed. “We’re going to need Hazmat suits.”

“Wait a minute, it’s not the bathroom; it’s coming from the breakroom.” We turned to the room directly across from the bathroom. There was a trashcan right by the door. Roxie went into one of the exam rooms and grabbed a pair of latex gloves, then she gingerly lifted the trashcan lid.

“Rotten eggs.” She held up what was left of a Ziploc bag filled with a dozen broken eggs, now a putrid, yellowish-green mess. “The gases built up inside until the bag burst. It sprayed everywhere in the trash.”

“Who would do that?” Ava asked.

Roxie continued to peer into the trashcan, then stopped. “Joy, there's an envelope down there with your name on it.”

My blood turned to ice. “Don't touch it.”

Roxie brought up the slime-covered envelope. It was a standard white envelope, my name written across the front in the same script we'd seen before. “Should I open it?”