The Armstrong Assignment (A Janet Markham Bennett Cozy Thriller Book 1) by Diana Xarissa (books for 10th graders TXT) 📕

“My goodness, you’ve been everywhere,” Janet said.

Lucy nodded. “I didn’t know it at the time, but my mother was doing what she could to hide her true intentions. The next time my father sent me to stay with her, she gave him an address in Virginia. As soon as I arrived, though, Mom took off for North Dakota. She had this crazy idea that she could hide from my father there.”

“Surely, with her parents there, that must have been one of the first places he looked,” Janet said.

“It was, but initially my grandparents were able to convince him that they didn’t know where my mother had gone. Meanwhile, I was being kept indoors all the time. My mother cut my hair and dyed it dark brown.” She ran a hand through her hair and laughed. “I’m actually a natural blonde, although my hair has gotten darker as I’ve gotten older. I was very blonde when I was a child, though.”

Janet was prevented from replying as the waiter arrived with the pudding menus. This time the English translations were exactly the same as the French descriptions. It didn’t take long for everyone to order.

“Where was I?” Lucy asked as the man walked away.

“You were hiding indoors with dark hair,” Janet told her.

Lucy laughed. “I was, for six long months. In the end, my mother got tired of listening to me complain and turned herself in before my father found us. Mom checked herself into a mental hospital and I went back to Texas. Dad was able to get full custody, something that was supposed to be renegotiated once Mom was well again. For whatever reason, it never was.”

“Do you see your mother often, now that you’re an adult?” Janet asked.

“I visit her on her birthday,” Lucy replied. “We have a difficult relationship. She’s been married five times and she’s been in dozens of relationships in between the marriages, relationships with both men and women. I’ve never really liked any of the people she’s dated or married.”

“That must be difficult.”

“She blames my father for everything that’s wrong in her life,” Lucy added. “She says she was crazy about him and really excited when she got pregnant. According to her, Daddy didn’t want children. She claims that I was the reason why their marriage ended.”

“It seems odd, then, that he fought so hard to get custody of you,” Janet remarked.

“Daddy won’t really talk about my mother, so I don’t really know his version of the story. Lots of other people have tried to tell me things over the years,” Lucy said, nodding towards Dixie. “But I don’t know who I should believe.”

“Does it really matter?” Janet asked. “I mean, it all happened decades ago.”

“But if my mother is to be believed, my father ruined her life. He should be held accountable,” Lucy replied.

“Your mother ruined her own life,” Dixie said loudly. “You couldn’t believe a word that woman said forty years ago and you can’t believe a word she says now.”

Lucy flushed. “We all know how you feel about my mother,” she said tightly.

“Janet doesn’t, but I can fill her in later,” Dixie replied. “I’m sure she’s heard your version of events. It will be nice for her to hear the truth.”

“You don’t know what really happened any more than I do,” Lucy retorted.

“I know a good deal more than you do,” Dixie shot back. “I was there, after all. I was an adult and I wasn’t drinking all the time, unlike your mother.”

“Mom quit drinking when she got pregnant,” Lucy said.

“Is that what she told you?” Dixie asked. “Like I said earlier, you can’t believe a word that woman says.”

“Here’s pudding,” Janet interrupted a bit desperately. “Theodore, Bobby said that he has business meetings all day tomorrow. Are we truly going to be in meetings all day?”

Theodore looked up from his mobile and frowned. “We have a meeting at nine with, well, with someone with whom Bobby is interested in doing business. I’ve been assured that they’ll be bringing at least one member of staff that speaks English. I doubt you’ll need to be there.”

“Bobby said something about wanting me there so that I can listen to the conversations that take place in French,” Janet reminded him.

“Oh, yes, he wants you to act like a spy,” Theodore said, almost sneering. “I suppose if you want to play at being Jane Bond, you can sit in the corner and listen to what’s being said. I doubt you’ll understand any of it, though.”

“I can simply do my best,” Janet replied.

“I expect that meeting to take about an hour,” Theodore continued. “Bobby has another meeting at one o’clock. That one is with a company with which we already work. Bobby is hoping to negotiate better terms on distribution. Again, they’re bringing English-speaking staff with them. In this case, one of the men coming from the company is the one who regularly travels to Texas to work with us. I’m certain we won’t need you for that meeting, although, obviously, if Bobby wants you there, you should attend. He’s definitely paying you more than enough to have you there.”

Janet flushed. “So only the two meetings?”

“I hope not,” Neil said. “I’m trying to arrange something for later in the afternoon, hopefully around three o’clock. It will be with a company I’ve been wanting to work with for years. I had been planning to do the deal myself, but I’m happy to have Bobby buy into it if he’s interested. While I’m sure at least someone from the company will speak English, I’d really like to have you at the meeting. I don’t completely trust the man I’ve been working with on