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

“I’m happy to be there, as long as Bobby doesn’t mind,” Janet told him.

“I want more wine,” Lucy said.

“I think you’ve had enough,” Dixie told her.

Lucy frowned. “I didn’t ask for your opinion. Tony, get me more wine.”

“Let’s get more back at the hotel,” he suggested. “Then, when you’ve had enough, we can just take the elevator to our room and go to bed.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow. “Is that a proposition?” she asked in a low voice.

Tony shrugged. “Sure.”

Lucy pulled his head towards hers. Janet turned away as the kiss began.

Dixie sighed loudly. “Even at forty-one, she still hasn’t learned how to behave in public.”

“We should go,” Theodore said. “I just need the check.”

Janet caught the waiter’s eye. He handed the thick leather folder to Theodore a minute later.

Theodore opened it and frowned. “I don’t know if it’s right or not. I also have no idea how much real money this is. I suppose I should just pay it.” He slid a credit card into the folder and then waved it at the waiter.

“Did you want me to ring for the same taxi back to the hotel?” Janet asked.

“Let’s walk back,” Dixie suggested. “It isn’t far. We can have a nice chat.”

“In that case, the rest of us can just get a standard taxi,” Theodore said. “That’s probably cheaper, isn’t it?”

“I’m not certain how taxis are priced in France,” Janet told him. “But it’s probably less expensive for the four of you to take a regular taxi.”

“I don’t know why I care,” Theodore said under his breath. “This trip is costing Bobby a ridiculous amount of money. A few taxi fares won’t make much difference at all.”

“I want to keep drinking,” Lucy said as she finally detached herself from Tony.

“At the hotel,” Tony told her.

“But we’re in the middle of the Eye-full Tower,” Lucy argued. “Look at those views.” She waved her hand towards the windows.

“You’re the one who is afraid of heights,” Tony reminded her.

“I’m not afraid when I’m drunk,” she told him. “Let’s go all the way to the top.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Dixie said.

“Janet, you’ll go with me, won’t you? You want to see Paris from the top of the tower, don’t you?” Lucy demanded.

“I’ll go with you,” Janet agreed reluctantly. That seemed easier than letting Lucy cause a scene.

“We’ll wait here,” Theodore said, leaning back in his chair.

“All of you?” Janet asked as she got to her feet.

“I’d better come,” Dixie muttered. She stood up and looked at Tony. “Aren’t you coming?” she asked.

“I can see enough of Paris from here,” he replied.

Lucy frowned. “Tony, I want you to come,” she said firmly.

Tony stared at her for a minute and then slowly shook his head. “No,” he said.

For a moment, Janet wasn’t certain if Lucy was going to scream or cry. She held her breath as Lucy inhaled sharply.

“You’ll be sorry,” Lucy hissed at Tony before turning on her heel and striding away.

Janet and Dixie rushed to catch up to her. The lifts were just outside the restaurant’s entrance. They waited in silence for a few minutes before the lift carried them up to the very top of the tower.

“It’s an amazing view,” Dixie said as the trio slowly walked around the viewing platform.

“I feel as if I can see forever,” Janet replied.

“We’re awfully, very high,” Lucy said. “I think I might get sick.”

“We aren’t nearly high enough for altitude sickness,” Dixie snapped. “Take a deep breath and enjoy the view.”

Lucy looked at her for a moment and then burst into tears. “I hate this,” she sobbed loudly.

“Well, I want to enjoy the view,” Dixie told her. “Go and cry in Tony’s arms. He’s only a little bit tired of you. You should be good for another month or so there.”

“You’re a horrible person,” Lucy said through her tears. “I’ll never let my father marry you.”

Dixie raised an eyebrow. “If we decide to get married, you won’t be able to stop us, but for the moment, neither of us is interested in getting married.” She turned and walked away, leaving the sobbing Lucy with Janet.

“I need to get down from here,” Lucy told Janet. “I think I’m going to faint.”

“You can’t do that,” Janet told her. “I can’t possibly carry you. What an idea. You’re going to have to walk with me to the lifts. You call them elevators in America, don’t you? I wonder why both the American and the British words emphasise the travelling up part of the system and not the travelling down part. I suppose it’s because they’re far more useful for going up than going down. I mean, anyone can go down stairs. That requires very little effort…”

Janet kept prattling on and on about lifts and elevators, the differences between British and American English, and whatever else came to mind as she waited with Lucy for the lift and on the seemingly long ride back down to the restaurant level. Lucy just kept crying. Janet could feel curious stares from everyone else on the lift as she did her best to distract the sobbing woman.

As they reentered the restaurant, Lucy looked around. Janet had been holding her arm, but she broke free and ran straight to Tony, who struggled to his feet as she threw herself into his arms.

“It was awful,” she told him, burying her head in his shoulder and weeping loudly. “It was so high, and Dixie was mean to me.”

Tony looked past her and gave Janet a sympathetic smile. “She doesn’t like heights,” he told her.

So why didn’t you go with her? Janet wanted to ask.

“Let’s go,” Neil said. “I need to get back and go