Others, having been dismissed so curtly by Addison Kane, would have crept from the room, quietly shutting the door behind them, but Fran wasn’t so easily rattled. Constantly amused by Addison’s spoiled ways, Fran straightened a few of the papers in her hand that were still upside down. She strolled over to where Addison was sitting, and grabbing the arm of her chair, she whipped her around as if she was on a carnival ride. Promptly slamming the papers down on the desk, Fran leaned over and looked Addison in the eye. “The only thing you’re going to do right now is to go over this deal,” she said, pointing to the papers. “We need to come to an agreement, and we need to do it now.”

“Why?” Addison said, glaring at the woman.

“Because I found someone,” Fran said, straightening so she was no longer hovering over Addison “That’s why.”

“What? Who?”

“A friend of Millie’s. I spoke to her earlier today.”

Addison’s eyes turned as cold as the color they held. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before now?”

“You had meetings this morning, and I didn’t see any point in getting you involved until I was sure she’d be able to play the part.”

“And you’re saying she can?”

“I believe so,” Fran said. “She’s smart, pleasant, attractive, and as far as I can tell, she’s honest. I think we can trust her.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Just a feeling I have,” Fran said as she walked back around the desk.

“The same one you get once a month when you bleed?”

Fran winced and sank into a chair. “Okay. So, there’s no way I can be one hundred percent sure, but we don’t have that luxury. We’re going to have to make some assumptions, and we’re going to have to trust. I’ve met Joanna, and I’ve talked to her, and she doesn’t seem like the type of person who wants something for nothing. As a matter of fact, the only thing she seems to want is to make sure her father is cared for.”

“I never said anything about taking care of a family.”

“You should be thanking your lucky stars she doesn’t have a hoard of brothers and sisters, too. All she has is a father whom she loves and wants to take care of. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

Addison rocked forward in her chair, her features hardening as she glared at Fran. “Well...I...do!”