Danger in Dallas! A Floyd Sisters Mystery

CHAPTER 2

  Lynda cautiously surveyed the damage.

  The carpet didn’t look too bad and Mother didn't look as anxious as she had. Lynda didn't like her mother to worry about her and her sisters. She knew her mother worried enough about lots of other things.

  Just then, Anne Benning, Mother’s boss, dashed into the office.

  “I just heard about the accident! Nothing had better be ruined because I can’t replace anything right now. There are no funds left in the maintenance budget. It’s never a good idea to bring children to the office, Jean,” she said nervously while looking quickly around Mother’s office.

  Anne was probably considered pretty, Lynda thought. She had curly auburn hair cut very short and wore too much makeup. She always had a sad look in her eyes. Mother explained that Anne’s husband was killed in a car accident on LBJ Freeway in downtown Dallas two years ago. Anne was raising her son Adam and daughter Allison by herself.

  They had all met at a company barbeque not long ago out at South Fork Ranch northeast of Dallas, near Murphy. In the evening, the girls were sitting around a campfire with Adam and Allison.

  Allison seemed to be having a good time, especially when she was flirting with the cowboys. Allison was cute with long dark hair. Everybody seemed to like her and she always had lots of friends.

  Lynda thought Adam was handsome in his tight jeans and blue denim shirt. He had curly auburn hair and sullen green eyes focused on the campfire. Something Adam said made Lynda uneasy.

  “I hate campfires and cowboys,” said Adam. “I prefer back East where I intend to move for good.”

  “Have you been back East?”” Lynda inquired.

  “Yes, Dad and I went to scout college campuses—MIT and Harvard. I was accepted at both universities, but I can’t go now that Dad died and we lost all our money.”

  “Can’t you go someplace around here?”

  “No! I want to leave this area in the worst way. I just hate it here. There’s nothing to do. I’d do anything to be able to leave!”

  Lynda frowned at the memory.

  Mother’s voice broke into Lynda’s thoughts. “Anne, everything is just fine. I believe we’ve got things under control. It was a minor spill anyway. Anne, could we talk about this in the hall?” They left the office together.

  Lynda looked around Mother's office. It had been nicely decorated with dark blue carpet and matching window shades. Lynda walked over to glance out the window. The office was on the ninth floor and she didn’t like to look straight down. She hated heights. But she loved to look out and see Dallas’ unique downtown skyline--the Mobil red flying horse and Reunion Tower with its round ball on the top.

  Lynda was glad they had moved. It was a new start. Mother seemed to like her boss—they were both single parents--and her new job. Then Lynda looked over at her two sisters. They all sure were different!

  Sinda had long blonde hair which she wore either in a ponytail or braids. A pink ribbon usually dangled from her hair. She also loved tee shirts and jeans and no shoes. Lynda had to catch her or she would go barefoot to school. Sinda had the appearance of an angel but had the personality of Calamity Jane. Sinda had spent her first eight years developing an immense sense of curiosity which had gotten them all into big trouble many times.

  Cheri had always been tall for her age and had short blonde hair that only curled around her face. She wore glasses and Lynda remembered the time when measles had damaged Cheri’s eyes. However, there was nothing wrong with Cheri’s mouth; she was always talking, giggling, or arguing. Her passion was for electronic gadgets of all kinds, from computers to iPads to smart phones. These gadgets had provided much needed clues to solve more than one mystery Lynda could remember.

  Unfortunately, Cheri and Sinda fought like cats and dogs! Lynda hoped they loved each other and would one day find some common ground.

  When Lynda glanced in a small mirror on Mother's desk, she saw a pretty girl with shoulder-length, light brown hair. Her hair had always been too curly, especially now when straight hair was in fashion. She wished she was half as pretty as the school cheerleaders who always seemed to get the coolest guys. She was trying very hard to fit in at Richardson Junior High School, but never seemed to wear the right clothes or say the right things. Would a boy ever ask her for a date? Lynda sighed.

  She glanced away from her reflection in the mirror and a determined expression came over her face. Today was important to Mother so Lynda had to keep her sisters out of trouble.

  "Lynda, come out here, please," Mother called from the hallway outside her office.

  Lynda shot a warning glance at Sinda to stay put. Sinda caught the glance and shrugged her shoulders as if getting into trouble was the last thing on her mind. Sinda plopped down in Mother’s desk chair and folded her hands in her lap. She smiled back at Lynda like a Siamese cat watching a goldfish and contemplating a snack.

  Cheri was back on her knees and this time trying to dry off her wet computer magazines with paper towels. The moisture from the spilled juice formed little balls of purple pulp on the covers. Her furious expression was almost comical, like an angry bird. Lynda hurried out the office door to Mother.

  “I can’t understand why Anne was so upset, “ whispered Mother. Mother often shared grown-up topics with Lynda. “Our department is in a new fiscal year so that account should still have plenty of money. She’s always worried about something. Yesterday she was worried about Adam wanting to go to MIT next year. That must be very expensive.” She stood still with a puzzled expression on her face. But it only lasted for a moment and then Mother explained.

  "You know it's going to be hectic today, don't you? With several Richardson schools having Career Day here at the company, there will be kids, parents and teachers all over the building."

  "Yes," said Lynda, "My science class is coming over at 10 a.m. and so is Cheri’s gifted and talented class."

  "I'm going to be demonstrating that new virtual reality software that I've been working on," continued Mother, "So I need you and Cheri to keep an eye on Sinda."

  “Isn’t Sinda going to school?” Lynda asked.

  “Sinda claimed she had a headache and couldn’t go to school today. I had to bring her to work," sighed Mother.

  Lynda smiled. She was well aware of Sinda's tricks to get out of going to school.

  "It's okay."

  Jean and Lynda walked back into the office where Sinda and Cheri were waiting. Sitting down at her desk, Jean began checking her lipstick in the desk mirror and brushing her straight dark hair.

  "Mother," Cheri asked, "Did you get the bugs worked out of the virtual reality project?"

  "Yes!" Mother replied excitedly, "It took weeks but I got it to work. We have a team working on this VR project. David Allsberg is developing the head tracker, and Margie Allen is developing the glove. I had to put the software on a CD-ROM disk because it took so much memory. This prototype hasn't even been patented yet so I'm only going to be able to do a short demonstration."

  “Can I put on the I-glass and be part of the demonstration?” Cheri asked.

  “Okay.” said Mother, “Just remember, this virtual world simulation is a virtual reality theme park game. First the user must develop the different rides, including an unusual roller coaster track that might go underwater or climb Mount Everest or ride a mile in the sky and is controlled by a person in the car. The head tracker has Opti Track special earphones and goggles so that it seems like you are in the roller coaster car. With the glove, you think you are controlling it.”

  Cheri thought about that for a moment. This software is very exciting and very important. I bet lots of companies will want this. It’s much better than those arcade games. I hope Mother locks the CD, head tracker, goggles and glove in a safe place