Genius

by Clare Nonhebel

CHAPTER 45

  Louise phoned. 'Good news, Eldred!’

  'Have I been selected?’ Eldred asked eagerly. '

  For what?’

  'For the documentary on unusual children,’ he said.

  'Oh, that. I haven't heard from my contact on the team yet,’ said Louise. 'They'll let you know direct. No, there's something else I've been able to arrange.’

  Eldred was pleased. He had been afraid that Louise would be upset at not being involved in the TV programme after all. He hoped they might still pay her something for finding him, even if her name wasn't even in small print in the credits.

  'What is it?’ he said.

  'You're going to be on the local television news,’ Louise told him.

  'Have you asked my dad?’ said Eldred cautiously.

  'Is there likely to be a problem? He agreed to the other programme, didn't he?’

  'Yes. But now he's saying there's no point,’ Eldred said, 'because it won't be shown till next year maybe, and he doesn't think anyone will contribute anything to a strange child's education as a result of it. And he's got a prospectus for a small public school and it's much too expensive for us to even think of.’

  'All the more reason to try everything,’ said Louise. 'You get your mum to talk to him, all right? Shall I talk to her now?’

  'She's gone out,’ said Eldred, 'after a job.’

  'Oh, right. Well, you talk to her then.’

  'Why the local news?’ asked Eldred. 'Nothing's happened to me.’

  'The waste recycling machine,’ said Louise. 'I've got hold of a few people to say it's a viable product.’

  'Who?’ said Eldred.

  'Someone from the Patents Office and Bruce Mackeson and the project manager from a German chemical company.’

  'Bruce Mackeson?’ said Eldred.

  'The farm manager,’ said Louise, 'from your school trip, remember?’

  'I remember,’ said Eldred slowly, 'but how did you know where to find him?’

  'You told me his name and the area the farm was in,’ said Louise. 'It wasn't too hard to track him down. The only thing I didn't know was the farm name.’

  'Oh,’ said Eldred. He felt betrayed. 'I suppose that's the way journalists find out about things,’ he said.

  'No problem,’ said Louise. 'And he's quite a convincing speaker. You might be on the way to getting a buyer out of this publicity, Eldred.’

  'Would it pay for my school fees?’ asked Eldred.

  'No, don't bank on it. It'd be years before you saw much return from this, probably. What we're looking for is publicity. We'll do this, then go for a follow-up if it generates some interest. The public like stories with a happy ending.’

  Eldred noted the 'we'll do this.’ 'Will you get paid for this?’

  She laughed. 'I certainly hope so!’

  'And will I?’

  'No,’ she said. 'You get publicity. I'm the journalist who gets paid for doing the research and selling them the story to use.’

  'Will your name get mentioned on the local news?’

  'No,’ she said.

  'So you won't get any credit for yourself, either on the TV documentary or on local TV?’

  'My name won't go on the credits,’ said Louise, 'but the producer will get to know me, and I'll get an acknowledgment of my contribution which will go in my file and may be useful in helping me get other commissions.’

  'Oh,’ said Eldred, 'so there is something in it for you?’

  'Right,’ she said. She was sounding rather annoyed, Eldred thought. 'Why are you asking?’ Louise added. She hoped to God the child wasn't trying to blackmail her into giving him some of her fees.

  'I just thought it wasn't fair of them to take all the credit when you were the one who gave them the idea,’ said Eldred, 'but if you're getting paid and getting some help in your career out of it then it's probably worth it, isn't it?’

  'Yes, it's all right,’ she said. 'Don't you worry about me. Now, what will happen, Eldred, is that someone from the TV network will contact your parents and ask if they can send a team round to the house. So get your parents’ agreement as soon as possible, will you?’

  'Yes,’ said Eldred.

  'You think they'll agree?’

  'Yes,’ he said firmly. 'We'll do it.’

  Edgar came home looking tired. 'Where's your mother?’

  'Gone to see about a job. She phoned up this afternoon and they told her to come in right away.’

  'Leaving you alone in the house?’ said Edgar.

  'I'm very sensible,’ said Eldred modestly.

  Edgar sat down and shook out the newspaper roughly. 'What kind of job is it?’

  'At the supermarket. Filling shelves.’

  'She won't be able to do that,’ Edgar said. 'I've seen people doing that, pushing those great multi-storey trolleys stacked with tins. She couldn't do it, even if they were foolish enough to give her the job in the first place.’

  'Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?’ offered Eldred.

  'Your mother should be here to do that,’ Edgar grumbled. 'I wouldn't mind if there was a cat in hell's chance of paying those school fees but as there isn't, what's the point in her taking a job?’

  'I've got some news that might help,’ said Eldred cautiously, 'though maybe not directly.’

  'What news?’ said Edgar from behind the sports page.

  'I'll make the tea first, shall I?’ Eldred suggested. He hoped his father would be in a better mood by the time Mildred came in all disappointed from being too old and weak for the job.

  'Cooee!’ called Mildred, closing the front door behind her. 'Put the kettle on, Eldred, I've bought us a cake for tea. I got the job!’