“Nothing.” Frances offered the word softly. “Not because of patient confidentiality, but because I genuinely could find nothing wrong with Phoebe. Physically she is fine. Thin, tired, a bit anemic. Not one of those conditions would make your legs buckle or babble in other languages.”
“She didn’t tell you anything?”
Frances shook her head. “Why do we keep drinking hot coffee on days like this? I’m switching to filtered water.” I stared into my own cup as she dumped hers, knowing that she bought time to put together some answer for a concerned mother. Frances maintained confidentiality as staunchly as an old economy physician, a treasure in the modern world.
She leaned against a counter. “I’ve never seen anything like what happened last night. We certainly use more implant technology to control certain physical and mental disorders. But nothing registered with a scan. It was like her thoughts were driving physical symptoms, but not in a logical correlation.” Looking away, Frances checked a clock. “I have to be in the cities for a consult this morning so I’m watching my time.” She raised her glass, but didn’t drink. “The most perplexing factor was that the physical dysfunction would intensify each time Phoebe tried to talk about her condition.” Frances surprised me as she finished. “We should be concerned. I have no idea how to form a treatment plan, but I think this is definitely life-threatening.”
“Nothing’s happening on my watch.” I poured what remained of my coffee down the drain. “That woman is a human, not just the multi-corps’ brilliant working grunt.” The importance of my afternoon meeting with Raima skyrocketed. “I don’t have an exact plan in mind, but I’m not going to give over my daughter’s life to corporate profit takers.”
“Amen.” Terrell’s fist pump confirmed his support. “Frances and I are with you.”
“Don’t doubt that, Anne.” Frances hugged me, a most unphysicianly act. “I fell in love with this man and that girl seventeen years ago. I have plans to confer with a few close associates.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m in on it, too.” Amber joined us, her beautiful hair pinned up for another hot day. On my best day, decades earlier, I never matched her natural good looks. Phoebe could be drop-dead lovely in a classic European style, but Amber was pure twenty-first century. “Sorry, to change the subject, but did David or John return last night? Paul was asking.”
“I can speak for David not returning. Is something wrong with Paul?”
“He was looking for someone to sit with him by the pond this morning.” She reached for a glass. “I know your schedule is a killer.”
Frances waved one hand as she picked up her bag and left. While Amber didn’t know about Raima’s visit, her description of my day was accurate. “Not to throw stones in your day, but Raima and I blocked out from about three thirty until dinner for a business meeting. And, Andrew arrives mid-day.” The sentence brought smiles to all of us. “I don’t quite know where you can find him a room. He can use one of the lower conference rooms in the DOE for work space.”
“This is a good problem to have, but one I don’t need to be involved with.” Terrell rubbed his hands together. “If neither of you need me, I’ll be having a second breakfast with my kids.”
“Sorry, I can’t be with Paul. I have a conference at six.” One of Amber’s flaws was the transparency of her emotions and I saw more than one subtly flicker in her eyes as I answered. “Something wrong?”
“I was just thinking about Phoebe. She and I are not that close, but I feel protective. She was like a baby sister when I was the youngest worker here.” One shoulder rose, lowered. “I saw the security loop. What was happening to her was too scary for words.”
“Do you know who at Ashwood might be her Bureau handler?” My question came from impulse; Amber wouldn’t fit the Bureau’s profile. She was too good-looking, too visible within the estate, too much a part of the family.
Her eyes widened. “Handler? I don’t think I understand what that means. She’s with her family, why would someone be watching out for her?”
“Because she’s with her family. And Phoebe slipping into a more normal life is counterproductive to the people who think they own her.” I shook my head and shrugged. “She’s not a person in the bigger world. She’s like a wild animal tamed and caged by the IC and totally dependent on them.”
“I don’t want to think of her that way,” Amber said. “I’m not going there.”
“Good. Maybe we can change this.” I picked two pieces of fruit. “Now it’s time to begin another day in this great world.”
Chapter 13
Before the conference, I sent a carefully crafted communiqué to Clark and Viktor, the intelligence group recommended by Milan. Deshomm would be willing to play cat and mouse until Hartford ran out of money to spend on our defense. With clever legal work, we would change the game. We might need additional partners.
David returned from Giant Pines, tired and with a scratch across one cheek. But he winked and smiled. I let that assure me the scratch had happened in a normal barnyard accident, and turned my attention to sending a note to our human capital director about Sadig. Hartford’s legal counsel appeared on my secured screen.
Jay Drury, a dry Brit employed by Raima, shuffled papers and slurped at a mug. I knew he drank only Earl Grey breakfast blend tea with cream and sugar before noon. Minnesota fit him well although I never discovered why Drury showed such a solid understanding of the agricultural market. Max claimed Drury knew the exact cost of growing a covered acre of grain, but wouldn’t recognize the plant if it grew in the office.
“You’re early for the strategy call,” I said. “By the way, I talked with Raima about some reworking of our corporate structure. She’ll bring you up-to-date.”
“There’s a more pressing subject.” Drury leaned forward, his silky shirt catching light. “Legal documents were just delivered related to Hartford failing to comply with restrictions on the sale of the Regan private cattle herd. If you refer to article seven of the purchase offer for the easement to the former Schneider farm, one of their subsidiaries was granted first right of refusal for the sale or dispersal of any businesses or activities physically related to Giant Pines for up to twelve months. I have an ADM purchase agreement through a third party for the herd.”
So the faked ADM purchase order made its way to Deshomm. I beckoned for David to join me. He didn’t see my gesture as he talked to someone via his communicator. His face looked neutral.
“I received the same document around midnight. Give me ten minutes.” I hit the mute button on my holographic and rushed to catch David for an update on his night at Giant Pines. Closer, the scratch appeared deeper. He held up one finger.
“I took the action I believe necessary.” Continuing his communicator discussion, David frowned. His shoulders stretched straight, back upright. “I told you the regional estate security folks didn’t satisfy my need to protect the herd. Lao knows Giant Pines, and our businesses, and I trust his judgment. He’s working for me and I own that herd. Work with him.”
We had a lifetime of needing to interrupt the other’s conference calls or meetings. I placed two fingers on the back of my other hand.
“Sadig, Anne is paging.” He looked beyond me while finishing the connection. “John is on site. I’ll be there in about sixty minutes to hear whatever you and Lao recommend.” Irritation rushed through his closing words. He pulled his earpiece out, turned his attention my way. “Do you have time for breakfast,” he asked.
“Drury is waiting on me. Hartford has been served legal documents over that bogus ADM purchase agreement.” Beyond the scratch, David looked like a man in his sixties who had not slept. “Quick, tell me about your face and what’s going on Giant Pines. I only have a few minutes.”
“One of the damn regional security agents decided I was a cattle rustler and got rough t
rying to arrest me.” After his abduction seventeen years ago, David’s response to uniformed security professionals remained mixed. “They wanted to move the herd off Giant Pines to a neutral setting. That document you forwarded makes me believe someone in the region plans to steal those cattle.”
“And you called Lao?” Almost nothing could rock the confidence of our current security chief more than bringing our well-respected former head of security back to the business. Sadig felt threatened when Lao’s family were guests at an Ashwood social gathering.
“Yes, while driving to Giant Pines. He is on my payroll.” David rocked back on his heels.
“I need to be absolutely sure you haven’t entered into any business deal related to your herd in the past ninety days.”
He disliked my question. “You know I have no intention to sell that herd.”
There wasn’t time to deal with the emotions of the topic. I put my hand on his arm. “Ask Terrell to take a look at that scratch. Your dad had a good night and was looking for a breakfast partner.” He touched the scratch at my mention. “And, Andrew will be here mid-day.”
“Great news. I miss him.” David soothed the grief my son had carried to Ashwood fifteen years ago, and stepped into a fatherly role as Andrew allowed.
“Talk of arrivals, Raima will be here for a few hours late this afternoon and have dinner with us before visiting Paul.”
My husband loved family, each piece of news provided a few moments of respite.
“We have some interesting business to discuss. Join us around five.” I patted his arm, then hurried back to my office.
Our holo meeting came back to life at my direction. “Thanks for waiting, Jay.” I sipped water, grateful to Tia for the plentiful clean supply. “You might not be aware that our power grid was hacked last night, causing damage at both Ashwood and Giant Pines. We are at less than full capacity this morning so I am a bit distracted. Max is joining us after spending a night without sleep.”
Drury put down his stylus. “I’m looking at a picture of Giant Pines and notice two sets of guards around the northern entrance. The livestock areas.”
“You’re right about that, Jay. Max, here. You’re looking at regional security and private security.” He slurped at coffee. “We had serious damage at Giant Pines to a stretch of fencing in that general area and equipment supporting the livestock buildings.”
“I wanted Jay to see what happened last night, a short time before I received a copy of the ADM purchase order. We’ve hired additional security to investigate what transpired. But, it looks like someone attempted to steal the cattle and do damage to our residence and business facilities. It might appear that created an opportunity for Deshomm to play this card.”
“Are you tracking this, Jay?”
He switched from screen to screen, jotted notes. “Bang on.”
“I confirmed with my husband that not one of his hundred head of cattle is for sale. In fact, he spent the night at Giant Pines to be sure they were secure. Believe me, David is a frugal man and would not be spending his own money on private guards to protect somebody else’s animals.”
“It’s all bullshit.” Max growled. “There’s no transfer scheduled. David acts like those cattle are humans.”
“Well, it’s all rather official looking for bullshit, Max.” Drury beckoned toward someone outside camera reach. “We’re able to track the validity of the ADM signor, but not the Giant Pines representative.”
“There is no one with authority to sign for this particular herd on Giant Pines except for David. We’re also curious about who originated this document.” I paused. “Let’s move this to the top of our priorities and, in light of everything happening, push back the strategy session for a few days.” Drury stayed focused on the purchase agreement. Max agreed with a sigh of relief.
“When we know more, Jay, we will bring you into the loop. Do whatever you have to do to let the Deshomm folks know that they’re chasing the wrong rabbit.”
Max reconnected after Jay dropped off the conference. “Well done, Anne. I’m sick and tired of the interference with our business. We’ve been undoing cancelled orders and correcting hacked information for weeks.”
Sadig never mentioned these actions during update sessions. While small matters in a big company, there was a trend someone should have been noticing. “Tell me how things went last night. David and I didn’t have time for a blow by blow.”
“Well, we do have two security forces guarding the fences and entrances. One watching the other.” He sifted through paper, handed pieces to someone out of my sight. “Not easy to be caught between your husband and Sadig. They’re good men who see the same stuff and call it something different.”
With the simplicity of a man who has spent his life working the earth, Max called a pile of manure just that. Sadig’s tendency to avoid crossing David’s path appeared to leave Giant Pines’ needs less attended. Like many senior executives I didn’t hear such daily details.
“Tell me what you saw last night, Max.” I trusted this man and his love for Giant Pines. “David and I exchanged a few words about engaging Lao’s private group.”
Max cleared his throat, thought through his response. “Take a step back. The first regional estates officers arrived before the power grid failed and entered our lots. Two of the Giant Pines crew thought they saw vandals step through the fencing at approximately the same time. Turned out to be regional security. I shared all that with David while he was driving.”
David’s challenge to Sadig about the possibility of bribery in the regional security forces popped into my head. Corruption piled so deep in elaborate government-business relationships that the first line employees knew better than to challenge dicey directions.
“So he called Lao.” For two years I spoke with our former security chief only socially, respecting Lao’s need to concentrate on his son’s health. I hadn’t questioned Sadig’s loyalties, just understood his judgment or experience fell short of what Hartford’s businesses required.
“You’ll need to check this out with David, but I think he called Lao before leaving Ashwood.” Max raised an eyebrow. “Lao’s team got here within a few minutes of David and John.”
“And one of the regional crew tried to arrest David?”
“She didn’t know who he was, ordered him to step away from one of her associates who was opening the gate of a holding pen. We tried to tell her she was apprehending the owner, but there was a lot of confusion. She didn’t get the message. She threw him against a post and was getting ready to apply cuffs when John got in her way.”
The guard couldn’t know how deep those cuffs tapped into David’s psyche. I suspect the guards’ dubious entrance at Giant Pines kept them from slapping David with charges for resisting arrest. I heard Max say, “Give me five minutes” as he turned away.
“We should wrap this up and take advantage of a free hour. Is there anything else I should know about Giant Pines this morning?”
“The sun is shining. All livestock are here and accounted for and everyone reported for work.” Max stretched. “A good day. I hear we’re having grilled sausages for lunch which pleases this German.” A wonderful smile gave him a boyish look. “Forget about Giant Pines for a few hours, Anne. Lao’s got the place covered and everything’s normal.”
Notice of Andrew’s arrival time showed on my data pad. He would be early and there was an additional rider on the transport from ADM. At nine o’clock, I left my office for a walk and food.
“Mom, wait up.” Noah left his temporary office. “I finished my first orientation session and have a break.” Noah and John looked like brothers, which was strange because Noah also looked like Phoebe who had very little in common physically with John, her half-brother. Genetics amazed me. This young man, almost as brilliant as his sister, had a quirky sense of humor that co
vered some insecurities and a gentle nature.
“Are you and Dad really okay with me stepping out of the biosciences to become a physician?” His long legs moved more like a thoroughbred racehorse than a man who spent hours studying. “Phoebe thinks I’m throwing away grand opportunities. That if I wanted to bust my butt I should apply to the Intellectual Corps.”
“We’re proud that you’re taking control of your future.”
“The big question for the morning is that there is no space at Mayo until after first of the year and I need a place to stay.” The words came fast.
“Ashwood is your home, Noah, whenever you need it. Personally, I’d be thrilled to have you in Minnesota. Having you here though is even better.” I threw an arm around his shoulders and gave him a small hip check.
His voice quieted. “Any chance we could find a way to keep Phoebe here? There’s nothing I like about how she sounds or looks.” I scurried to keep up with his steps. “Ahlmet is messing with her.”
We entered the residence. Cleaners worked in the front foyer. Paul sat on the screen porch. Across the courtyard, kids played outside the school building. Everything looked easy, even cozy. But, life was never easy for the intellectual offspring—a childhood filled with studies and tests, early and advanced college, then thrown into mentally strenuous jobs within government agencies or multi-corps research organizations.
“Let’s take some food out to the pond bench,” I suggested. “I’m interested in what you know about our Phoebs.”
I answered a query while Noah pulled together a late breakfast. Watching him chat with Terrell and one of the teen workers, it was hard to believe that during his first year at the gifted offspring school in St. Paul, shyness had claimed his ability to say more than a very few words at a time.
Noah could work his way around a kitchen. With no help, he assembled a tray of food with visual appeal and unique combinations. He led the way across the hall and out a side door. I finished my communication as we walked through mid-day heat toward the pond. He was barefoot and stepped off the path to walk in the grass.
Leaving Ashwood Page 7