Part 31 (1/2)
”That's the idea.”
”Very good.” William placed his cup and saucer on the table.
Rubbing his hands together he sat a little more upright. ”Now, there is one small detail that I'm curious about. Have you spoken with Peter Jones?” His eyes locked on Matthew's.
”No,” Matthew said, barely able to contain his surprise.
”I see,” William said. ”Has there been any communication between the two of you? A letter? An e-mail?”
”None.”
”Hmm.”
”Why do you ask? Is there a concern?”
”Well, it's more a curiosity than a concern really. Nothing to worry about. What's he doing now?”
”He's been in seclusion in Maine, at his vacation home. He still owns a large amount of Wallaby stock,” Matthew added in an attempt to rea.s.sure the other man.
”Yes, well, that's no guarantee, is it.” William said. It was not a question. He removed his gla.s.ses and lightly ma.s.saged his eyelids. ”What I'm wondering about is the same thing I was curious about when I first contacted you, proposing this venture.”
”Which is?” Matthew asked, fully knowing the reason before William delivered the words.
”My biggest - ” William started, but then paused abruptly to select his choice of words. ”My initial motivation for wanting Wallaby was, of course, Jones's product in the pipeline, the Joey. And what is the Joey, really, but the physical evidence of Jones's vision? So naturally, I'm curious about what he's up to, now that he's not spending his time at Wallaby.”
This concern had never occurred to Matthew, and apparently his expression said as much.
”Matthew, don't worry, it's not going to change our arrangement,”
William said. ”We want Wallaby, and especially the Joey technology.”
Joey technology. Peter's invention. Matthew was at once overcome by a wave of jealousy and loathing. When would Wallaby be considered his? Once Wallaby was merged with ICP, would people still call it ”the company founded by Peter Jones?” Would he, Matthew, be forgotten, like some sort of middle man?
William poured Matthew another gla.s.s of water. As he accepted it, William said, ”There's no way you can persuade Jones to return to Wallaby?”
”That seems unlikely,” Matthew said calmly, but what he really wanted to say, to shout, was that Wallaby was his now, and Peter Jones was gone for good.
”I see.” William nodded and closed the binder, shutting with it any further discussion of Peter Jones. ”When do you fly back?”
”Tomorrow.”
William tapped the binder. ”I'm going to have to spend some time with this before I'll have any questions for you.” He glanced at his watch. ”Do you have any other meetings while you're here?”
”None. I allotted a full day for us, and intended to go back tomorrow. However, if we're through, I'll go back tonight, and you can contact me when you're ready.”
”Fine,” William said, rising. He offered a few words of rea.s.surance. ”It's all coming along well, Matthew.” They shook hands outside William's office, and Matthew exited the suite.
Pressing the down elevator b.u.t.ton, he noticed his hand was a little unsteady. Now that their meeting was through, he was grateful to be leaving New York City a day sooner than planned.
”Come on,” Matthew whispered, pressing the b.u.t.ton again and again.