The Complete Short Fiction by Mark Clifton

Author:Mark Clifton [Clifton, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

XXVI.

The meeting, held in Kennedy’s San Francisco office, started off well.

Hap Hardy was at his most genial and affable best. His associate counselor, Oliver Mills, carefully coached in advance, was still unable to bring forth a downright smile, but at least he hooded the ice in his eyes and softened the fanatical planes of his face in a sort of grimace meant to be pleasant.

The two of them sat in big leather chairs, Hardy lolling back comfortably and wreathed in cigar smoke; Mills sitting upright as if he would not yield his body to such a thing as comfort.

Kennedy sat at his usual place behind his huge desk, framed by the plate-glass window which spread the panorama of San Francisco for the delectation of visitors—and incidentally lighted their faces while his own was shadowed.

Joe sat at one corner of the desk, a notebook open before him, playing the part of confidential secretary at Kennedy’s request.

“What a couple of characters,” Jeff Carney exclaimed from his room over in Berkeley. He was participating in the scene through Joe’s eyes and consciousness. “That Mills is a dead ringer for Torquemada, straight out of the Inquisition. And jolly old John Silver Hardy—”

“They’re just blindies about to enter into a business deal—they think,” Joe answered tolerantly,

“I’ve got a strong temptation to let Kennedy see what’s in their minds,” Jeff threatened.

“As if he didn’t already know,” Joe answered disparagingly. “He may not be telepath, but he wasn’t born yesterday. Now you listen, sonny boy, you’re purely an observer, seeing how things are done when good fellows get together in a spirit of friendliness.”

If either of the visitors objected to Joe Carter’s presence as secretary, they did not show it. Hardy raised his brows that Kennedy should think a secretary was justified at a purely social meeting, but it was only a token move in the gambit.

Actually, Joe knew that he was pleased and on more than one count. It showed that Kennedy openly recognized they were here for business, and therefore they need lose no time by beating around the bush and coming into the subject accidentally. And it showed that Kennedy might be ready to talk business, too. You don’t need a secretary to take down an obviously fiat and positive “No.”

Equally important, this kid sitting at the corner of the desk putting down those silly little squiggles could be a valuable witness later, when they went through the legal motions of convicting Kennedy of something or other in order to repudiate the deal. One look at the kid’s weak face, and all their previous judgments of him were confirmed. He was a lightweight, who thought he had a good berth in hanging onto this project. When he came up against a man really skilled at questioning and semantics twisting, he’d convict Kennedy with every word he uttered.

A few years back Kennedy would have had more sense than to have a witness of any kind at such an important conference. The old man must be slipping, getting senile!

Hardy settled back in his overstuffed chair with a sigh of contentment.

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