McDARVID WAS REACHING FOR THE PHONE to see if Steve Greene was back in his office when the intercom buzzed.
“A Mr. Thomas for you.”
“Thomas?”
“He said he was with Ecology Now!”
“Put him through.” Veronica worked at Ecology Now! and he’d met Cal Griffen once, but Thomas? McDarvid touched the blinking line. “Hello.”
“This is Ray Thomas from Ecology Now!” Silence followed the announcement.
“What can I do for you, Ray?”
“Well, I’m a friend of Jerry Killorin’s. I was wondering if you might have any idea where he was. He mentioned that you’d been working on an issue that affected him.”
McDarvid frowned, then decided to play it safe. “The last time I talked to Jerry was almost two weeks ago. We discussed the metals initiative briefly … Actually, we didn’t discuss it at all. I brought it up, and he told me that the whole issue was ex parte and to submit anything else in writing.”
“But do you know where he is?”
“I’d assume he was at Environment. In his office.”
“Well, he’s not. Do you know where he is?” Thomas’ voice was rasping, almost grating.
“You seem to be hinting that Jerry’s not where he should be.”
“Hinting? Cut the crap, McDarvid. You know as well as I do that Jerry’s disappeared, and I want to know where he is.”
“I don’t have the faintest idea where he is. Why would I know?” McDarvid paused, wondering if he should ask Thomas about the metals issue, deciding just as quickly not to mention it.
“Because he said that your work was going to cause him problems, and I’d like to know why.”
“Look, Ray. I sent Ecology Now! a copy of the metals briefing papers we submitted. You know our position. Why would that have anything to do with Jerry’s disappearing? He could have run off with a bimbo, been injured in an accident, suffered alcoholic amnesia—those things happen.”
“Not this conveniently, they don’t.”
“Mr. Thomas,” McDarvid said quietly, “you have called up, ostensibly to ask a question. Yet you seem to think that, because a man I scarcely know is not in his office, I am somehow to blame. I think you’ll agree, if you think about it, that such an assumption is hardly warranted. I have told you what my connection is with Jerry, and you insist that there has to be more. Everything that I have done is in the official records, and I suggest that you review those before calling anyone else up and verbally assaulting them. Good day.” He hung up the phone.
Great! Not only was he convinced that something had gone wrong with Jerry, but so was some idiot from Ecology Now! And Thomas was laying the blame at McDarvid’s feet.
He reached for the telephone, but the intercom buzzed again.
“Mr. Thomas for you, Mr. McDarvid.”
“Tell him I left for a meeting.”
“Yes, sir.”
McDarvid decided to walk around the corner to see Steve Greene, rather than call—or stay near his telephone.
Steve was in the kitchen, rather than his office.
“Got a minute?”
“Sure, Jack. This about the hearing?”
“Yeah.” McDarvid followed Steve back to the attorney’s office, marginally larger than McDarvid’s, but with light oak furniture at least two cuts better than the consultant’s.
Greene settled back into his chair. “You really don’t need an attorney. You know the hearing process better than anyone in the firm.”
“Heidlinger and Ames don’t want me running around like a loose cannon.” McDarvid smiled wryly. “Right now, I’m inclined to agree.”
“I’ve read the subpoena. Who’d you piss off?”
“Renni Fowler—the subcommittee counsel. I … pushed a little hard.”
Steve nodded. “That package you sent—George was furious.” He shrugged. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just sit behind me and keep me from doing anything obviously stupid. Anything else obviously stupid.”
“Do you have any more surprises?”
“Not that I know of.” McDarvid reflected. “But the whole thing’s so shadowy. I can almost sense the congressional angle. It’s nagging at me, but I just can’t focus on it.”
“Why would Congress be tied up in something like this? Is this the business you mentioned about how environmental regs seem designed to choke off industry and high-tech development?”
“That’s the problem. I know it, but there’s no proof. Just results, and that’s what bothers me. Statistically, the odds are against that high a string of coincidences, but whenever I try to explain it, people just look at me as if I’m crazy.” McDarvid paused. “Maybe I am. Maybe I’ve lived in the political world too long. Anyway, before anything else happens, I need to get through the hearing, see if I can use it to get some publicity and pressure on the metals initiative. Then we’ll take stock.”
“You actually wanted this hearing?”
“I wanted a hearing. I didn’t plan on being the prime witness.”