37
HIGHWAY 1
Not trusting herself to speak, Gwen marched out of Messenger’s office, stormed across to her own, grabbed Messenger’s laptop, and marched back.
Messenger looked up in surprise as she walked back in. He stared at her, mouth set in disapproval.
“Here, lock up your baby,” she said, handing over the laptop.
“Where are you going?” Messenger asked, glancing at his watch.
“Surfing! I’ve had enough of the Lab for today, and if you or anyone else has a problem with that, too bad.” Without waiting for an answer, Gwen turned and stalked out. Tapping on his iPad, Barclay followed her.
“I hope I did not make a mistake there,” Messenger said to Weiss, eying Gwen through his window as she threw open the door to her Mustang and jumped in.
“She’s a scientist, not a money person,” said Weiss softly. “She’s ill at ease with the commercial imperative. I was too, way back when. Give her time. She’ll get over it.”
“She’ll have to, won’t she. If she wants to survive.”
* * *
On Highway 1, Gwen made a call.
“Hi, Dan, Boudy here. Look, you once said you were a good listener. I could really do with some of that now. … . I’m heading to Hurricane Point.… I’ll be there in thirty minutes.… OK, great … see you then.”
Gwen ended the call, turned off her cell. She felt as if she were on a collision course with fate. Fury, as it always did, made her reckless. Bring it on, she thought, accelerating along the coast road, hugging the contours as hundreds of feet below her the waves smashed into the cliffs.