promising the raw experimental data of their respective findings that had not appeared either on the Internet or in the scientific journals. From each it was flatteringly obvious the quickness of their responses came from their recognition of his name and reputation on the genome project. Parnell wondered, and quickly wished he hadn’t, whether the notoriety of the past week might also have contributed.
So immersed was he that Parnell had forgotten the presence of the FBI investigators further along the corridor until Kathy Richardson’s warning arrival, Dingley and Benton hovering close behind. She said: ‘They’re asking for a minute or two.’
Parnell waved them in.
‘That’s all, just a minute or two,’ promised Dingley.
Benton said: ‘How’s it going?’
‘Better than it was,’ said Parnell. ‘But only just.’
‘How’s that?’ said Dingley.
‘Trying to adjust. Getting used to things,’ said Parnell.
Both men nodded, as if they understood.
‘You wanted a minute or two,’ prompted Parnell.
‘Trying to fit in, to everyone’s convenience, is all,’ said Dingley.
‘Any progress?’ asked Parnell, offering seats.
‘A lot of people still to see. Nothing clear yet.’
‘When’s there going to be anything that’s clear?’ pressed Parnell.
Benton made an open-handed gesture of uncertainty. ‘A lot of people still to see,’ he echoed his partner.
‘How’d it go with the vice president?’ asked Parnell, directly.
There was another hands-spread movement from Benton. ‘He had counsel with him. That’s why we stopped by. We’re certainly going to need to speak to you again, in the next little while. Your lawyer told us he wants to come along.’
Parnell reminded himself, as he had at the moment of his premature arrest, that America was the land of litigation and that he didn’t know anything whatsoever about the law. ‘I’ll warn him to be ready.’
‘That’ll be helpful,’ thanked Dingley.
‘What about the forensic examination of Rebecca’s house?’ demanded Parnell. ‘Was there any evidence of it having been searched, before you?’
‘Still being gone over,’ avoided Dingley.
‘ Still?’ queried Parnell, disbelievingly.
‘They’re very thorough guys,’ said Benton. ‘That’s what their job is, being very thorough.’
‘What about the flight listing?’ persisted Parnell.
‘You should wait until you’re with your counsel,’ said Dingley.
‘What the hell for?’ demanded Parnell, loud-voiced.
‘It means you should wait until you’re with your counsel,’ said Benton, in another of his irritating echo responses. ‘And tell him there’s going to be a fingerprint request.’
‘What?’ asked Parnell.
‘Elimination,’ said Dingley. ‘It’s routine.’
‘Will you have something, when we meet?’ said Parnell.
‘Maybe. Who knows?’ avoided Dingley, again.
From the other side of the glass partition, Kathy Richardson was gesturing with one hand, the other holding the internal telephone.
Benton said: ‘We’re in the way.’
Dingley said: ‘What’s a good time for you?’
‘That depends on Barry. I’ll call him, with the choices, and get back to you.’ It made sense, he knew, to have the lawyer with him, but he wasn’t totally convinced of the need. He said: ‘Why don’t we get on with it now?’
Dingley shook his head. ‘Your lawyer was very clear, Mr Parnell.’ There was a close-to-imperceptible head movement back in the direction of Newton’s suite. ‘We get the rule book dictated to us, like we just have, we’ve got to go with the rule book. We make one mistake, it’s all over.’
‘What mistake? What’s all over?’ said Parnell
‘Taking the wrong step in the investigation,’ said Dingley.
‘You still think I might be someway involved!’ demanded Parnell, indignantly.
‘We collect evidence, Mr Parnell,’ said Benton. ‘We leave other people to decide what to do with it. You’ll get back to us, right?’
‘Right,’ said Parnell. ‘As soon as I’ve talked to my lawyer.’
‘We’re obliged,’ said Benton.
Parnell delayed responding to Dwight Newton’s summons while he tried to reach Barry Jackson, leaving Kathy Richardson to make the contact after thirty minutes. From his side office, Parnell hadn’t seen the lawyers’ departure, but the research division vice president was alone when Parnell reached the man’s suite. The greeting pendulum had swung again. Newton was hunch-shouldered behind his desk, glowering up from a lowered head.
‘You talked about confidential work under progress here!’ Newton accused at once.
‘What?’ exclaimed Parnell, surprised.
‘You heard what I said!’
‘I heard what you said. I didn’t understand what you said.’
‘I’ve just been officially interviewed,’ protested the other man. ‘Asked about work we were doing here on something that emanated from France.’
‘Yes?’ said Parnell. He was content for Newton to lead.
‘Which you told them about,’ the research vice president continued to accuse him. ‘That’s information governed by the confidentiality contract you signed.’
‘I don’t recall any clause in that contract covering a murder investigation.’
‘They’re talking terrorism, for Christ’s sake!’
‘You knew about the Air France flight listings. It came up in court.’
‘Those guys are treating it as sinister – trying to make a connection to Dubette. Because of what you told them.’
‘I didn’t disclose any secrets, Dwight. I don’t have any secrets, so I can’t have breached any confidentiality contract. They wanted to know about anything – and I mean that, anything – that Rebecca might have regarded as out of the ordinary in the last few weeks. She was curious why she and her department had been bypassed, about France. That’s what I told them. That it was out of the ordinary and she hadn’t understood why. Simple as that. Simple as that and only that, because there was nothing more to tell them, was there?’
The other man gave the impression of relaxing, although only slightly. ‘What did Rebecca say about France?’
‘Only that she couldn’t understand why things weren’t normal. And that Burt Showcross told her to leave it. Which is what I told her, particularly after you told me the French idea hadn’t worked out.’
Newton examined Parnell steadily for several moments. ‘They spoke to Showcross. And Russell Benn.’
Parnell wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. ‘With the lawyers present?’
Newton nodded. ‘Do you think they will want to see you again?’
‘They do,’ confirmed Parnell. ‘Barry Jackson will be with me.’
‘He’s representing you, personally. I’d like our people there, as well.’
‘Why?’
‘Dubette have got to be protected, from all this terror rubbish. You’ve seen the papers. And the television.’
‘All this terror rubbish?’ queried Parnell.
‘Misleading accusations,’ specified Newton.
‘Dwight! I’m not up with you on this!’
‘I know the case they’re trying to build: that Dubette, with its access to drugs and chemicals, has some connection with terrorism. That’s why the FBI are involved in the first place.’
‘I really don’t believe this! There’s a perfectly understandable and acceptable explanation for why Rebecca
