“―butyou’re a public figure that people in Philadelphia, not to mention the entirecountry, want to know more about. Your software has revolutionized the waypeople not only download and stream content, but createit themselves. Readers would like to know more about what inspires you, whatdrives you, as well as what you have developing in the pipeline.”
Connor felt achill run through him, although the outside temperature hovered in theeighties. Talking and thinking about the long-term future had that effect onhim. “You overestimate my importance, Mr…., uh….”
“McInerny. But you can call me Tim.”
Connor foundhimself returning the man’s winsome grin despite his usual loathing of thepress. “Albright Software Media customers care about the products, not the manbehind them. I’m sure you have many good questions, but I’m confident they canbe answered to your satisfaction by my public relations staff or my marketingdepartment.”
“Can the PR ormarketing departments tell me why your appearance has changed so drastically inthe last year?”
Connor’s smilevanished and his lips thinned. “It’s none of their business, nor is it yours.”
“Like I said,Mr. Albright, you’re a public figure. That kind of question is my business,especially when your appearance might indicate compromised health—which, ofcourse, would be the business of Albright Software Media shareholders.”
“Sonof a bitch.”Connor leveled Tim with a harsh gaze, who returned it unblinking. He gesturedto Tim’s pocket. “I think I saw you waving around your phone earlier. Am Icorrect in assuming you took my picture?”
For the firsttime, Tim looked slightly embarrassed, and he cast his eyes to the ground. “Ididn’t know who you were at first. I took your picture and intended to forwardit back to my editor to see if he could make the ID.”
“And what wouldit take for you to delete those pictures of me from your phone?”
Tim lifted hischin back up, a wary expression on his face. “They aren’t for sale. However, ifyou do an interview with me and agree to let one of our staff photographers doa portrait, then these pics of mine won’t really be of much use.”
Connor shook hishead, knowing he’d been backed into a corner, at least for now. “I guess youall at the Chronicle play hardball,huh? Blackmailing me for an interview.” For a momentConnor thought he actually saw a pang of regret on Tim’s handsome face, but aprofessional, detached expression soon took its place.
“I’m notblackmailing you, Mr. Albright. We are just finalizing a business deal,something you’ve done hundreds of times in the past. It’s not my wish to turnthese candid shots of you into the basis of my story. However, if you declineto do an interview with me, that’s what you’ll forceme to do.”
“Fine.” Connor foldedhis newspaper and stood. “Meet me at eight o’clock tonight and I’ll give youforty-five minutes. Afterward, you’re going to delete every single picture youtook of me.”
Connor had hopedthe suddenness of the appointment would cause Tim to change his mind, but he noddedlike the time and place had been his idea all along. “I’ll be there.”
“Good.” Connor turnedand headed toward the hotel’s main entrance, wondering what exactly he’d gottenhimself into.
****
“Okay, stay calm.This doesn’t have to be the catastrophe you’re making it out to be.”
Back in hishotel room, Connor gripped his cell phone tighter, even though his generalcounsel’s words were reassuring him a little. “Fine, Dan. What should I do?”
“For now, goahead and do the interview. I have contacts at the Chronicle. We can undo anything that could harm you or thecompany.”
“That reporter’sseen me and taken my picture. I think the harm’s already been done.”
“A no-namereporter for a third-rate paper taking your picture while you’re on a privatevacation would say more about him than you if he dared publish those photos.”
“I know we candestroy his career, but it still won’t solve the problem of the shareholdersseeing what kind of shape I’m in. They can’t see me until I’m one hundredpercent back to where I once was.”
A long pausefollowed before Dan said, “For a man who has undergone a quadruple bypass, youlook terrific. The shareholders will understand after they realize what allyou’ve gone through.”
“The better Ilook, the more shareholders will be reassured. The more reassured they are, the more stable our stock prices will be once we go publicwith the news.”
“I realize that,Connor, and so do the board members. First and foremost on our minds is yourhealth. You went to Cedros to relax and finishrecovering, not to worry about this sort of thing. The last thing we need rightnow is for you to have a medical setback.”
Connorrecognized the wisdom in Dan’s advice. He forced himself to take a deep breathto control his increased heartbeat. “I’m being careful. I won’t have a setback.I just wish I’d taken more care in choosing a spot to vacation where I wouldn’tbe recognized.”
“Cedros is one of the least known Caribbean islands. No onecould have guessed you’d run into a local reporter there.”
“You’re right.” Bututtering the words didn’t lessen Connor’s uneasiness.
“The best thingwe can do now is for you to proceed with the interview. Give him as little asyou can get away with. I’ll get in touch with my Chronicle contacts, and we’ll mitigate any damage it looks like theinterview might do.”
The two men saidtheir good-byes, but Connor remained standing, looking out over the deceptivelycalm ocean, with its currents and tides lurking below. That’s how he would getthrough this interview with Tim McInerny: calm on theoutside, but plotting and controlling what he said underneath.
Chapter Three
Out of the cornerof his eye, Tim could see Jill scowling at him while he stood in front of themirror, adjusting his tie. “Stop staring at me like that. How many times do Ihave to explain? I wouldn’t be ducking out unless it wasn’t absolutely crucialto my career.”
“We’re supposedto be here celebrating our parents’ anniversary, not advancing careers.” Jill’slips thinned to the point where they almost disappeared. “Do you know how longit took me to get a reservation for seven at the Platinum Grill? If all sevenof us don’t show up, the maître d’ might cancel the whole thing.”
“So tell themaître d’ I got sick.” Tim tried not to
