‘That’s not necessary,’ Chris said.
Florian gestured toward the glass entrance to the building, and they walked side-by-side in silence. At the main doors, Florian swiped a magnetic card, and the doors slid aside to let them enter. They passed into a vestibule, and inside was another door that operated on the basis of a biometric fingerprint ID pad. Florian placed his right index finger on the pad, and the next door opened, leading them into the company lobby. He pointed at the receptionist’s desk.
‘You’ll need to register, have your picture taken, and get your fingerprint digitized. Then we’ll issue you a personalized visitor’s pass.’
‘Do you need a urine sample, too?’ Chris asked.
Florian didn’t smile.
He followed instructions and was rewarded with a white magnetic card that he clipped to his belt. Florian pointed at a floor-to-ceiling revolving door that required them to pass individually. The CEO went first, and then Chris followed, using the ID card and his fingerprint to gain access. On the other side of the door, he found himself in a windowless corridor, as bone white as the exterior of the facility. It smelled of disinfectant, and white noise hummed through hidden speakers.
‘You’re serious about security,’ Chris said.
Florian shrugged as he led them down the corridor. ‘We have to be. It’s partly for intellectual property protection, although most of those threats are more sophisticated. Electronic hacking. Moles. Attempts to bribe and blackmail employees. The physical dangers to the facility are primarily from environmental extremists.’
‘Are fringe groups like that a serious threat?’ Chris asked.
‘Absolutely,’ Florian replied. ‘Many are violent and fanatical. They’re anarchists. If they could blow up or disable our facility, they would. We’ve had two incidents in the past ten years where individuals were caught with wire-cutters and explosive materials outside the fence.’
Florian led Chris into his sprawling office, which had a wall of windows overlooking the Spirit River. It was a modern, elegant space that could have fit into any of the upscale downtown towers in Minneapolis. His desk was glass, with no drawers. He had high-definition videoconference equipment on one wall. His artwork was sterile and modern, mostly nonrepresentational bronze designs. The only traditional painting in the office was an oil rendering of Julia and Ashlynn. His wife’s arm was slung around Ashlynn’s shoulder in a firm, protective grip.
Florian didn’t sit behind his desk, but rather took a chair at a round glass conference table near the windows. Chris sat opposite him, where he could see the flow of the water meandering south from the dam. Florian rubbed the balding surface of his skull. He tugged at his shirt sleeves, balancing the amount of white fabric visible under his suit coat. He looked impatient for the interview to begin and end.
‘You’ve done well, Florian,’ Chris said.
‘You always had a better business mind than most lawyers.’
Florian shrugged. ‘Your own legal practice seems very successful.’
‘It is, but I don’t really create anything. I just do deals.’
‘Back in law school, you were more concerned with social justice. I’m surprised you became another hired gun paid by the hour.’
Chris recalled his debates with Florian in the editorial offices of the law review. Even then, Florian had been particularly skilled at finding pressure points and applying his thumb. He hadn’t lost his touch. ‘I had a family to support,’ Chris replied. ‘I still do a lot of pro bono work.’
‘Good for you, but I always thought pro bono work was a worthless sop to ease the conscience of rich lawyers.’
‘If you really want to help people,’ Florian went on, ‘start a business. Create jobs. That’s my philosophy.’
‘How many people do you employ here?’ Chris asked.
‘More than two hundred and fifty. We’re one of the largest employers in the region.’
‘To be honest, Florian, I’m not entirely sure what you
‘It’s not a secret. We’re one of the leading research facilities in the country on applications of biotechnology and nanotechnology to the agricultural industry.’
‘What does that mean in practical terms?’
‘It means we use the most sophisticated technological tools available to feed the world.’
‘That sounds noble.’
‘Our research is a major factor in the development of corn and soybean crops with dramatically improved yield. We develop seeds that embody a genetic resistance to various insects and fungi, in order to reduce the application of toxic pesticides. We do research that minimizes water usage, reduces the spread of disease, and improves the potential of agricultural alternatives to fossil fuels.’
‘So why does Mondamin attract so much controversy?’ Chris asked.
‘Because we represent change, and change is scary,’ Florian said. He might as well have been speaking to an investor group or giving an interview to the
‘Five children died of leukemia in a town of a few hundred people,’ Chris pointed out. ‘St. Croix is barely ten miles from here. You can understand their suspicions.’
Florian folded his hands neatly on the table. He didn’t take the bait or grow agitated. ‘I have the deepest sympathy for the parents who lost their children. I’ve lost a child myself now, so I know the pain it causes. You want to lash out. You want to punish someone. When disease strikes in a small town, people assume there must be a tangible cause. They don’t want to believe it’s just bad luck.’
‘Do you really think that’s all it was?’
‘I do. The county and state epidemiologists all told the people of St. Croix that there was no cancer cluster. When they went ahead with a lawsuit, we bent over backwards to be fair. We made no objections when the judge wanted to appoint an independent special master to conduct an analysis prior to ruling on summary judgment. It was intrusive and inconvenient, but we agreed. This wasn’t a biased expert hired by one side or another. Our counsel agreed with the selection, and so did Rollie Swenson. The expert analyzed groundwater, soil, and air samples; she reviewed blood samples from the victims; we invited her inside Mondamin to do a nearly limitless review of our records and lab findings. Her conclusion was that causation could not be proved and almost certainly
Before Chris could reply, Florian’s face reddened, and he added, ‘On a personal level, I also have to tell you that I am furious that your ex-wife has made me into a monster in the eyes of the public. She fanned the flames around here. In my mind, Hannah is as guilty of Ashlynn’s murder as Olivia. If I could, I would ask Michael Altman to charge them both.’
Chris knew he was on sensitive ground. Florian and Ashlynn. Rollie and Tanya. Himself and Olivia. They were all fathers trying to protect their daughters. For Florian, it was too late. He’d failed. Underneath the hardness of the man’s exterior, the loss was eating him up.
‘I do understand,’ Chris said.
Florian looked toward the river, obviously frustrated with himself for letting his temper sneak through his shell. ‘Yes, well, there I go, doing the same thing that the people of St. Croix did. Seeking revenge for my loss.’
‘Can you tell me about Ashlynn?’ he asked.
Florian smiled for the first time. ‘She was a jewel.’
‘She was a beautiful girl,’ Chris agreed, admiring the painting.
‘Yes, she was. Athletic. Beautiful. She had a marvelous heart. I was proud of her values. She was planning to apply to some of the top colleges in the fall. East coast, west coast. She was going to take a trip with Julia to visit them this summer.’
‘I imagine it was hard for her sometimes,’ Chris said.
‘How so?’
‘Having money in a small town.’
