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the expertise to accomplish such a thing?
Marvin cleared his throat. No one, he told her, looking
ashamed. Not the computer expertise. Although Williams
did help a little. And Dr. Sloat. Hearing a laugh from Sloat s
office, he looked furtively over his shoulder.
She saw anxiety in his eyes. This was a frightened little
man.
In fact, they did it all, Marvin continued. The whole
thing. I mean Williams did it. I hardly helped at all. His
bloodshot blue eyes looked bitterly at Gail. Williams.
DARDCO s computer genius. He doesn t know RAM from
ROM. Suddenly seeming to remember his lines, he shifted
gears again. Good old Williams. He did it. He blinked, try-
ing to communicate to Gail something beyond words. I m
sorry. Really sorry. But I have to go now.
Wait, Marvin, she called after him. But it was too late.
Sloat emerged from his office, trailed by a younger, sandy-
haired man in khaki pants and an orange polo shirt with a
DARDCO logo on one breast. When Sloat saw her he looked
as guilty as a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Later, she realized that was the moment when she knew,
intuitively, what was going on. How all the pieces fit together.
Who were the bad guys and who the good. But her scientific,
rational mind resisted such knowledge. The truth was too
enormous and too terrible. Her rational mind balked, refusing
Osten s Bay 109
to credit the truth glimpsed by her unconscious. It demanded
proof. It resisted condemning without more evidence; there-
fore, it continued to accumulate facts, to attempt to sift the
essential from the unimportant. And so the moment passed.
Later, she would look back in regret. Had she paid attention
to her unconscious, she would have turned and run. Instead,
she forged ahead, ignoring the alarms going off in her mind.
Ah, Gail, Sloat said, as if she were the very person he
had been wanting to see. You know, I was just talking about
you to Williams here. He slapped the other man on the back,
and Williams gave her a dutiful smile.
Mr. Williams, Gail said carefully, not quite sure how
to play this role. I m Dr. Murray. I was hired to perfect the
Institute s cavity locating program, but I see you ve beaten us
to it. Dr. Sloat told me that you pardon me, someone had
developed a cavity location program, but that it had a few
glitches in it still. He mentioned that you might need me to
help render it fully operational. But I see that you ve managed
to work out the problems. She could hardly keep the bitter-
ness out of her voice. Congratulations.
Williams looked sidelong at Sloat, evidently wonder-
ing exactly what to say. When Sloat offered no assistance, he
grinned and responded. Well, thank you, he told her. Then,
as if in afterthought, he added: No hard feelings, I hope?
Gail forced herself to laugh. Well, maybe a few. Being
upstaged is never pleasant, but I suppose I can live with it.
She looked pointedly at Sloat. I gather that you won t be
needing me to download my program now.
Sloat raised his eyebrows, groomed his beard furiously,
and pretended to give the question some thought. Well, it
does seem a little superfluous, doesn t it? I don t know what
do you think, Williams?
Williams shrugged. I think we d just be wasting Dr.
Murray s valuable time. After all, we ve got the answer, so we
really don t need to reinvent the wheel, now do we?
110 Lauren Wright Douglas
Whatever you like, Gail said. I suppose I ll have other
duties now that you don t need me to work on the cavity pro-
gram. We should have a talk about the dive teams, don t you
think, Dr. Sloat?
Sloat blinked rapidly. The dive teams? He sounded as
though he had never heard of them.
Yes, Gail said. The dive teams. Presumably we ll con-
tinue to test your cavity program. I know I collected data for
years when I was trying to perfect mine. But we can talk about
that when you re finished with Mr. Williams. She was con-
sumed with curiosity. Just how far did Sloat intend to take this
charade?
Oh, we re finished now, Williams said, trying a charm-
ing smile. Gail looked at him expressionlessly, and his smile
faded. See you tonight, then Benjamin, he said, heading for
the door.
Oh, right, Sloat replied distractedly. And be sure to
wear your tux. The press conference will be televised.
You can count on me, Williams said, winking conspira-
torially, closing the door to the outer office quietly behind
him.
Press conference? Gail s heart sank.
Sloat turned to her, his expression one of avuncular con-
cern. My dear young woman, he said, shaking his head.
Compassion fairly dripped from his voice. This is such a
happy day for us, but a day fraught with such disappointment
for you. He shook his head. Such disappointment. Please,
my dear, do come and sit down.
I d rather not, Gail told him. So Williams did it, did
he? He must be the programmer you couldn t tell me about. I
notice he works for DARDCO.
Mmmm, yes, Sloat replied. DARDCO will of course
be sharing the program s application with us. I ll announce
that tonight.
Of course, Gail said, her composure slipping. A
Osten s Bay 111
perfect example of science and industry working together for
the common good.
Sloat cocked his head. I couldn t have said it better
myself, he said.
So there s to be a press conference? So soon? she
asked. Are you absolutely sure the program works? She
shook her head in feigned thoughtfulness. It might be a little
premature.
Sloat s brown eyes stared back at her, opaque, expression-
less. She ignored the chill feeling on the back of her neck and
plunged on.
I wouldn t have thought such an esoteric area of marine
geology as cavity location would merit so much fanfare. It cer-
tainly didn t at Erindale, she remarked.
Ah, well, DARDCO s R and D arm has always been
interested in cavities, Sloat muttered. Incidentally, he said,
lowering his voice to an intimate level, may I assume that
you ll be coming to the press conference?
Why, thank you, she told him. But I probably won t be
there. I just haven t a thing to wear.
Mmmm, he said thoughtfully, his eyes searching her
face.
We need to talk about the diving teams, she said, chang-
ing the subject.
Ah yes, Sloat replied. The diving teams. He held up
a hand. Before you start, let me just say that I heard about
what happened yesterday, and I assure you that appropriate
disciplinary measures have been taken.
They have? Gail asked.
Sloat nodded. Another practical joke on Jinx Team, so I
was told.
Oh? Gail remarked sarcastically. That practical joke
could have gotten one of us seriously injured. And I m begin-
ning to wonder how much of a joke it really was.
Sloat fixed her with a look of warning, and Gail s heart
112 Lauren Wright Douglas
beat faster. He was certainly guilty it showed all over his
face. But guilty of what? My dear, I know you re upset, Sloat
said. By what happened to your dive team as well as by what
happened to your research project. It s been a difficult few
days. But it s important to keep one s perspective. To look at
the big picture. And we can t let ourselves be swept away by
our emotions, now can we? After all, you re still a scientist
and a fellow of this Institute. I expect you to behave like one
and not let petty jealousy get the better of you. Bear up, Dr.
Murray, bear up.
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