Then came the first glimpse of Payne in a red shirt and white pants as Vanessa turned away. He said, “Then we’ll have Phil go ahead and draw up a codicil. It’s probably the safest way, anyhow.” Michelle raised the remote and seemed about to stop the tape again, then changed her mind. There was more, but lost behind more wisecracking between Kevin and Taki. Further fragments came through the scraping and swishing noises while Kevin climbed the folds in the flag.
Payne: “. . . way it’s set up. Phil has already looked into that angle. . . . redirected in your favor . . .”
Vanessa: “. . . Kevin as it stands. As I said a moment ago, I’ve tried everything that . . .”
“I couldn’t make out what that—” Kevin began, but Michelle hushed him with a wave.
Payne: “Who else . . . background to the situation . . . Eric’s the only one who . . . contest anything . . . right there in writing, notarized and . . . not around to argue . . .”
Vanessa: “. . . wish there was a day when . . . sick and tired of . . . can rely on Phil.”
Payne: “. . . worth it when it’s over . . .” There was a blurred patch that included a word that sounded like “dynamics.”
“The folds of the flag were muffling the sound,” Kevin interjected. “If I remember right, he was asking about theoretical work.”
The mec paused at the top of the cabinet in time to pick up Vanessa saying more clearly, “You stick to organizing the finances. You’re better at it. Don’t worry about the scientific side. Leave that to me.”
“I was just curious,” Payne replied, sounding short.
“I think you might find this more interesting.” Vanessa handed him a green folder.
“What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
There was a silence while Payne read. The mec found sanctuary in the shadows behind one of the figurines and began scanning the scene. Michelle nodded to herself as she recognized Payne fully now from the photograph. He was murmuring aloud as he read. “. . . not restricted to places like Florida and California. . . . Year-round market in northern states . . . capture twenty percent of existing VR in two years, annual growth rates of . . .”
Michelle sat up with a start. “That’s from one of the reports that I gave Eric from Ohira! They’re talking about moving in on Bug Park.” She shook her head disbelievingly. “The bitch! . . . Oh, sorry, Kevin.”
“That’s okay. I, er, guess you’re right. . . . It’s not really that big a thing—us, I mean.”
Corfe was rubbing his palms on the arms of his chair and shifting agitatedly, containing himself with difficulty. “I knew there was something like this all along. . . . Look, I’m sorry, folks, but I’m about to start talking outta line here. I’ve kept it to myself until now, but . . .”
Michelle stayed him with a hand. “All in good time, Doug.”
By now, Kevin and Taki were debating the nature of the room. Corfe nodded as the view of furnishings and art works flowed by on the screen. “There’s an entertainment center in that cabinet,” he remarked. “It was me and Mike Ellipulos who installed it.” The view backed up and came to rest on the carved crest adorning the end wall. “There it is,” Corfe announced. “Princess Dolores.”
“This is wonderful, Vanessa.” The view moved back to Payne as he finished his scrutiny of the file. “I hadn’t realized it could be worth so much. Will I still be able to afford you when you own all this?”
Vanessa moved closer to him. “We’ll own it.” They exchanged a few more words about having a drink and then driving to a restaurant somewhere, and then left, Payne with his arm around her.
“That’s about it,” Kevin said. “The rest is just me and Taki.”
“Did you see anything else that we ought to know about?” Michelle asked him.
“No. The mec was almost out of charge. I didn’t think there was enough to get it back down, so I left it.”