The Butterfly listened to it all, and, when I finally ground to a halt, he remained motionless for many long minutes, apparently digesting what he had heard. “Well, one thing I can tell you,” he said at last. “Your friend isn’t a financier . . . here on Perv, or anywhere else, for that matter.”
“He isn’t? But he’s always talking about money.”
“Oh, there’s more to being a financier than talking about money,” the Butterfly laughed. “The whole idea is to put one’s money to work through investments. If anything, this Aahz’s hoarding techniques would indicate that he’s pretty much an amateur when it comes to money. You, on the other hand, by incorporating and diversifying through holdings in other businesses, show marked entrepreneurial tendencies. Perhaps sometime we might talk a bit about mutual investment opportunities.”
I suppose it was all quite flattering, and under other circumstances I might have been happy to chat at length with the Butterfly about money management. Unfortunately, I couldn’t escape the disappointment of the bottom line . . . that he wouldn’t be able to give me any information that would help me locate Aahz.
“Thanks, but right now I think I’d better focus on one thing at a time, and my current priority is finding my old partner.”
“Well, sorry I couldn’t have been of more assistance,” the financier said, rising to his feet. “One thing, though, Skeeve, if you don’t mind a little advice?”
“What’s that?”
“You might try to take a bit more of an active role in your own life. You know . . . instead of reactive?” That one stopped me short as I was reaching for the door.