by Darin Gibby
Perry flew out of his chair, sending it crashing into his credenza. “This is such a bad idea. Trust me, I’ve been around the block enough times to know that this is totally crazy. This is some kind of scam.”
“No, I can feel it in my bones. This is my chance to really make a difference in the world.”
Perry folded his arms and strode to the window. After a few moments he spun around. “I’m sorry for my outburst. It’s just that you took me by surprise, and I’m having a hard time processing what you’ve said. I understand your desire to make an impact, but I’ve got clients in the same space. What about ChargeIt? Their next generation batteries will let a car go nearly eight hundred miles on a single charge. I was planning to introduce you to their patent counsel next week, telling them that we’d just made you our youngest ever partner.”
Addy lowered her head. If there was one person in the world who had looked out for her, it was Perry. He was almost like the father she’d never had. Maybe he was right. Should she trust him and tell Quinn that she’d changed her mind? She didn’t want to let him down.
“This is so hard,” she finally said. “You’ve done so much for me, and I don’t want to seem ungrateful.”
“Then stay at Wyckoff. When you get to be my age, you’ll understand. Nearly every young patent attorney goes through this phase. The daily grind of churning out patent applications sets in, and there’s this allure of joining a promising new start-up touting a groundbreaking technology, and lots of stock options. I’ll bet more than 80 percent of the associates we hire jump ship in the first five years. A few of them make it big, but most don’t. Plenty come crawling back, tails between their legs, asking for their jobs back. We tell most of them no.”
Addy wondered if he’d read her mind. The security of getting her old job back had helped make her decision easier. Now Perry was telling her not to count on that option.
“If I never take a chance,” she said panning the room with her hand, “this could be my life.” She stopped herself. “I didn’t mean it that way. You’ve had a great career with Wyckoff. I just don’t want to reach your age and wish I’d taken a chance to make a real difference.”
“What about your high school invention competition? Isn’t that making a difference? And we have a great pro bono program. You can help out a lot of indigent people in our own community. If you want to make a difference, why don’t you volunteer to give legal advice to families of domestic violence? And we’re donating a significant amount of the profits from your practice to new green-friendly start-ups. What more could you want?”
Addy clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her head. She’d forgotten about that perk. Wyckoff was on the cutting edge in the area of giving back some of its profits to the community.
“Why don’t you give it some more time? Take the day off, get over your jet lag, and we can talk tomorrow. If you still feel the same, I’ll give you my blessing.”
Addy looked up. “I wish I could, but I’ve already committed. The ball is already in play. My office is being set up, and they want me to start as soon as I can. I’m here to ask if the thirty-day notice requirement can be waived.”
Perry shook his head. “I really can’t believe this. You’re making a giant mistake. Who is this new client, some Asian company, I presume?”
“Korean,” she said. “His name is Quinn Moon and he was educated in the States.”
“Of course he was; it’s just like them. They come to America, take up all the spots in the good schools so the Americans can’t get in, then take all the jobs. You know how it is. Just look at the Patent Office. Half of the examiners can’t even speak English, just some gobbledygook that nobody can understand. And you can’t trust them, those Asians are all alike.”
“What about me?” Addy interrupted. “Are you forgetting that I’m one of them?”
“No you’re not. You’re an American. You don’t even have an accent.”
Addy’s brows drew together and she gritted her teeth. “You’re a racist, plain and simple.”
Perry shook his head. “No, I am not a racist. I totally adore you, and you’re from Vietnam. That’s not being a racist. I’m just making a point that you need to treat other cultures differently. The Chinese steal, that’s just how they are. You just need to expect that they are going to steal you blind every chance you get. And the Koreans want to outdo you. They’ll do anything to make it happen, just like this Quinn fellow.”
“You’re wrong. That’s racism. You can’t categorically say that an entire culture is bad or immoral. Yes, they may be different, what drives them might be different, but that doesn’t make you any better.”
“Fine, if that’s how you want to put it, we’ll leave it at that. But I’m warning you about this Quinn person. It’s only going to lead to heartbreak. Then you’ll see I’m telling you the truth, hard as it may be to take right now. I’m just being upfront with you, because I’m worried that you’re going to get hurt.
“Now, isn’t there anything I can do to make you reconsider?”
Only Perry could accost her, then pretend it never happened. She refused to look him in the eye.
“I’m not taking my secretary, but I’d like to see if Janice will join me. We work well together, and I’m going to need an experienced paralegal.”
“Taking any clients as well?”
“No, no clients, at least in the beginning. I’ll have more work than I can do with this one. I’d like to start next week. I can work late to make sure everything on my docket is up to date before I leave.”
“So I guess your mind is made up?”
“I’m afraid so. I hope this doesn’t come between us. I’m hoping we can stay friends.”
Perry shook his head. “Sure. The executive committee will need to approve your early departure. I’ll ask Pingree to rush through the request.”
Addy stood and held out her hand. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for me.”
Perry stood to face her. “You’re forgetting something. You’ve got a little problem with Hindy. Remember?”
Her bike ride into work put that issue front and center, but in working through the logistics of leaving Wyckoff, she’d completely forgotten that Perry had been negotiating Hindy’s release.
Addy bit her lip.
“I’ve already filed papers with the court to act as your attorney, and the judge wants a hearing before he will release the car. The Department of Homeland Security wants an investigation into whether the sabotage was a terrorist act. DHS wants to throw some questions at you during your appearance before the judge.”
Addy threw down her arms. “What? That’s not fair. I was the one who was attacked.”
“Fair? As a lawyer, you should know better than to think the law is fair.”
Addy knew he was right. But this was ridiculous. This wasn’t an act of terrorism. She was just being harassed. But why?
“Don’t you think it is just a little bit suspicious that Hindy gets blown up, and then you immediately get an offer from some unknown company with a promise to roll out a technology that defies the laws of physics? Addy, I’m worried about what is happening to you.”
In her zeal, Addy had suppressed all thoughts about threats on her life. Now she reconsidered. This wasn’t some kind of game she was playing. She’d been warned to keep out of the energy space, and now she was ignoring certain danger.
“Okay, I could use your help with Hindy. You can make me a client. I’ll pay my bills.”
Perry smoothed his dark, gray-speckled hair. “I’m not going to charge you. I’ll see if I can get Hindy back, but I want you to reconsider.”
14
ADDY HAD TOUCHED up her lipstick and snapped her purse shut when an email notification popped up on her computer screen. The email address was unfamiliar, but the subject line caught her attention.
Will you forgive me? it read.
Addy thought it was spam and was poised to hit the delete button on her keyboard. But t
hen she wondered who might be asking for forgiveness. She studied the Gmail account associated with the message. It contained a form of her last name, and the initial L. Her stepmother’s first name was Lynda. That, along with the subject line, was too irresistible. She at least needed to peek.
As she read, she gasped, sat bolt upright, and smacked her hand over her open mouth. She quickly scanned the short letter, eyes flashing back and forth along the lines. It was an admission from her stepmother and a plea for reconciliation.
Addy felt her throat tighten as she continued to stare at the screen, her mind unable to focus.
“You ready?” came a voice from behind her.
It was Janice. Addy clicked the email closed, tucked her hair behind her ear, and breathed deeply. Maintaining an expressionless face, she said, “Perfect timing. Let’s go.”
Janice drove with Addy to Oren’s Hummus Shop, a new restaurant serving Israeli cuisine. It was far enough away from Wyckoff’s offices that they wouldn’t run into any Wyckoff partners. They were escorted to a sunny courtyard, partially shaded by redwood trees.
“You were staring at your computer screen pretty intently,” Janice said while they waited for their server.
Addy preferred keeping her past private, but with everything that was happening in her life, she was ready to explode. She needed somebody to understand her life.
“It was from my stepmother,” Addy said.
Janice’s eyebrows shot up. Addy had previously shared the details of her father’s passing and subsequent funeral with her.
“This is the woman who conveniently didn’t tell you your father had passed away from cancer until the funeral was over. Correct?”
Addy nodded. The episode of her father’s passing brought back all her painful childhood memories.
“Yes, the same woman,” Addy said. “She said that after a year of feeling bitter, her feelings have mellowed, and she wants to apologize. She said it was wrong not to tell me about the funeral. She told me I have a stepbrother in the eleventh grade. Evidently, he’s the star of a boys’ soccer team, and she would love for me to meet him, maybe even watch one of his games. She says he has all kinds of questions about college he wants to ask me. And, I found out my stepsister is expecting her first child. I could be an aunt pretty soon.”
“Sounds like great news to me. Are you going to accept the offer? You’d be crazy not to. You need a family.”
“I’m thinking about it,” Addy said. “I’ve just got a few things to work out.”
“Like leaving Wyckoff.”
Addy nodded.
“News travels fast,” Janice said shaking out her napkin. “I already heard.”
“I’m sorry, I was hoping I could break the news,” Addy replied, while the waiter filled their glasses with water and handed them each a menu.
“All I can say is that it must be some kind of incredible deal for you to give up becoming a partner. It’s all anyone can talk about.”
“What else are they saying?”
“You really want to know?”
Addy nodded.
“They say you stabbed Perry in the back, especially after he went out on a limb to make you partner early.”
“I was afraid of that. Perry is the last person I wanted to hurt.”
“I hate to be frank, but I kind of agree. Why are you doing this?”
Addy explained about the opportunity, and how this wasn’t about the money, but about a chance to be a part of something that would be in the history books for centuries.
“This is for that company you asked me to research? WTG, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“But I didn’t really find anything. Are you sure about this? When you say things like ‘changing history,’ it seems a little farfetched.”
“I know it’s risky, but I have such a strong, positive feeling about it. I’ve got to go with my gut. This is my dream. I can’t pass it up.”
“You know what I think? I think you’re emotionally caught up in this and there’s more than you’re telling me.”
“Not at all.”
“Well, I don’t get it, then. Why leave Wyckoff when you’ve worked so hard for this partnership? I thought that was your dream. Something is making you not think with that brain God gave you,” Janice said as she tapped her forehead.
The waiter returned and they placed their orders. Addy worried. She needed Janice to leave Wyckoff and follow her to WTG. Without her, Addy couldn’t file the applications or even handle most of the back-and-forth correspondence with the Patent Office. Addy had assumed Janice would come with her. Now she was not so sure.
“I asked you out to lunch to see if you’d join me at WTG.”
Janice rolled her eyes. “What, are you crazy? You have lost your mind.”
Addy scooted forward. “Look, I know this must seem really weird, maybe crazy, but we’re talking about a technology that can change the world. Before your daughter gets to college, I’ll bet you won’t be driving the same kind of car. You’re going to want to be part of this.”
“That’s great for you,” Janice said, “because you’re an engineer and a lawyer, and that’s all you ever think about. That’s your dream, not mine.”
“It was your dream,” Addy reminded her.
“To be a lawyer, yes. But that’s not going to happen. I’ve accepted my lot in life. Right now, I’ve got a six-year-old with severe asthma. That’s my life. You know I can’t leave, not with my family commitments and insurance.”
“I’ve been authorized to offer you a 25 percent raise, and the insurance package is even better than at Wyckoff. And you’ll be working for a start-up. No more policies and procedures. You come to work, get the job done, and nobody cares what time you start the clock or if you have to leave for a doctor appointment.”
Janice sipped her tea. “Now I am really skeptical. Why would anyone want to offer me that much?”
“I told you. This is really big. Think of it as a new Google or Facebook. Their patents are critical, and they need someone who won’t mess up their filings. I told them you’re the only person I trust.”
“But you hardly know anything about them. Who is this Quinn fellow you told me about?”
Addy snatched up her phone, swiped the screen and held it up. “That’s Quinn in the tux.”
Janice sat back and cross her legs. “So now I understand. Is this about his looks or his technology?
“It’s nothing like that.”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind having him for my boss either. Perry can’t compare to that.”
“Then you’ll come?”
“I’ll think about it, but no promises.”
The waiter returned with their meals and Janice asked about what it was like to be in Vietnam. It didn’t take long until the discussion turned back to Wyckoff.
“If I leave Wyckoff, how will I know I’ll get paid? You know how these start-ups work. Half of them go bankrupt in the first year and we never get paid a dime.”
“They’ve got lots of wealthy investors,” Addy assured her.
“And who would that be? From what I found, they seem to be just a shell company. And, do I get any stock options?”
Addy hesitated. It had been hard enough trying to convince Quinn to let her bring Janice in with such a large raise. “I’ll need to check on that.”
“And what about your other troubles?”
“Troubles?” Addy asked.
“Yeah, with Hindy. Didn’t Perry tell you?”
“He told me that the judge wants a hearing before he will release Hindy, something about an investigation by Homeland Security.”
“It’s more than just some terrorist threat. Perry found out that the word on the street is that there are dozens of terrorist cells who are worried about the US weaning away from Middle East oil. They are finding ways to discourage alternative technologies. Business is business, no matter what your political or religious affiliation.”
“That’s crazy.
That can’t be true.”
“You do represent a fuel cell company, and Perry’s practice is loaded with them. It’s not like you aren’t throwing it in everyone’s face with that blimp on your car. I don’t think you can dismiss it. Homeland Security certainly isn’t.”
“That’s nonsense,” Addy said, wondering if her Vietnamese assailant was tied to this group. “Perry is going to go with me to the hearing, everything will be sorted out, and I’ll get Hindy back.”
“But seriously,” Janet said. “Could I end up in some kind of serious trouble, or even danger, if I come with you?”
“Nothing to worry about,” Addy assured her, while her insides were churning. She was asking Janice to trust her, when she herself refused to trust anyone. Worse, Addy knew she wasn’t being forthright. They were all at risk if they continued with this venture.
Staring across at Janice, she felt a guilty pang. What if the venture with Quinn didn’t work out? Was that worth ruining Janice’s future, and putting the health of her daughter at risk? If she couldn’t even trust her own mother, how could she trust Quinn?
Rehashing the issues was pointless. She’d made her decision, and there was no turning back. “We’d better get back. I’ve got to pack up my office. I’d love to have you join me. I’ll need an answer by tomorrow.”
* * *
Addy didn’t wait to respond to Lynda’s request. She had made that mistake once, and it cost her a final visit with her father. She typed a reply on her phone, telling Lynda that she too thought it was time to forget about the past and move on, and she’d love to visit. Addy further explained that she was leaving her law firm to start her own practice, and that she would send Lynda a note about going to see them as soon as she was settled.
15
AGENT LONG SMOOTHED his hand over his shiny head and breathed deeply. He’d been waiting in customs at San Francisco International Airport for over an hour. He knew Quinn’s Korean Air flight direct from Seoul took just under eleven hours, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Long had met with all the customs agents and instructed them to escort Quinn straight to secondary screening the moment he turned over his passport.
