The Men Who Walked Out novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Say It Again

Elliot's POV

The dinner was in a private room of the Aldrich director's club on Beacon Hill, and it was set for seven.

Rosalind Larkin sat at the head of the table with the director on her left and Gordon on her right.

They had left a chair for me at the foot, in the spot where a husband would sit.

"Dr. Rowe," Rosalind said. "Thank you for coming."

"Mrs. Larkin."

"It's Ms. Larkin. Please sit."

I sat.

Through the glass wall behind her, a dozen tables of members were eating, and every one of them could see us.

I thought she had chosen the room for that.

"The review of the Bradstreet lab is finished," Rosalind said. "Full funding, five years, effective tomorrow."

The director looked at his plate and did not look relieved.

"There are two small conditions," she said. "The lab's patents move under Larkin's strategy office, with Gordon chairing a steering committee."

"And?"

"Dr. Bradstreet's notebooks come to our vault. They are twenty-two volumes of work my company has paid for, one way or another, for thirty years."

"They're in a safe place," I said.

"I'm sure they are. Where?"

"Safe."

"Elliot." Gordon spoke quietly, and he sounded alarmed. "Rose, that isn't what you told me last night. You said funding with no strings."

"I said funding," Rosalind said. "Gordon, eat your salad."

He put his fork down instead.

She turned back to me.

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