The Year of Living Dangerously
Part I: January, 1965
Chapter Seven
I.
When Emma Peel needed to really think about something that was puzzling her, she put whatever it was out of her mind, and did some kind of physical activity instead, whether it be swimming laps, practicing karate or fencing, or even painting or sculpting. She had found, over the course of her 27 years, that somehow while she was engrossed in concentrating on her physical skills, subconsciously her brain still worked on the problem, and came up with solutions - or at least ideas - seemingly out of the blue.
Upon returning to her flat from her interview with Adam Penthallen, therefore, she decided that fencing would be just the ticket. She had so arranged her flat that there was a long corridor in which she could practice her footwork - advancing, retreating, and lunging. She changed into plimsolls and leotard, therefore, and began stretching.
She'd rerun her conversation with Penthallen through her head, on her way back from the interview, and decided that she'd learned very little of any use. She'd waited until the very end of the interview to try her question about Knight Industries, and wondered if she'd really been as subtle and as clever with her question as she'd thought she'd been.
There had been something about his reaction...something too guarded, perhaps?
She'd pondered on this as the tube clattered on its way, and she'd pondered on it as she'd gone the back way into her flat again, and she'd decided, as a last resort, to stop thinking about it, and see what happened.
And, as usual, an idea came to her, that really should have come to her before.
She'd waited the entire interview to ask Penthallen just one question...but what about the false Patrick Staunton, who had interviewed her? What was the subtle and clever question that he had no doubt asked her, in the midst of all his other questions. The one thing he'd really wanted to know about?
And then she remembered. He had been interested in Jack Keller, the automation expert whom she'd sacked so foolishly. He'd asked her, twice, what had become of him.
Well, what had become of him? Why had the false Staunton needed to ask that question? Surely Keller had been quickly hired by one of her competitors, and his ideas about automation put to work at once.
She'd better find out. Too late to do that tonight...she'd do some research on it tomorrow. She'd...should she... yes...she would visit Knight Industries tomorrow as well, and see what they had to say about the question of being bought up by Saxon Systems.
II.
What had happened to Jack Keller?
Emma Peel had spent the morning in the British Library once again, once more going through the Financial Times and other appropriate newspapers on microfilm, looking for information on Jack Keller.
The news of his sacking had received a lot of coverage on the day. Emma's words were quoted and she winced anew.
Keller had given one interview, the day afterwards, in which he'd pointed out that Knight Industries would go down to financial ruin because of their short-sightedness, and that automation would be the savior of mankind.
About ten days later, there was an article on Knight Industries, revealing that although Jack Keller had been sacked, he'd not been allowed to take any of his equipment or inventions with him, as they'd been developed on company time, and he was considering a lawsuit about that. "They sack me because they think my ideas are unworkable, but they won't let me take away those ideas. Does nothing strike you as odd about that?" Keller was quoted as saying.
His name had not appeared in the media again.
It wasn't odd, Emma thought regretfully as she drove towards Knight Industries. It was just business. Keller had signed contracts that anything he'd invented on company time, with company equipment, belonged to the company. That was standard procedure.
But what had happened to the man? In six years, it was inconceivable that no one had hired him, that he'd had nothing to say as the years went by, as automation came in to common use and Knight Industries dropped down the league table of viable companies with little ceremony.
It was as if he'd dropped off the face of the earth.
III.
Emma slowed down and turned into the parking lot of Knight Industries. The lot was large...and half-full. Emma parked in a far corner an got out of her car, then leaned against it as she stared at the building.
She hadn't been here in six years...it hadn't changed.
As she stood there...a dark green Bentley turn into the lot, and headed towards the front of the building.
As she watched, the false Patrick Staunton climbed out of it. He was dressed much differently today, in a grey business suit. He reached into the depths of the Bentley and pulled out a bowler hat, which he placed at a rakish angle on his head, and an umbrella, which he swung jauntily as he walked into the building.
Thoughtfully, Emma got back into her car, and settled down to wait.
