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〃They're concerned about the light；〃 Morton said； shaking his head。
〃Don't let us keep you；〃 Connor said。
〃Anyway；〃 Morton said。 〃I wanted your input。 I understand you to say that last night had nothing to do with MicroCon。 The people involved had nothing to do with it。 I'm not going to read next month that someone was working behind the scenes； trying to promote or block the sale。 Nothing like that。〃
〃Not as far as I know；〃 Connor said。
〃Gentlemen； thank you for ing；〃 he said。 He shook both of our hands； and started away。 Then he came back。 〃I appreciate your treating this matter as confidential。 Because； you know； we have to be careful。 We are at war with Japan。〃 He smiled wryly。 〃Loose lips sink ships。〃
〃Yes；〃 Connor said。 〃And remember Pearl Harbor。〃
〃Christ； that too。〃 He shook his head。 He dropped his voice； being one of the boys。 〃You know； I have colleagues who say sooner or later we're going to have to drop another bomb。 They think it'll e to that。〃 He smiled。 〃But I don t feel that way。 Usually。〃
Still smiling； he headed back to the camera crew。 As he walked； he collected people； first a woman with script changes； then a wardrobe man； then a sound man fiddling with his microphone and adjusting the battery pack at his waist； and the makeup woman； until finally the senator had disappeared from view； and there was just a cluster of people moving awkwardly across the lawn。
？
I said； 〃I like him。〃
I was driving back into Hollywood。 The buildings were hazy in the smog。
〃Why shouldn't you like him？〃 Connor said。 〃He's a politician。 It's his job to make you like him。〃
〃Then he's good at his job。〃
〃Very good； I think。〃
Connor stared out the window silently。 I had the sense that something was troubling him。
I said； 〃Didn't you like what he was saying in the mercial？ It sounded like all the things you say。〃
〃Yes。 It did。〃
〃Then what's the matter？〃
〃Nothing；〃 Connor said。 〃I was just thinking about what he actually said。〃
〃He mentioned Fairchild。〃
〃Of course；〃 Connor said。 〃Morton knows the real story about Fairchild； very well。〃
I started to ask him what it was； but he was already telling me。
〃Have you ever heard of Seymour Cray？ For years； he was the best designer of superputers in the world。 Cray Research made the fastest puters in the world。 The Japanese were trying to catch up with him； but they just couldn't do it。 He was too brilliant。 But by the mid…eighties； Japanese chip dumping had put most of Cray's domestic suppliers out of business。 So Cray had to order his custom…designed chips from Japanese manufacturers。 There was nobody in America to make them。 And his Japanese suppliers experienced mysterious delays。 At one point； it took them a year to deliver certain chips he had ordered … and during that time； his Japanese petitors made great strides forward。 There was also a question of whether they had stolen his new technology。 Cray was furious。 He knew they were fucking with him。 He decided that he had to form a liaison with an American manufacturer； and so he chose Fairchild Semiconductor； even though the pany was financially weak； far from the best。 But Cray couldn't trust the Japanese anymore。 He had to make do with Fairchild。 So now Fairchild was making his next generation of custom chips for him … and then he learned that Fairchild was going to be sold to Fujitsu。 His big petitor。 It was concern about situations like that； and the national security implications； that led Congress to block the sale to Fujitsu。〃
〃And then？〃
〃Well； blocking the sale didn't solve Fairchild's financial problems。 The pany was still in trouble。 And it eventually had to be sold。 There was a rumor it was going to be bought by Bull； a French pany that didn't pete in superputers。 That sale might have been permitted by Congress。 But in the end； Fairchild was sold to an American pany。〃
〃And MicroCon is another Fairchild？〃
〃Yes； in the sense that MicroCon will give the Japanese a monopoly on vital chip…making machinery。 Once they have a monopoly； they can withhold the machines from American panies。 But now I think… 〃
That was when the phone rang。 I left it on the speakerphone。
It was Lauren。 My ex…wife。
〃Peter？〃
I said； 〃Hello； Lauren。〃
〃Peter； I am calling to inform you that I'm going to pick up Michelle early today。〃 Her voice sounded tense； formal。
〃You are？ I didn't know you were picking her up at all。〃
〃I never said that； Peter；〃 she answered quickly。 〃Of course I'm picking her up。〃
I said； 〃Okay； fine。 By the way； who's Rick？〃
There was a pause。 〃Really。 That is beneath you； Peter。〃
〃Why？〃 I said。 〃I'm just curious。 Michelle mentioned it this morning。 She said he has a black Mercedes。 Is he the new boyfriend？〃
〃Peter。 I hardly think that is on the same level。〃
I said； 〃The same level as what？〃
〃Let's not play games；〃 she said。 〃This is difficult enough。 I'm calling to tell you I have to pick up Michelle early because I'm taking her to the doctor。〃
〃Why？ She's over her cold。〃
〃I'm taking her for an examination； Peter。〃
〃For what'？〃
〃An examination。〃
〃I heard you；〃 I said。 〃But… 〃
〃The physician who will examine her is Robert Strauss。 He is an expert； I'm told。 I have been asking people in the office who is the best person。 I don't know how this is going to turn out； Peter； but I want you to know I am concerned； particularly in the light of your history。〃
〃Lauren； what are you talking about？〃
〃I'm talking about child abuse；〃 she said。 〃I'm talking about sexual molestation。〃
〃What？〃
〃There's no getting around it； at this point。 You know you've been accused of it in the past。〃
I felt churning nausea。 Whenever a relationship goes sour； there's always some residue of resentment； some pockets of bitterness and anger … as well as lots of private things that you know about the other person； that you can use against them。 If you choose to do that。 Lauren never had。
〃Lauren； you know that abuse charge was trumped up； You know everything about that。 We were married at the time。〃
〃I only know what you told me。〃 Her voice sounded distant now； moralistic； a little sarcastic。 Her prosecutor's voice。
〃Lauren； for Christ's sake。 This is ridiculous。 What's going on？〃
〃It is not ridiculous。 I have my responsibilities as a mother。〃
〃Well； for God's sake； you've never been particularly worried about your responsibilities as a mother before。 And now you… 〃
〃It's true that I have a demanding career；〃 she said； in an icy tone； 〃but there has never been any question that my daughter es first。 And I deeply； deeply regret if my past behavior in any way contributed to this unpleasant circumstance now。〃 I had the feeling that she wasn't talking to me。 She was rehearsing。 Trying out the words to see how they would sound before a judge。 〃Clearly； Peter； if there is child abuse； Michelle cannot continue to live with you。 Or even to see you。〃
I felt pain in my chest。 A wrenching。
〃What are you talking about？ Who told you there was child abuse？〃
〃Peter； I don't think it's appropriate for me to ment at this point in time。〃
〃Was it Wilhelm？ Who called you； Lauren？〃
〃Peter； there's no point in going into this； I'm officially notifying you that I'm going to pick Michelle up at four p。m。 I want her ready to go at four this afternoon。〃
〃Lauren… 〃
〃I have my secretary； Miss Wilson； listening on the line and making stenographic notes of our conversation。 I'm giving you formal notice of my intention to pick up my daughter and take her for a physical examination。 Do you have any questions about my decision？〃
〃No。〃
〃Four o'clock； then。 Thank you for your cooperation。 And let me add on a personal note； Peter； I'm truly sorry that it has e to this。〃
And she hung up。
I had been involved in sex abuse cases when I was a detective。 I knew how it worked。 The fact is； you usually can't determine anything from a physical exam。 It's always equivocal。 And if a kid is questioned by a psychologist who hammers her with questions； the kid will eventually start to go along； and make up answers to please the psychologist。 Normal procedure requires the psychologist to videotape the kids； to prove that the questioning wasn't leading。 But the situation is almost always unclear when it finally es before a judge。 And the judge must therefore rule conservatively。 Which means； if there is a possibility of abuse； to keep the child away from the accused parent。 Or at least； not allow unsupervised visitation。 No overnight visits。 Or perhaps not even…
〃That's enough；〃 Connor said； sitting beside me in the car。 〃e back now。〃
〃Sorry；〃 I said。 〃But it's upsetting。〃
〃I'm sure。 Now： what haven't you told me？〃
〃About what？〃
〃The molestation charge。〃
〃Nothing。 There's nothing to it。〃
〃Kōhai；〃 he said quietly。 〃I can't help you if you won't tell me。〃
〃It had nothing to do with sexual molestation；〃 I said； 〃It was something else entirely。 It was about money。〃
Connor said nothing。 He just waited。 Looking at me。
〃Ah； hell；〃 I said。
And I told him。
You have these times in your life when you believe you know what you're doing； but you really don't。 Later on； you can look back； and you