He worked on developing practical applications for them, but when he presented them as potential products to the board, they declined to pursue commercial production. When we found out he was still working on these projects, we dismissed him."
"Was he working on these projects on company time, using company resources?"
"Yes. All of his work was based on a spellbook we own."
"It's not information he could get any other way?"
Owen shook his head. "We have the only existing copy."
"Do we have a case?" I asked.
"It's hard to say based on only this information," Ethan replied. "I'd have to take a closer look, and even then, it's not particularly clear-cut. The fact that your company declined to commercialize his work when given the opportunity shades things somewhat, but then there's also the fact that he was using company resources. And then it might ultimately be up to a judge or jury. But that doesn't mean we can't take action. You can sometimes get a favorable result just by sending a carefully worded letter. A lot of people back down when they see the letterhead."
"You could write such a letter?" Merlin asked.
"That's what I spend a good amount of my life doing."
"So you're willing to take our case?"
Ethan smiled for the first time that day. "I couldn't pass it up. It's too fascinating."
"This won't cause a problem for you at your firm, will it?" I asked.
"I have my own firm. If I want to take a case, it's my business."
Merlin looked supremely satisfied. "Very well. You can discuss your fees with Mr.
Gwaltney. Mr. Palmer can give you access to all the information you need. He's also your best resource for any questions you might have about magic."
Ethan pulled a Palm Pilot out of his breast pocket. "Let's see, I have tomorrow afternoon open if you'd like to meet then."
"I'll work around your schedule," Owen said. A business card appeared in his hand, and he handed it to Ethan.
"Okay, you just pulled that out of your sleeve, didn't you?"
Owen grinned. "Actually, I did. Stage magic is a hobby of mine."
That was news to me, but then I remembered that I knew nothing about Owen's personal life other than that he liked baseball and opera.
"That seems like a weird hobby for a real wizard," Ethan remarked, and I had to agree.
"It's fun," Owen said with a shrug. "But what I'll show you tomorrow has nothing to do with sleight of hand."
Rod made a show of shoving his sleeves up, then his business card appeared in his hand. "And here's my card. Call me to discuss your retainer."
Ethan slipped his Palm Pilot back into his pocket. "I suppose I'll see all of you tomorrow afternoon." They shook hands all around, then I walked Ethan to the exit.
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think so. In fact, I feel better than I have for a while."
"That's good to hear. I wouldn't want to think you were going around the bend. We need you too much."
"This stuff that's going on, it's that bad?"
"They're afraid this is the first step in a possible magical war. It opens the door for magical people who want to use their powers in a darker way, and that makes life riskier for everyone. If we stop it now, we may be able to prevent a lot of suffering."
"Then I'd better do a damn good job." He started to go, then paused and turned back. "I realize you didn't exactly have dating on your mind when you had me get in touch with you, and I know our date isn't going to make the hall of fame—at least, not in a good way—but would you be interested in trying again? This time, I promise not to have a nervous breakdown."
I hesitated. I did like him, and he was cute. He was also the most normal man I knew. But did I really want to date him? This didn't seem like the best time to mix business with pleasure. "Can we talk about it once the immediate crisis is averted?"
"That gives me plenty of incentive for getting this done right, and soon. I hope I'll see you tomorrow when I come by."
"I'll try to at least drop by and say hi while you're here."
* * *
"It would be a good idea for you to be there when Ethan comes by this afternoon,"
Owen said as we walked to the subway station the next morning.
"Why's that?"
"It'll help him feel more comfortable. He's going to see things that are beyond his imagination, and it'll help to have someone he knows and trusts nearby. You're an anchor to him, someone he knows is real."
"I'll see if Mr. Mervyn needs me for anything, and if not, sure, I'll come down." I-was more than a little curious about what Idris had been working on before he was fired, and this would be a good way of finding out.
At the same time, I thought this was the ultimate evidence that Owen had no romantic interest in me. If he were interested, would he want me spending even more time with a guy he knew I'd gone out on a date with—even if my reasons behind that date were strictly business? While Rod had shown the slightest hints of jealousy upon meeting Ethan, Owen had been friendly, in his reserved sort of way.
I grinned then. "Magic tricks, huh?"
He laughed. "Yeah, card tricks, coin tricks. I have quite the collection."
"Everyone needs a hobby, I suppose."
"What's yours?" It was the closest thing to a personal question Owen had ever asked me.
"I like to cook. I don't have time for it often, and my kitchen here is pathetic, but it's fun to see what I can make out of what I have available. I grew up on a farm, so we were always working with fresh produce in season. I also love to bake."
"That's interesting. I'd love to try some of your cooking sometime."
"This time of year, I get baking urges. I'll have to bring in some bread and cookies to share around the office."
"I'm looking forward to it."
That afternoon, I headed down to Owen's office just before two. His desk was piled with books and papers. "Is that all your stuff on Idris?" I asked.
"Yeah. I'm missing just one thing." He was rummaging through a filing cabinet.
"There it is." He added the file he'd just found to the pile, just then the crystal on his desk glowed and Hughes's voice said, "Mr. Wainwright to see you, sir."
"Thanks, Hughes. I'll be right down."
I went with him to meet Ethan, but before we got to the door of the R&D
department, I stopped him. He must have spent the morning digging through bookshelves and cabinets, for his hair was rumpled and his tie was askew. I straightened his tie, then brushed his hair out of his eyes. "There, that's better," I said.
His ears turned red. "Thanks."
But he was right back to professional cool as he greeted Ethan and escorted him up to R&D. He gavea perfunctory tour of the department on the way back to his office.
Ethan's eyes drank in every detail.
While Owen talked, I compared the two men side by side. Ethan was half a head taller than Owen, and both had slender builds, but Owen's shoulders were a little broader, proportionally speaking. He looked sturdier than Ethan. Owen was all sharp contrasts—nearly black hair, very fair skin, dark blue eyes—while there was something almost blurred about Ethan. His hair was brown, with the slightest hint of silver showing at the temples, and his skin had more color to it than Owen's did. His eyes were a silvery gray that barely showed up as a color. He wouldn't stand out from any crowd unless he tried, while Owen was likely to draw anyone's eye, unless he was making an effort to hide.
Oddly enough, I got the sense that their personalities weren't all that different. They were hitting it off well enough, so well that I wasn't sure Ethan really needed me to be his anchor. Today he was taking the magic in stride.
We got to Owen's office, where Owen gestured us toward the chairs facing his desk.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"Is it going to appear out of thin air?"