“In another country. Nice brother, I never saw you as the type who’d kidnap his bride.” George seemed to be taking far too much amusement in the situation. Silence reigned for a few minutes, but a movement drew Sebastian’s gaze back to Alyx.
“You know if it’s merely a matter of getting her somewhere to talk to her, you could do what Daniel did.” His lack of understanding must have shown because Alyx’s smile turned sheepish. “When he approached me about working with him, I’d initially told him no, rather pointedly, and I used a taser to back me up.”
Anna and Kate both laughed, but Sebastian simply focused on his cousin and waited.
“Anyway, not to be deterred, Daniel posted an advertisement for an audition and the description fit me to a T. As it turned out, I was the only one who received the ‘call’ to audition…” She spread her hands and gave an artless shrug.
“I think it was quite clever of me.” Her husband grinned.
“Don’t be so proud of yourself. Although it was clever, you really annoyed me.” She patted his leg, but her bemused affection gave her away.
Utterly unrepentant, the man laughed. “But the plan proved effective since you showed up without your taser.”
“Armand made me come see him, too.” Anna interjected into the conversation. “A command performance because of the scholarship fund.”
“I have apologized for my high-handed manner on many occasions.” The stiffness in his brother’s voice suggested he expected to apologize for it again.
“You have,” Anna soothed him with a pat to his arm. For the first time since the ‘consultation’ began, Sebastian bit back a grin. “But my point is, Alyx is right. Sebastian wants to see her, so he may have to find a way to get her where hecansee her.”
Their point did possess merit. However, Meredith’s refusal to speak to him put a wrinkle in it. She would simply turn down any business offers he presented via the family. She knew about Daniel, so using Spherecast as cover wasn’t an option. He’d told her about his family, including the story of how Alyx reunited with them. She knew all the major players except…
Pivoting, Sebastian studied Kate with renewed interest. Kate did not attend the higher visibility functions. Although retired from her position as one of the family’s bodyguards, Kate still did some work for Richard. She’d so far insisted the lower her profile, the better for their clients.
Kate met his scrutiny with a bland expression. “What?”
“She doesn’t knowyou.” A plan began to formulate as he turned the idea over in his mind. “You could go see her, get her to the plane and bring her to St. Christos.” The room went silent as if everyone considered his words.
“I’m sorry.” Kate blinked once. “You want me to go to?—”
“Boston.”
“Right. You want me to go to Boston, put her on a plane then shanghai her into leaving the country because she doesn’t know me?”
“More or less. I know you’re talented and she wouldn’t be suspicious of you. Once she’s there, I know I can smooth this over. It’s a viable plan.” For the first time since Meredith pronounced her desire to end things, excitement thrummed in his veins.
“Actually, it’s a felony.” Richard put a hand on Kate’s leg. “Taking her out of the country compounds the issue.”
“Not if she chooses to go.” Of all people, it was Armand who answered. He wasn’t looking at Sebastian, but at Richard. “He needs her to be some place where they can truly talk. With the limited timetable, St. Christos is the best location. You said she is a professor?” He switched his attention to Sebastian.
“Yes, applied mathematics. She’s brilliant.” The description didn’t do her justice. Pride fisted in his chest. Meredith possessed the keenest mind he’d ever seen, and her gift with numbers seemed virtually miraculous.
“Wait, Meredith Blake? The author ofApplied Game Models using a Nash Equilibrium?” Enthusiasm surged in Daniel’s tone.
“Perhaps.” Sebastian wasn’t sure. He’d known she was published. In fact, he’d collected all her papers and repeatedly tried to read them. His lack of understanding didn’t diminish his pride in her accomplishments. “She is truly gifted.”
“She’s an unqualified genius. You’re going to need a better plan.” Which didn’t help him at all, but Daniel wasn’t finished. “If she is who I think she is, invite her to a think tank situation. Suggest you want build new models using Return Times to create better advertising results.”
“I’m sorry, he wants to ask her to do what?” Alyx twisted to stare at her husband as though he’d sprouted a second head.
“Return Times uses the structuring of probability to predict functions in social networking and media. It…” The software billionaire trailed off and studied the blank faces around him. “Does it matter what it does if it gets her there? It’s an intriguing mathematical puzzle.”
Meredith loves puzzles.
“So I take her an offer to do the number theory hokey pokey and, if she agrees, then what?” Kate considered out loud.
Richard nodded. “We tell her it is a proprietary project, research and development. Those are always quiet and require a nondisclosure. You can make the arrangements for her flight, but she has to board of her own free willandwe have to accept she may turn the job down.”
“Throw enough money at her and she’ll say yes,” George offered to the rapidly formulating idea.
