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“In case you’re still wondering,” said Daniel, speaking to his mother and ignoring his father, “I did go to see Commander Fontaine. I told her that I knew Alexander Plessner. That he was a sort of mentor to me in the venture capital division.”

“And what was her reaction?” Armand asked.

What had happened upstairs needed to be set aside. There were far more immediate, if not more important, issues to deal with.

Daniel turned to him, and for a moment Armand thought he’d refuse to answer.

“She didn’t seem surprised.” His tone was brusque, but at least he replied.

“She probably knew already,” said Armand. “Did she ask any questions?”

“She wanted to know what we invested in.”

“And?” said Jean-Guy.

“We’ve only done one buy so far. A small company that needed capital to expand. Won’t come to much. It’s a trial run to work out any kinks in the division.”

“What’s the name of the company?” asked Jean-Guy, bringing out his pen and notebook.

“Screw-U.”

“Pardon?” Jean-Guy looked up at Daniel.

“That’s the name of the company.” When Daniel smiled, his entire face changed, as most people’s did. “It was started by a couple of recent grads from the polytechnique. Mechanical engineers. They thought it was funny. We think it’s infantile. We’re in the process of changing the name. To Screw-Up.”

“That’s better?” asked Annie.

“Well, less aggressive, more playful.”

“Right,” muttered his sister. “That’s not infantile at all.”

“What does it make?” asked Reine-Marie.

“Screwdrivers.”

“As in the tool?” Jean-Guy asked.

“Yes.”

“Why that company?” asked Armand.

“Monsieur Plessner saw potential. It was his idea, not mine.”

Daniel’s answers to his father remained curt, though they were getting slightly longer.

“And nothing since?”

“No.”

“Plessner didn’t suggest anything else?” his father prodded.

“Well, we were looking at two other small companies. One that makes washers, those metal rings you put around a screw. And one that makes screws.”

“Huh,” said Jean-Guy. “That’s interesting.”

“Is it?” asked Annie. “Really?”

“Actually, yes. There were screws in Stephen’s box. We thought they were from the desk upstairs, but maybe they were part of this venture capital research.”