Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Chapter Fourteen

TANNER KINGSLEY WAS reading the headline of the afternoon newspaper: "Hailstorm Batters Iran." The rest of the story went on to call it a "freakish event." The idea of a hailstorm happening in summer, in a hot climate, was bizarre. Tanner buzzed for his secretary. When she came in, he said, "Kathy, clip this article and send it to Senator Van Luven, with a note: 'A global warming update.

Sincerely

"Right away, Mr. Kingsley." Tanner Kingsley glanced at his watch. The two detectives were due at KIG in half an hour. He looked around his extravagant office. He had created all of this.

KIG. He thought about the power behind those three simple initials, and how surprised people would be if they knew the astonishing story of KIG's humble beginnings, a mere seven years ago. The memories of the past raced through his mind?

He remembered the day he had designed the new KIG logo.

Pretty fancy for a nothing company, someone had said, and Tanner had single-handedly turned that nothing company into a world powerhouse. When Tanner thought about the beginnings, he felt as though he had performed a miracle.

* * *

TANNER KINGSLEY HAD been born five years after his brother, Andrew, and that had totally shaped the direction of his life. Their parents were divorced, and their mother had remarried and moved away. Their father was a scientist, and the boys had followed in his footsteps and had grown up to be science prodigies. Their father had died of a heart attack at age forty.

The fact that Tanner was five years younger than his brother was a constant frustration. When Tanner won the top award in his science class, he was told, "Andrew was number one in his class five years ago. It must run in the family." When Tanner won an oratorical contest, the professor said, "Congratulations, Tanner. You're the second Kingsley to get this award." On joining the tennis team: "I hope you're as good as your brother, Andrew." When Tanner graduated: "Your valedictorian speech was inspiring. It reminded me so much of Andrew's." He had grown up in the shadow of his brother, and it was galling to know that he was considered second best only because Andrew had gotten there first.

* * *

THERE WERE SIMILARITIES between the two brothers: they were both handsome, intelligent, and talented, but as they grew older, major differences became apparent. While Andrew was altruistic and self-effacing, Tanner was an extrovert, gregarious and ambitious. Andrew was shy around women, while Tanner's looks and charm drew them to him like a magnet.

But the most important difference between the brothers was their goals in life.

While Andrew was deeply concerned with organizing charity and assisting others, Tanner's ambition was to become rich and powerful.

* * *

ANDREW GRADUATED FROM college summa cum laude and immediately accepted an offer to work at a think tank. There he learned what a significant contribution an organization like that could make, and five years later Andrew decided to start his own think tank, on a modest scale.

When Andrew told Tanner about the idea, Tanner was excited. "That's brilliant!

Think tanks get government contracts worth millions, not to mention corporations that hire-" Andrew interrupted. "That's not my idea, Tanner. I want to use it to help people." Tanner was staring at him. "Help people?" "Yes. There are dozens of Third World countries that have no access to modern methods of agriculture and manufacturing. There's a saying that if you give a man a fish, he can have a meal. If you teach him to fish, he can eat for the rest of his life." You could cut down an oak tree with that old saw, Tanner thought. "Andrew, countries like that can't afford to pay us-" "That doesn't matter. We'll send experts to Third World countries to teach them modern techniques that will change their lives. I'm making you a partner. We'll call our think tank Kingsley Group. What do you say?" Tanner was thoughtful for a moment. He nodded. "As a matter of fact, it's not a bad idea. We can start with the kind of countries you're talking about, then go after the big money-the government contracts and-" "Tanner, let's just concentrate on making the world a better place." Tanner smiled. It was going to be a compromise. They would start the way Andrew wanted to and then they would gradually build up the company to its real potential. "Well?" Tanner held out his hand. "Here's to our future, partner." Six months later, the two brothers were standing in the rain, outside a small brick building with an unimpressive little sign that read "How does it look?" Andrew asked proudly.

"Beautiful." Tanner managed to keep the irony out of his voice.

"That sign is going to bring happiness to so many people around the world, Tanner. I've already started hiring some experts to go to Third World countries." Tanner started to object and stopped. His brother could not be rushed. He had a stubborn streak. But the time is coming. The time is coming. Tanner looked up at the little sign again and thought, Someday it will read KIG, Kingsley International Group.

* * *

JOHN HIGHOLT, A college friend of Andrew's, had invested a hundred thousand dollars to help get the think tank started, and Andrew had raised the rest of the money.

Half a dozen people were hired and sent to Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan to teach the natives how to better their lives. But no money was coming in.

It made no sense to Tanner. "Andrew, we could get contracts from some of the big companies and-" "That's not what we do, Tanner." What in the hell do we do? Tanner wondered. "The Chrysler Corporation is looking for-" And Andrew smiled and said, "Let's do our real job." It took all of Tanner's willpower to control himself.

Andrew and Tanner each had his own laboratory at the think tank. They were both immersed in their own projects. Andrew frequently worked far into the night.

One morning, when Tanner arrived at the plant, Andrew was still there. He saw Tanner come in, and Andrew jumped to his feet. "I'm excited about this new nanotechnology experiment. I'm developing a method of? Tanner's mind drifted to something more important: the hot little redhead he had met the night before. She had joined him at the bar, had a drink, taken him to her apartment, and given him a wonderful time. When she held his"?and I think it's really going to make a difference. How does that sound, Tanner?" Caught by surprise, Tanner said, "Oh. Yes, Andrew. Great." Andrew smiled. "I knew you would see its possibilities." Tanner was more interested in his own secret experiment. If mine works, he thought, I'll own the world.

* * *

ONE EVENING, SHORTLY after his college graduation, Tanner was at a cocktail party when a pleasant, feminine voice behind him said, "I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Kingsley." Tanner turned around in anticipation and then tried to conceal his disappointment. The speaker was an unremarkable-looking young woman. All that kept her from being plain was a pair of intense brown eyes and a bright, slightly cynical smile. The sine qua non for Tanner was the physical beauty of a woman, and it was clear that this woman didn't make the cut.

Even as he said, "Nothing too bad, I hope," he was thinking up an excuse to get rid of her.

"I'm Pauline Cooper. My friends call me Paula. You dated my sister Ginny in college. She was mad about you." Ginny, Ginny?Short? Tall? Dark? Blonde? Tanner stood there, smiling, trying to remember.

There had been so many.

"Ginny wanted to marry you." That was no help. So did a lot of others. "Your sister was very nice. We just didn't seem to be-" She gave Tanner a sardonic look. "Save it. You don't even remember her." He was embarrassed. "Well, I-" "It's all right. I just attended her wedding." Tanner was relieved. "Ah. So, Ginny is married." "Yes, she is." There was a pause. "But I'm not. Would you like to have dinner tomorrow night?" Tanner took a closer look at her. Even though she was not up to his standards, she appeared to have a nice body and seemed pleasant enough. And this was certainly an easy lay.

Tanner thought of his dates in baseball terms. He would throw a woman one pitch. That was it. If she didn't hit a home run, she was out.

She was watching him. "I'll pay." Tanner laughed. "I can handle it-if you're not a world-class gourmand." Try me.

He looked into her eyes and said softly, "I will."

* * *

THE FOLLOWING EVENING, they dined at a trendy restaurant uptown. Paula was dressed in a cream-colored, low-cut silk blouse, a black skirt, and high-heeled shoes. As Tanner watched her stride into the restaurant, it seemed to him that she was a lot better looking than he had remembered.

In fact, she had the bearing of a princess from some exotic country.

Tanner stood up. "Good evening." She took his hand. "Good evening." There was a self-assured air about her that was almost regal.

When they were seated, she said, "Let's start over, shall we? I have no sister." Tanner looked at her, confused. "But you told me-?" She smiled. "I just wanted to test your reaction, Tanner. I've heard a lot about you from some of my friends, and I became interested." Was she talking about sex? He wondered whom she had spoken to. It could have been so many"Don't jump to conclusions. I'm not talking about your swordsmanship. I'm talking about your mind." It was as though she had been reading his thoughts. "So, you're?er-interested in minds?" "Among other things," she said invitingly.

This is going to be an easy home run. Tanner reached over and took her hand.

"You're really something." He stroked her arm. "You're very special. We're going to have a good time together tonight." She smiled. "Are you feeling horny, darling?" Tanner was taken aback by her bluntness. She was an eager little thing. Tanner nodded. "Always, princess." She smiled. "Fine. Get out your little black book and we'll try to find someone who's available for you tonight." Tanner froze. He was used to making sport of women, but none of them had ever mocked him before. Tanner stared at her. "What are you saying?" "That we're going to have to improve your line, love. Do you have any idea how trite it is?" Tanner felt his face getting red. "What makes you think it's a line?" She looked him in the eye. "It was probably invented by Methuselah. When you talk to me, I want you to say things that you've never said to any woman before." Tanner looked at her, trying to conceal his fury. Who does she think she's dealing with-some high school kid? She was too damned insolent for her own good.

Strike one. The bitch is out.