The two men talked briefly about Curt’s metallic-red BMW motorcycle until Edward realized Kim was standing in the doorway. He then introduced Kim to Curt.
Kim shook hands with the researcher. He was a large man, two inches taller than Edward, with blond hair and cerulean blue eyes.
“Curl’s originally from Munich,” Edward said. “He trained at Stanford and UCLA. Many people, including myself, think he’s the most talented biologist specializing in drug reactions in the country.”
“That’s enough, Edward,” Curt managed to say as his face blushed red.
“I was lucky to steal him away from Merck,” Edward continued. “They wanted him to stay so badly that they offered to build him his own lab.”
Kim watched in sympathy as poor Curt squirmed in the face of Edward’s encomium, reminding her of their own reactions to Stanton’s praise during the dinner when they’d first met. Curt seemed surprisingly bashful for his commanding size, model-like good looks, and reputed intelligence. He avoided eye contact with Kim.
“Enough of this blabber,” Edward said. “Come on, Curt! Follow me with that death-wish machine of yours. I want you to see the lab.”
Kim watched them caravan across the field toward the lab before she went back inside the house to finish what she had to do before heading up to the castle.
Later that day, just as Kim and Edward were finishing a light lunch, the second out-of-town researcher arrived. Edward heard the car drive up. Pushing back from the table, he went outside. Shortly afterward he returned with a tall, thin, but muscular man in tow. He was swarthy and handsome and appeared to Kim more like a professional tennis player than a researcher.
Edward introduced them. His name was François Leroux. To Kim’s surprise he made a motion to kiss the back of her hand, but he didn’t actually do it. All she felt was the light caress of his breath on her skin.
As he’d done with Curt, Edward gave Kim a brief but highly complimentary summary of François’s credentials. But unlike Curt, François had no trouble hearing Edward’s praise. While Edward went on and on, he’d locked his dark, piercing eyes on Kim in a manner that made her squirm.
“The fact of the matter is that François is a genius,” Edward was saying. “He’s a biophysicist originally from Lyons, France, who trained at the University of Chicago. What sets him off from his colleagues is that he has managed to specialize in both NMR and X-ray crystallography. He’s managed to combine two technologies which are usually competitive.”
Kim noticed a slight smile had appeared on François’s face at this point in Edward’s accolade. He also bowed his head in Kim’s direction as if to emphasize that he was everything Edward was saying and more. Kim looked away. She had the feeling that François was a bit too sophisticated and forward for her taste.
“François will be responsible for our saving a lot of time with the Ultra research,” Edward continued. “We’re truly lucky to have him. It’s France’s loss and our gain.”
A few minutes later Edward led François from the house to take him to the lab. He was eager for François to see the facility and meet Curt. Kim watched them climb into Edward’s car from the window. She couldn’t help marvel how such widely disparate personalities could end up doing such similar work.
The last two of the core researchers arrived Saturday, September 10. They arrived by train from Boston. Edward and Kim went together as a welcoming committee and were standing on the platform as the train pulled into the station.
Edward saw them first and waved to get their attention. As they walked toward Edward and Kim, Kim jokingly asked Edward if physical attractiveness had been one of the requirements for employment at Omni.
“What in the devil are you talking about?” Edward asked.
“All your people are so good-looking,” Kim said.
“That’s something I hadn’t noticed,” Edward said.
When the two groups came together Edward did the introductions. Kim met Gloria Hererra and David Hirsh, and she shook hands with each.
Gloria, like Eleanor, did not fit Kim’s stereotypical image of a female academic researcher. But that was their only similarity. They were complete opposites in coloring and manner. In contrast to Eleanor’s fairness, Gloria was olive complected with hair as dark as Kim’s and dark eyes almost as penetrating as François’s. In contrast to Eleanor’s cool reserve, Gloria was warm and forthright.
David Hirsh reminded Kim of François. He too was tall and slender, with a panache like an athlete. He was dark but not quite as swarthy as François. His demeanor was equally as urbane but more pleasant since he wasn’t as bold and had a demonstrable sense of humor along with a pleasing smile.
On the drive to the station Edward described Gloria and David’s accomplishments with similar detail and accolades as he’d done with Curt and François. Both Gloria and David assured Kim that Edward was exaggerating. They then turned the conversation around to talk about Edward. In the end all Kim was certain of was that Gloria was a pharmacologist and David was an immunologist.
At the compound Kim was dropped off at the cottage. As the car pulled away en route to the lab, Kim could hear more laughter. Kim was happy for Edward. She was confident that Gloria and David would be good additions to the atmosphere of the lab.
The following day, September 11, Edward and the other five researchers had a brief celebration to which Kim was invited. They uncorked a bottle of champagne, clinked glasses, and toasted Ultra. A few minutes later they fell to work at a furious pace.
Over the next few days, Kim visited the lab often to lend moral support as well as to make sure there were no problems she could help solve. She thought of her position as somewhere between hostess and landlord. By midweek she slowed the frequency of her visits considerably. By the end of the week she rarely went since every time she did, she’d been made to feel as if she were intruding.
Edward did not help. On the previous Friday he told her outright that he’d prefer her not to come too often since her visits interrupted their collective concentration. Kim didn’t take the rebuff personally because she was well aware of the pressure they were under to produce results as quickly as possible.
Besides, Kim was content with her own activities. She’d adjusted nicely to living in the house and found it pleasant. She still felt twinges of Elizabeth’s presence but not nearly so disturbingly intense as that first night. Indulging her interest in interior design, Kim had obtained dozens of books on wall and floor covering, drapery design, and colonial furniture. She’d brought in scores of samples which she had littered about the house in the areas she considered using the materials. As an added treat she’d spent many an hour rummaging through the area’s many antique shops hunting for period colonial furniture.
Kim also invested significant time back in the castle, either in the attic or the wine cellar. The discovery of Elizabeth’s diary had been a great incentive to her. It had also wiped away the discouragement built up by so many previously fruitless hours.
In the very beginning of September during Kim’s first trip back to the castle after finding Elizabeth’s diary, she’d found another significant letter. It had been in the same sea trunk as the diary. It was addressed to Ronald and was from Jonathan Corwin, the magistrate who originally occupied the Witch House.
20th July 1692Salem Town Dear Ronald:
I esteemed it prudent to draw your attention that your removal of Elizabeth’s body from its interment on Gallows Hill hath been espied by Roger Simmons who in like manner did see the son of Goodwife Nurse remove his mother’s body to the same end as yourself. I beg of you my friend not to flaunt this act in these unruly turbulent times lest you bring more molestation to yourself and your family for raising the departed is seen by many as witch’s work. Nor would I in the mood of the public call attention to a grave for the likewise reason that it result in you being wrongfully accused. I hath spoke with said Roger Simmons and he hath sworn to me that he will speak of your deed to no man except a magistrate if he be deposed. God be with you.