‘I first thought about that twenty-five years ago, Connie.’
She nodded. ‘Of course you did. You were always the one with the practical bent. Well, we’ve moved on since then. And that is frightening for so many. There’s a widespread belief, amongst those who hold the balance of power in this world, that there are some things we shouldn’t be allowed to find out about. All forms of organized religion, including the extremists, obviously, hate RECAP. Then there’s international business chiefs, media moguls, and so on. Almost anyone who relies on the furtherance of the status quo. Man’s mind interconnecting across the world, and governing the machines we use just by the power of thought, a scary concept for all of these. Political leaders and those in charge of security across the world, remain the major threat, in my opinion. But, I wonder how far any of these might go to stop the secret of global consciousness being discovered?’
‘Or if it was, they would want it just for themselves, wouldn’t they?’
Connie nodded again. ‘It could make the atom bomb look like a pretty pathetic weapon, by comparison. And just consider the scientists who invented the atom bomb. Robert Oppenheimer was a genius, but he never came close to realizing the full extent of the effect splitting the atom would have until it was too late. Then he said, “I am become death. The shatterer of worlds.”’
‘I remember. It’s a quote from the Bhagavad Gita, the words of Krishna, actually. And, as a matter of fact, the closest Indian philosophy ever gets to the nature of consciousness.’
‘Whatever, you annoyingly clever person. It’s the cross Oppenheimer had to bear. And the discovery Paul believed he had made could shatter worlds, no doubt about it... Look, I need your help more than ever, Sandy. I need your brain. You do have the gift you know, far more than any of the rest of us, Paul, Ed, or me.’
Jones looked down at the floor.
‘It’s all right,’ continued Connie. ‘I know it was never a gift that you wanted. From the beginning, you were intrigued, captivated even, but I think a half of you always wished that wasn’t so.’
‘Oh, come on,’ Jones protested mildly.
Connie smiled.
‘If anyone has a chance of getting to the bottom of this mystery, and of making it possible for me to return to Princeton and somehow rebuild RECAP, and continue with what must surely have been Paul’s greatest work, it’s you, Sandy,’ she said.
‘I’m flattered,’ replied Jones.
Connie raised her eyebrows in feigned surprise. ‘You shouldn’t attempt modesty, Sandy. You never did do it well.’
‘Fair comment,’ said Jones mildly.
Eleven
Jones concentrated hard on working out a plan.
‘Look Connie, surely Paul would have kept records, not just at the lab, but elsewhere, wouldn’t he?’
‘Yes, undoubtedly. On his laptop, and possibly his computer at home. That’s partly why I went back to Princeton the night you were arrested. I went to Paul’s house first, but it was guarded by armed police. There were people in those white suits all over the place like flies. Forensics officers, I assumed. Every so often they’d come out carrying something wrapped in polythene. I saw someone bringing Paul’s desktop computer out. And that’s what I’d wanted to get at.’
‘So if the police, the security forces, whoever, already have the computer from Paul’s house, they’ll already have gone through it with a toothcomb I should imagine.’
‘Presumably.’
‘Connie, did Paul have his laptop with him on the day of the explosion? Can you remember?’
‘No, Sandy. I don’t remember. He usually did. I can picture him carrying it. But I can’t be sure. I’ve wracked my brains.’
‘Is there anyone else Paul might have talked to, given a copy to even?’
‘If he’d trusted anyone with a copy, I feel pretty sure it would have been me. After Gilda died Paul cut himself off from the world, even more than ever. There was nothing and nobody in his life anymore, apart from his work. Except, well, there was always Ed, of course.’
‘So could he know more than you?’
‘I doubt it. But he might know something different to me, I suppose. He might have a piece of the jigsaw that I don’t.’
‘Well then, we should seek Ed out again, shouldn’t we?’
‘Whaddya mean we? I’m dead, remember?’
Sandy grinned. ‘Of course. You’re dead and I’ve been as near as dammit deported.’
‘Only as near as dammit. The police and whoever the hell else it was who gave you a hard time in Princeton had no power to deport you. You’ve not committed a crime. America is still a free country. Loosely speaking.’
‘Yeah, very loosely speaking. They can still scare the pants off me though. That’s why I was planning to go home tonight. I’m booked on a flight—’
‘You can’t go, Sandy,’ Connie interrupted. ‘You really can’t walk away from this. I need you. RECAP needs you. The legacy of Paul’s work needs you.’
Jones sighed.
‘You could at least call Ed,’ Connie encouraged.
‘What if his call records are being checked? Or the phone bugged, even?’
‘And you accused me of getting carried away with conspiracy theories?’
‘Yeah, yeah. Look, we seem to have an enemy. We do not know for certain who that enemy is, but we believe there are at least some people involved who are part of the very fabric of this country, and quite possibly at the highest level. We don’t know what information they have access to, but we suspect it may be extensive.’
Connie smiled. ‘I like it that you’re saying “we”, Sandy. You’re not going home then?’
Jones grunted. ‘I suppose not. Not today anyway. I must be mad.’
‘You and me both then, but I’m more used to the label. They don’t have CCTV in private cars yet. Marion could drive you back to Princeton.’
‘Simple as that, eh? Well, if Marion’s going to drive me why doesn’t she do the entire thing? Go and see Ed. Talk to him. Pick his brains.’
‘Because she’s not a scientist. It has to be you, you’re the only person who might be able to recognize that missing piece of the jigsaw. Apart from me, of course. And I’m dead. In any case, you’re one of the few people Ed would trust.’
‘Really? You mightn’t say that if you’d witnessed his recent reaction to me.’
‘Ah. He would still trust you, though. With something as important as this anyway.’
‘Maybe. Maybe not. But what if his flat is being watched?’
‘How about this. Marion calls on him and sets up a meeting with you. Somewhere anonymous. Marion’s the widow of a former university dean, for goodness sake. No reason why she shouldn’t call on Ed.’
Jones thought for a minute.
‘I’m British and high profile,’ she said. ‘They’ll bully me, but I don’t think they’ll harm me. You know what, if Marion gets involved, apart from her maybe being put in danger too, her involvement could more easily lead to you, I reckon. Then you could really die.’
Connie curled her legs up onto the sofa and narrowed her eyes.
‘I’m a cat,’ she said. ‘I’ve got nine lives.’
‘Yeah, and you’ve just used eight of them, all in one go.’
Jones glanced towards Marion.
‘Look, can I borrow your car?’ she asked.
‘Of course you can. But don’t you think you might be underestimating how dangerous this could be for you, too? If you got picked up again, it mightn’t be as simple as you think.’
‘Everything seems dangerous right now,’ Jones responded. ‘I have one small advantage — I know Princeton like the back of my hand. I think I can contact Ed without being spotted.’