Mindbend

Adam began to speak, repeating essentially the same things he had told McGuire earlier. The two Arolen executives exchanged glances, nodding imperceptibly. Bill had no doubt that McGuire’s assessment had been accurate. The content of the personality profile that Bill had ordered drawn up during lunch confirmed Bill’s sense that Adam was a particularly good choice for their managerial training program. Finding candidates was a high priority, since the company was expanding so rapidly. The only reservation Bill had was that the boy might go back to medical school, but that could be handled too.

When Adam finished, Bill put down his teacup and said, “We find your attitude about the medical profession sympathetic with our own. We too are aware of doctors’ lack of social responsibility. I think you’ve come to the right place.

Arolen could very well be a perfect home for you. Do you have any questions for us?”

“If I am hired, I would like to stay in the New York area,” said Adam. He was reluctant to move away from the medical school and wanted Jennifer delivered at the center.

Bill turned to McGuire. “I think we could find an opening, don’t you, Clarence?”

“Indeed,” agreed Clarence quickly.

“Any other questions?” asked Mr. Shelly.

“Not that I can come up with at the moment,” said Adam.

Thinking the meeting over, he started to rise, but Bill leaned over to stop him. “Wait just a little longer.”

Dismissing his colleague, he said, “Clarence, I’ll send him down to your office shortly.” As the door closed behind McGuire, Bill rose to his feet.

“First, let me tell you that we are very interested in you. Your medical background is first-rate. Second, I want to assure you that we would be hiring you on your own merits, not because of any influence that you may or may not have with your father.”

“I appreciate your saying that,” said Adam, impressed by Mr. Shelly’s frankness.

Lifting the personality profile that McGuire had put together, Shelly added, “You’d be amazed to know that we have already a complete report on you.”

Adam felt a moment’s outrage that Arolen would dare invade his privacy, but before he could protest, Bill was saying,

“Everything in this report encourages me not only to hire you but to offer you a spot in our managerial training program.

What do you say?”

Dazed, Adam tried to regain his composure. Things were moving faster than he’d ever expected. “Is the managerial training done here as well?” he asked.

“No,” said Mr. Shelly. “Sales training is located here, but the management program is held at our main research center in Puerto Rico.”

Puerto Rico! thought Adam. And he had been worried about leaving Manhattan. “That’s a very generous offer,” he said at last. “But I think I’d&prefer to start out a little slower.

her husband on the other phone.

As soon as she was alone, Jennifer dialed the apartment just in case Adam had returned. She let it ring twenty times before hanging up and dialing information for Arolen Pharmaceuticals in Montclair, New Jersey. When the Arolen switchboard answered, she demanded to speak to Clarence McGuire. She wasn’t put through until she’d had a shouting match with his secretary.

“How are you, Mrs. Schonberg?” McGuire said when he finally came on the line.

“Not very well,” said Jennifer coldly. “I want to know where my husband is.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know myself. He called in and said he had to go out of town because of family problems.”

“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?” asked Jennifer. “I thought you’d sent him to Puerto Rico.”

“He turned down the offer,” said McGuire. “And there’s no reason for me to lie to you.”

Jennifer hung up feeling confused. She’d been so certain that Adam was on a trip for Arolen and hadn’t wanted to tell her, she had trouble conceiving of any other possibility.

Impulsively, she placed a call to Adam’s father.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Dr. Schonberg,” said Jennifer, who’d never called the man before, “but I’m looking for Adam and I thought you might know where he is.”

“I haven’t the slightest idea,” said Dr. Schonberg, “and you of all people should know that.”

Jennifer hung up the phone as her mother came back into the kitchen. She must have overheard Jennifer’s conversation with McGuire. “Better not tell your father this,” she said.

“He already thinks Adam is having an affair.”

• • •

Adam was nervous. He’d been handed another yellow capsule about six o’clock, and the stewards were watching him carefully during dinner. Afraid that they were realizing he was avoiding their treatment, Adam resorted to hiding food in his napkin to make it look like he was eating. As soon as he could, he left the dining room. On the way back to his cabin he checked out the infirmary. It was an impressive setup with a full operating room and fancy radiological equipment. But there were no patients in the small ward.