The Money Is Green (16 page)

“Hi, Jason,” she said sweetly. “It’s Debbie. How are things with you?”

“Uh,” he stammered, “things are doing well. How about you? How are you and Dave doing out there in North Dakota?”

“We’re doing just fine, thank you,” she answered, her voice sharpening. “I was just talking to Crystal and she mentioned you’ve got a new position with Soltech and a hefty new raise. Were you not going to tell me about that?”

Jason started to turn off at an off ramp near Inter-Power’s headquarters. He cleared his throat and answered defensively. “It just
happened, but to be honest, I hadn’t thought about telling you. I wasn’t hiding anything, it just that it really didn’t concern you.”

“Didn’t concern me!” she exclaimed. “What are you talking about? I’m barely getting by and now all of sudden you get a big windfall and it doesn’t concern me? You are dreaming if you think I’m going to stand still and watch you bull me over. I want to know how much more money you’re making because I’m entitled to half of it!”

“Debbie, our divorce was final over a year ago, and everything was settled,” he said in an even tone, trying to calm her. “You signed off on the settlement and you signed off on the alimony I’ve been giving you. I’ve never missed a payment and even give additional money when you’ve requested it. You can’t demand that I start paying you more because I’ve been rewarded for my hard work.”

“Oh, do you want to make a bet? Listen to me, Jason. We can do this either the easy way or the hard way. Either you tell me what you’re making and start coughing up half or you’ll hear from my attorney, and not only will you have to pay me but you get to pay his fees, which, if you recall, aren’t cheap.”

“Debbie, be reasonable,” he pleaded. He parked his car in Inter-Power’s lot and shut off the engine. “I almost got on my hands and knees and begged you to stay, but you chose to move on. I’m finally getting on with my life and I think you should accept the decision you made and do the same with your life. You can threaten me all you want, but you can’t bully me into paying you more money.”

“Oh yes I can!” she screamed. Jason had to hold the phone away from his ear. “Don’t try to throw a guilt trip on me, because it’s not going to work. It was because of you that your business failed and it was because of you that we lost the house! I deserve to be treated better! None of this was my fault!”

Jason covered his eyes with his hand and sighed. “Debbie, I’ve got to go into a meeting. We’ll have to discuss this another time when you calm down.”

“Let me tell you something. This is not the end of this. If you think I’m going to let this go, you better think again. I deserve more money and you’re going to pay me!”

“Don’t bet money on it.” He hung up and stared at the phone for a second. This isn’t the same woman I loved years ago. Or did I never really see her as she really was? The more she acts like a spoiled brat, the more I’m feeling better without her. I realize because of Crystal I have to deal with her, but I don’t need her to ruin my life. He grabbed his briefcase and headed toward Inter-Power’s offices.

Brian Thompson was on the phone when his secretary brought Jason to his office. Sitting behind a massive oak desk topped with stacks of documents, Brian signaled for Jason to come in and sit in one of the hand-carved wood chairs.

After a minute he hung up and shook Jason’s hand. “How are you doing there, buddy?” he asked in a jovial tone. “I’m sorry for holding you up, but my attorney was going over some final changes to the BLM lease for Antelope Valley.”

“No problem,” Jason said as he opened his briefcase. “Do you know anything more about Andrew’s death?” he asked in a somber tone. “I mean, it seems so senseless and random.”

Brian shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything other than his funeral is on Thursday. The police have no suspects or motives. I don’t know why anyone would want him dead.”

“I don’t either. What a shame.”

Brain nodded. “Sure is.”

Jason pulled out a document and handed it to Brian. “I’m sorry we have to talk business at a time like this, but I know you’re running short on days before you have to make your decision. Here’s my revised bid for Copper Mountain. It has all the changes you requested and includes everything we discussed. Do you want me to walk you through it?”

Taking the document, Brian set it on the corner of the desk without looking at it. “I don’t think that will be necessary.” He put his
elbows on the desk and rested his chin in his hands. “I wanted you to come here and see me so I can tell you personally where I’m coming from on this project. Soltech is the low bidder and I should give you the job. But I’m still having reservations about how the products are made and the warranty behind it. Mei Chen is a good businessperson, but I’m responsible to my investors and if the product I chose for this solar farm isn’t up to the industry standards, I’m the one who’s going to have to answer for that.”

Jason leaned forward in his chair. “I completely get that, but one of the reasons I took this position at Soltech was to change the way we did things. I can assure you that the product we sell to you and the product that ultimately generates electricity for your solar farm will be as good as or better than any other solar panel on the market.”

“That’s what Mei Chen has promised,” Brian said. “I’m leaving right after the funeral to meet her in Hong Kong to discuss that very issue.”

“You’re not considering using someone like RayTech are you? This isn’t a made-in-the-USA thing, is it?”

Brian waved his hand dismissively. “Oh hell no, I’m not using them, although the public relations angle of that might be good. Their solar panels are way too expensive. I’ve also heard they’re having major cash flow problems and might be out of business in less than a year.” He laughed. “After a five-hundred-million-dollar loan from the federal government, they still can’t be competitive. Great use of our taxpayer money, isn’t it?”

Jason shrugged. “I’d heard those rumors also. But I wasn’t sure who else’s panels you would be using instead of Soltech’s. With Earth-Sun out of the picture, we’re the best option for you.”

“And you still might be. Mei Chen has a way of getting her way with me.” He winked. “She can be very persuasive, but I’ll be careful with her. I just want to hold off my decision until after we meet. I want to hear it from her how she’s planning to stand behind her product.”

“So you’ll let me know after you meet with her this Friday?” Jason asked. “Because if we get the job, I’ve got to gear up the production facility. Spitting out nine hundred thousand solar panels in six months is going to require some preparation.” He pulled out a flow chart and scanned it for a second. “We had talked previously that you were going to start grading the site to make it flat and even next month. Is that still the target?”

“Yes, that’s still the plan, and I’ll let you know Friday if it’s yours.” Brian stood up and stretched. “Everything is on schedule to start in three weeks. I’ve got all the permits pulled, the land lease with BLM is executed, and the Power Purchase Agreement is finalized. All we need to do is build this thing and start collecting revenue from the sun. How exciting is that?”

“It’s very exciting, and I want to participate in it. I want Soltech to be the supplier of your solar panels. Is there anything I can do to convince you you’re in good hands and that our warranties are solid?”

“No, Jason, you’ve done everything I’ve asked and then some. I just need some reassurance from Mei Chen.” He sat back down at his desk. “Just out of curiosity, when are you going back to Shanghai to check out your facility? If Mei Chen is convincing enough and I give Soltech the job, I might want to meet up with you and take a look at what you’re doing there.”

“If you want, I’ll meet you there right after you meet with Mei Chen,” Jason said enthusiastically as he moved to the edge of his seat. “You let me know when you want me there and I’ll make arrangements to join you. I would be happy to give you a tour of our Shanghai facility.” He closed his briefcase and stood to leave.

“Uh, one more thing before you head out of here. One of the other reasons I want to meet with Mei is to discuss the way she does business. I’m sure you’re going to make a difference in how Soltech will manufacture its solar panels, but I want to make it clear to Mei that I won’t tolerate any slimy deals or underhanded transactions. I want to know that her hands are clean and she had nothing to do with
Andrew Dillon’s death.” He paused to let his words sink in. “I have no knowledge she was involved, but we both need to be aware there is that possibility she was involved and, as such, both you and I could be in danger if we do something she’s not happy with. We can’t forget which country she owes her allegiance to and how they solve problems—usually by eliminating them. I’m also somewhat concerned that by not picking Soltech, I might be putting myself and my family at risk of Mei’s retaliation. Who knows what she or her government might do.”

Jason somberly shook his hand. “I get what you’re saying. I’ll be vigilant.” He turned and headed out of the building, rubbing his sweaty palms together. Oh boy, he thought. I hope Brain is wrong about Mei, but I’m getting uneasy about her too. She has a callousness about her that’s unnerving.

As he drove away from Inter-Power’s facility, he tapped his index finger on the steering wheel. I need to figure out what to do with Crystal. This is very short notice if I’m going to be on a plane to Shanghai in two days. Should I try to let Janine keep her one more time? It would only be for a couple of days.

He turned the stereo down and dialed his phone. Janine answered on the second ring. “Hi there.”

“Hey, good looking. What are you doing?” Jason asked, trying to make his voice upbeat. “Do you have time to meet for lunch?”

“Of course,” she answered. “Where and what time?”

Jason thought for a moment. “How about Angela’s over in Fremont? I can be there at 12:15.”

“You’ve got a date. I’ll see you at 12:15.”

He turned the stereo up. John Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses” was on and he hummed along. What a breath of fresh air she is. She’s never demanding, is always in a good mood, and seems to appreciate our time together.

His thoughts turned back to his conversation with Brian. He furrowed his brow, took a deep breath, and sat up in his seat. He
reached up to adjust his rearview mirror, but abruptly stopped. That white van looks like the one that was following me earlier this morning, he thought as he nervously pulled on his collar. He half turned in his seat to get a better look. I can’t make out who’s driving.

The hairs on the back of his neck started to stand and his palms felt sweaty holding the wheel. He tried speeding up, only to see the van had sped up as well. He put on his blinker and slowly merged into the right lane, his eyes nervously checking the van. Who are those guys? He slowed down, and the van crept up and slowly went by him. He turned and looked at the passenger and the driver, but neither of them paid any attention to him as they made their way down the freeway. Jason’s breathing slowed down as he wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. “Jason,” he admonished himself out loud, “you’re being a paranoid moron! Nobody is interested in you!” He checked the mirror again and let out a sigh. “At least not yet. Maybe when I return from Shanghai, but not yet.”

T
WENTY
-T
WO

T
he enormous black Steinway piano’s notes carried softly around the room, resonating off the light-stained hardwood floor and the thickly paneled walls. A violin joined in, its notes intertwined with the piano’s, creating a full, rich sound that resonated around the house. An older Chinese woman, dressed in a starched white smock, sat stiffly at the piano, her legs crossed and at least a foot above the ground. Chi, her hair in pigtails and still in her school uniform, stood next to the piano bench, reading the music score over her instructor’s shoulder. Pin, the nanny, sat across the room in an overstuffed chair, silently listening, her hands folded across her lap.

The woman stopped playing suddenly and pointed at the music score. “That’s an A flat, Chi!” she said angrily. “Why can’t you get this part correct?”

Chi brought the bow and the violin to her side and started sobbing. “I can’t concentrate anymore, Miss Kim,” she said through sobs. “I’ve been practicing for four hours and I’m tired.”

Her instructor slammed her hands on the piano. “You don’t have time to be tired, Chi.
We
don’t have time to be tired. If you don’t do
this duet perfectly, you will embarrass your parents in front of the whole Party.”

Pin, her nanny, stood and walked over to where Chi stood, her shoulders heaving. Pin put her arm around her and spoke to her softly, “How about if you take a fifteen-minute break? Go into the kitchen and see if you can find yourself a treat. Nothing too sweet though.”

After Chi left for the kitchen, Pin came and sat next to Kim at the piano. “You know how anxious she gets when her mom is about to come home. She’ll be here tonight and I think it affects her a lot.” She patted Kim’s hand. “Try to be patient with her. This concert will come and be gone before you know what happened and she’ll perform it perfectly.”

Kim looked at her with a resolved expression. “That’s probably true, but then her mom will sign us up for another intense concert with a more intense music piece, and she’ll demand that we practice twice as long. Besides, it’s easy for you to find time to take a break, but you won’t be the one who’s fired and sent to a Chinese prison if Chi isn’t perfect at the concert. I know about a lot of things that go on in this household, and if I wanted to make trouble for Mei, I could easily do it.”

Pin sighed and stood from her chair. “I don’t think that is wise to speak like that in this house. Why don’t we go join Chi?”

♦

The limousine pulled up through the circular drive and stopped in front of the massive hand-carved oak doors. A short young man leapt out of the front passenger’s seat and hustled to the back door, opening in a swooping motion.

Mei Chen stepped out, pulling her blue skirt down and brushing it off. Without hesitating, she strode by the man, walked up to the doors, and stopped. She could hear the piano and violin coming through the doors. She turned her head to one side and listened for a
minute. Finally she yelled out, “Chi, make the vibrato even! It sounds like you’ve got blisters on your fingers!”