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“So what’s so important?” I ask, settling back and crossing my legs.
“To the point as always,” Mack says, amused.
“Time is money, my friend.”
“True.”
“I’ve been talking to Alan Woodridge,” Titus says.
I nod. Alan is the owner of Acheron Pharmaceuticals. “They’re still interested in investing?” I ask.
“Yeah…” Titus exchanges a glance with Mack. “But he has come up with a condition.”
“Oh?”
“He wants the project to be headed by Acheron, based in Exeter, in Devon.”
My eyebrows lift. We all study each other for a moment. The door opens, and Elaine comes in with our drinks and leaves them on the table with a plate of cookies before withdrawing. I pick up my mug and sip the steaming coffee, my brain whirring.
Acheron’s investment is a significant amount of money—five hundred million dollars. It can cost billions to develop and approve a new drug, but they will almost certainly increase their investment when they see the first successful results and realize its potential.
“It’s a fair enough request,” I say slowly.
They both nod. “That’s what I said,” Titus replies.
“Did they have someone in mind to run the project?”
“A senior member of our team is all he said. Basically, he means one of us three.”
We all give a rueful smile.
“What do you think?” Mack asks. “It’s your project. We’re just the machinery behind it.”
“Ah, now you’re being modest.”
“I’m summarizing,” he says. “Come on, it’s your baby—almost literally. You’re the driving force behind it.”
“Are they looking for a permanent move?” I ask.
“No,” Titus says. “He’s requested two years—enough time to get the project up and running.”
Two years. It’s a significant amount of time to be away from home.
Oh God, Huxley.
My heart’s pounding, and my mouth has gone dry. “Are either of you interested in heading it?”
“I can’t,” Mack says immediately. “I need to be near Marise.” His supercomputer needs constant attention, and I’m not surprised he’s not interested. “And I’m right in the middle of developing a new microprocessor, too. Plus Sidnie won’t want to move to England, especially while her father is still sick.” Her dad has bowel cancer, and is still undergoing treatment.
“Fair enough.” I look at Titus. “How about you?”
“Well… I’m single,” he says slowly, “so I don’t have that pressure. If you say absolutely not, I’ll give it some serious thought. If I’m honest, though, I think they’re hoping it will be you. Like Mack says, it’s your baby—you’re the chemist, and it is a pharmaceutical company. It’s going to be… not impossible, but difficult for you to run it from here if they want the research to be carried out there.”
“Yeah.” I tip my head back and staring up at the ceiling. “Shit. Why couldn’t this have happened years ago?”
“You’re at your peak, Elizabeth,” Titus says. “Young, beautiful, incredibly smart. You know this is a huge opportunity. You’ll be inundated with funding after this project concludes. You’ll be able to do anything you want.”
I close my eyes. The other two are quiet for a moment.
