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we’re pretty far from—”
    “Maybe it’ll come today. Look it over. The island’s just beautiful. It’s got everything. We’ve been in construction now thirty months.You can imagine. Big park. Opens in September next year. You really ought to go see it.”
    “It sounds wonderful, but—”
    “As a matter of fact,” Hammond said, “I’m going to insist you see it, Dr. Grant. I know you’d find it right up your alley. You’d find it fascinating.”
    “I’m in the middle of—” Grant said.
    “Say, I’ll tell you what,” Hammond said, as if the idea had just occurred to him. “I’m having some of the people who consulted for us go down there this weekend. Spend a few days and look it over. At our expense, of course. It’d be terrific if you’d give us your opinion.”
    “I couldn’t possibly,” Grant said.
    “Oh, just for a weekend,” Hammond said, with the irritating, cheery persistence of an old man. “That’s all I’m talking about, Dr. Grant. I wouldn’t want to interrupt your work. I know how important that work is. Believe me, I know that. Never interrupt your work. But you could hop on down there this weekend, and be back on Monday.”
    “No, I couldn’t,” Grant said. “I’ve just found a new skeleton and—”
    “Yes, fine, but I still think you should come—” Hammond said, not really listening.
    “And we’ve just received some evidence for a very puzzling and remarkable find, which seems to be a living procompsognathid.”
    “A what?” Hammond said, slowing down. “I didn’t quite get that. You said a living procompsognathid?”
    “That’s right,” Grant said. “It’s a biological specimen, a partial fragment of an animal collected from Central America. A living animal.”
    “You don’t say,” Hammond said. “A living animal? How extraordinary.”
    “Yes,” Grant said. “We think so, too. So, you see, this isn’t the time for me to be leaving—”
    “Central America, did you say?”
    “Yes.”
    “Where in Central America is it from, do you know?”
    “A beach called Cabo Blanco, I don’t know exactly where—”
    “I see.” Hammond cleared his throat. “And when did this, ah, specimen arrive in your hands?”
    “Just today.”
    “Today, I see. Today. I see. Yes.” Hammond cleared his throat again.
    Grant looked at Ellie and mouthed,
What’s going on?
    Ellie shook her head.
Sounds upset.
    Grant mouthed,
See if Morris is still here.
    She went to the window and looked out, but Morris’s car was gone. She turned back.
    On the speaker, Hammond coughed. “Ah, Dr. Grant. Have you told anybody about it yet?”
    “No.”
    “Good, that’s good. Well. Yes. I’ll tell you frankly, Dr. Grant, I’m having a little problem about this island. This EPA thing is coming at just the wrong time.”
    “How’s that?” Grant said.
    “Well, we’ve had our problems and some delays.… Let’s just say that I’m under a little pressure here, and I’d like you to look at this island for me. Give me your opinion. I’ll be paying you the usual weekend consultant rate of twenty thousand a day. That’d be sixty thousand for three days. And if you can spare Dr. Sattler, she’ll go at the same rate. We need a botanist. What do you say?”
    Ellie looked at Grant as he said, “Well, Mr. Hammond, that much money would fully finance our expeditions for the next two summers.”
    “Good, good,” Hammond said blandly. He seemed distracted now, his thoughts elsewhere. “I want this to be easy.… Now, I’m sending the corporate jet to pick you up at that private airfield east of Choteau. You know the one I mean? It’s only about two hours’ drive from where you are. You be there at five p.m. tomorrow and I’ll be waiting for you. Take you right down. Can you and Dr. Sattler make that plane?”
    “I guess we can.”
    “Good. Pack lightly. You don’t need passports. I’m looking forward to it. See you tomorrow,” Hammond said, and he hung up.

COWAN, SWAIN