video phones. It's the technology of the future, and I think CRW is perfectly situated to get in on the ground floor. The video guidance system you've been developing for surface-to-air missiles could easily be adapted to a communications system. Think about it.'
Freeman stared at Nelson in amazement. He couldn't believe that a man more than ten years his junior, a man with clearly no business experience other than the management lectures he'd attended and the textbooks he'd read, should be telling him how to run his company. CRW had its own research team working flat out to come up with new products, and in fact they had already considered expanding their video capability, but it wasn't as simple as Nelson made out. Some of the largest corporations in the world were researching video technology and it didn't make sense to go up against them in the company's present precarious financial position. He was just about to unleash a torrent of sarcasm at the man when he felt a hand on his arm. It was Walter. 'More coffee, Tony?' the banker asked, the concern clear on his face. Freeman realised it was Walter's way of asking him not to make a scene. Walter Carey had been CRW's banker for more than a quarter of a century, and he'd been a pallbearer at the funeral of Freeman's father-in-law. He'd been a tower of strength, but now he looked like a weak old man, frightened for his job. The two men held each other's stare for a few seconds, then Freeman nodded almost imperceptibly. 'Please, Walter.'
The banker poured, his hand shaking noticeably. Nelson sat back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the manila file.
'It's an interesting thought, Lonnie,' Freeman said.
'It's Lennie,' Nelson said, his smile unchanged.
'It's an interesting thought, Lennie. I'll speak to our development people about it.' Freeman nodded at the file. 'Does that file contain details of the other new products we're developing? The computerised navigation system we're hoping to produce for the THE BIRTHDAY GIRL 39 recreational boating market? The night surveillance aids we're hoping will appeal to hunters?'
'And our new line of police equipment,' Anderson added. 'We're also working on a sniper identification system which tracks bullets back through the line of...'
Nelson nodded and held up a hand to silence Anderson. 'I've noted them. But until they work through to sales, they're just pipedreams. You need orders now to keep your cash flow in the positive. Has anything happened on that front recently?'
'We've a group of Middle Eastern buyers coming over to look at our minefield neutralisation system,' Anderson said.
'How much are we looking at, assuming they go ahead?' Nelson asked, reaching into his jacket pocket. His hand reappeared holding a slim gold pen.
'That depends on how many they want,' Anderson said.
Nelson clicked his pen. 'And how many do you think that might be, Maury?' he asked. 'Ballpark figure?' .
'Ballpark? A hundred. Maybe more.'
'Let's say one hundred, shall we? I don't see any reason for being optimistic at the moment. So, that would be in the region of one and a half million dollars, right?'
Freeman nodded. Nelson might be an arrogant son-of-a-bitch but he certainly knew his way around the company's numbers.
'Any other orders in the pipeline?'
Anderson shook his head.
'Well, that'll be a help,' Nelson said, making a few notes on a small yellow notepad. 'But it's not going to keep the wolf from the door for long.'
'Now just one minute,' Freeman said. 'What wolf are we talking about here? The only wolf at our door at the moment seems to be you.'
Nelson smiled, and there was something canine about the expression. 'Perhaps wolf wasn't quite the right word,' he said. He put the pen back in his jacket pocket. 'But I think it is fair to say that CRW is now on the bank's watch-list. We'll be wanting to see you on a monthly basis, and I'd like to be kept informed of any major changes in the business picture. Any new orders, any
Freeman stared at Nelson in amazement. He couldn't believe that a man more than ten years his junior, a man with clearly no business experience other than the management lectures he'd attended and the textbooks he'd read, should be telling him how to run his company. CRW had its own research team working flat out to come up with new products, and in fact they had already considered expanding their video capability, but it wasn't as simple as Nelson made out. Some of the largest corporations in the world were researching video technology and it didn't make sense to go up against them in the company's present precarious financial position. He was just about to unleash a torrent of sarcasm at the man when he felt a hand on his arm. It was Walter. 'More coffee, Tony?' the banker asked, the concern clear on his face. Freeman realised it was Walter's way of asking him not to make a scene. Walter Carey had been CRW's banker for more than a quarter of a century, and he'd been a pallbearer at the funeral of Freeman's father-in-law. He'd been a tower of strength, but now he looked like a weak old man, frightened for his job. The two men held each other's stare for a few seconds, then Freeman nodded almost imperceptibly. 'Please, Walter.'
The banker poured, his hand shaking noticeably. Nelson sat back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the manila file.
'It's an interesting thought, Lonnie,' Freeman said.
'It's Lennie,' Nelson said, his smile unchanged.
'It's an interesting thought, Lennie. I'll speak to our development people about it.' Freeman nodded at the file. 'Does that file contain details of the other new products we're developing? The computerised navigation system we're hoping to produce for the THE BIRTHDAY GIRL 39 recreational boating market? The night surveillance aids we're hoping will appeal to hunters?'
'And our new line of police equipment,' Anderson added. 'We're also working on a sniper identification system which tracks bullets back through the line of...'
Nelson nodded and held up a hand to silence Anderson. 'I've noted them. But until they work through to sales, they're just pipedreams. You need orders now to keep your cash flow in the positive. Has anything happened on that front recently?'
'We've a group of Middle Eastern buyers coming over to look at our minefield neutralisation system,' Anderson said.
'How much are we looking at, assuming they go ahead?' Nelson asked, reaching into his jacket pocket. His hand reappeared holding a slim gold pen.
'That depends on how many they want,' Anderson said.
Nelson clicked his pen. 'And how many do you think that might be, Maury?' he asked. 'Ballpark figure?' .
'Ballpark? A hundred. Maybe more.'
'Let's say one hundred, shall we? I don't see any reason for being optimistic at the moment. So, that would be in the region of one and a half million dollars, right?'
Freeman nodded. Nelson might be an arrogant son-of-a-bitch but he certainly knew his way around the company's numbers.
'Any other orders in the pipeline?'
Anderson shook his head.
'Well, that'll be a help,' Nelson said, making a few notes on a small yellow notepad. 'But it's not going to keep the wolf from the door for long.'
'Now just one minute,' Freeman said. 'What wolf are we talking about here? The only wolf at our door at the moment seems to be you.'
Nelson smiled, and there was something canine about the expression. 'Perhaps wolf wasn't quite the right word,' he said. He put the pen back in his jacket pocket. 'But I think it is fair to say that CRW is now on the bank's watch-list. We'll be wanting to see you on a monthly basis, and I'd like to be kept informed of any major changes in the business picture. Any new orders, any
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