Distant Echoes by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online

Kaia. I’ve heard wonderful things about you and your work,” he said. “Have a seat.” He indicated the cracked vinyl chair across the desk from him. “I’m Curtis Latchet. You might have met my brother, Duncan, owner of Latchet Engineering.”
    She shook her head. “I’ve seen his buildings, but I’ve never met him.” She sat in the chair and regarded him warily.
    He steepled his fingers together. “Tell me how the research is going. I’m fascinated with dolphin communication. How close are we to a breakthrough?”
    She wished she had better news to tell him. “I invented DALE, a computerized Dolphin Advanced Language Environment, and have begun to work with Nani and two other wild dolphins. I’m trying to teach them clicks and whistles that stand for certain words.”
    He shuffled through the papers on his desk. “Three dolphins? I thought the facility owned eight.”
    “Actually, we own five. The three I work with are wild. I found one of them, Nani, as an orphaned calf. After I rehabilitated her and released her back into the wild, she kept returning. Eventually the other two joined her.”
    His eyes did a slow blink as he stared at her. “So we’re pouring our money and time into dolphins that are free to come and go? Why aren’t you working with the dolphins we own? What happens if Nani and her friends choose not to come back one day?” He directed a gaze at her. “I think we need to build an enclosure and keep them in. I’ve paid a lot of money for this lab, and I don’t want to see it escape with the dolphins. The communications research is key. Our future rests on being the first to break through the barrier.”
    “Captivity would be so wrong.” She leaned forward. “It shortens the life expectancy of dolphins. Right now these three dolphins choose to interact with us. We want to be the first researchers to establish true communication between humans and dolphins, not just another place that trains sea mammals. Our approach is truly revolutionary.”
    “I see.” He released the pen. “Coffee?” He lifted his coffee cup in the air.
    “No thanks.” She had to convince him. “Nani was fabulous the other day.” She told him about the explosion and how the dolphin had towed people to the boat.
    “That isn’t all that unusual with dolphins, is it? Sometimes even wild dolphins rescue people.” Curtis took a sip of coffee.
    “Nani is different,” Kaia insisted.
    Curtis Latchet sighed heavily and sat down his cup. “Look, Kaia, I have plans for Seaworthy Labs. I’d like to see us go beyond what we’re doing now. It’s fine to draw in tourists to watch the dolphin show, but it’s not the moneymaker
it could be, and we’re spending a lot of our resources on the research end. I have in mind to turn this area into an actual sea park and aquarium with water rides.”
    Kaia couldn’t believe she was hearing this. “Then why did you purchase the lab if you didn’t believe in our research?”
    “It’s an ideal location for a sea park. I’ve got designers working now on the plans for the rides and the tanks we’ll need for the aquarium display.”
    She half rose out of her chair. “Please, Curtis, don’t stop us now.”
    Curtis eyed Kaia thoughtfully and leaned back in his chair. “It will take several months for the plans to be ready. I can give it a trial period of two months. If you can’t show me you’re on to something really revolutionary, I’ll move ahead with my plans.”
    “Two months! That’s not enough time.” Kaia stood and flipped her braid over her shoulder.
    “All I’m saying is I’ll withhold judgment for now. If you can show me the benefits of your research, I’ll listen,” he said mildly. “I don’t want to be your adversary, Kaia. I want to be the first, but if we can’t, I’ll need to be practical. But I still want you to build a pen to keep the dolphins in. I can’t lose them. They’re too valuable.”
    Kaia bit back the words she wanted to