Shakeup

15

They finished a good lunch, then Peter’s secretary came outside. “Leo Goldman’s assistant called. Leo died a few minutes ago.”

There was an audible groan from everybody.

“Send some nice flowers to his house,” Peter said. “I don’t suppose we know anything about the funeral arrangements yet.”

“We know that Leo planned every detail of the funeral. The memorial service will be held in the executive auditorium, at three PM tomorrow, burial afterward at the little graveyard on the back lot, where studio VIPs rest, next to his father.”

“Fine,” Peter said.

Ben spoke up. “Make a note that when I kick off, I’m not to be buried there. I spent enough time in the boardroom with those guys.”

“Me, too,” Peter said. “Dad, where do you want to be buried?”

“I really haven’t given it any thought, but I’d like to be scattered, not buried, from the afterdeck of Breeze, within sight of my house in Dark Harbor, and anybody who won’t make the trip to Maine is no friend of mine. You can have a memorial service in New York, to give them an excuse for not coming.”

“You haven’t given it any thought at all, then?” Peter said.

“Not much.”

On the way home, Stone’s phone rang. “Yes?”

“It’s Lara. Now that I’ve got the job they’re kicking me out of the Arrington first thing tomorrow morning. I’m not looking forward to going back to my little apartment in Santa Monica.”

“So, why don’t you move in with me?” Stone suggested. “I’ll be here a little longer.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. Yes, please.”

“Don’t wait for tomorrow. Pack, and I’ll send the butler over there for your luggage as soon as I get home.”

“I’ll need all of fifteen minutes,” she replied. “Bye.”

As she hung up, Stone’s phone rang again. “Yes?”

“It’s Dino. Shut up and listen.”

Stone sighed.

“Okay, Art Jacoby can’t get a decent lawyer.”

“Indigent?”

“No, shunned. Word has apparently gotten out through Little Debby. Any ideas?”

“Yeah. Where are they holding Art?”

“DCPD detention.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Stone hung up and called Herbie Fisher, a young partner at Woodman & Weld.

“Herb Fisher.”

“It’s Stone. You had a case that required you to qualify for practicing in D.C., didn’t you?”

“Yep,” Herbie said. “I’m still good to practice there. What happened, Holly get arrested?”

“No, she’s still a free woman, but she might as well be a prisoner, since she’s being held in Secret Service detention. There’s a guy named Art Jacoby, who...”

“I know him. He worked the case I was trying down there.”

“He’s been arrested for the murder of Patricia Clark.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. I’ve gotten to know him, and I think it’s bullshit. You know Little Debby Myers?”

“Who doesn’t?”

“She and Donald Clark have been part of a threesome in the past.”

“Wow again. So you think he’s being framed?”

“Maybe, or maybe they’re just rattling his cage, to show him who’s in charge. They transferred him to New York, to get him out of the way, but he was still talking — to Dino and me. I’m sure there’ll be photographers waiting at the police helipad in D.C.”

“Okay, I’ll get a guy over there right now to deal with bail, and I’ll be in D.C. first thing tomorrow morning. I’ve got a thing I have to deal with here today.”

“Good enough. Let Joan know if Art needs bail money.” Stone hung up.

Lara was upstairs unpacking in the women’s dressing room in the master suite. She gave him a big kiss. “How was your lunch?”

“Fine. You know who Leo Goldman Jr. is?”

“Head of the studio? He wasn’t at our meeting.”

“He died while we were having lunch. He had been in a hospice for a couple of days.”

“I never met him, but I saw his name in the trades a lot.”

“Leo, like his father, liked to get his name in print.”

“What does that mean for Peter and Ben? I liked them. I hope Goldman’s death is not a problem for them.”

“It’s more of an opportunity, really. We’ll probably get Ben elected CEO at the next board meeting.”

“Do you have something to do with that?”

“I’m on the board, and I’m sure we can muster enough shareholders’ votes to get the board to appoint Ben. He’s pretty much been doing the job while Leo has been sick.”

“Good for Ben. What about Peter?”

“What’s good for Ben is good for Peter. They’ve been partners since they were kids. I don’t think Peter wants more executive work to do. He just wants to direct, and Ben still produces his pictures.”

Lara stripped down to nothing. “What should I wear this evening?”

“I like that outfit,” Stone said.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“But for dinner, I guess something casually elegant.”

“I’ll aim for that.”

“There are some good shops in the hotel. Have a look over there, and charge whatever you like to me.”

“Wonderful.” She took his hand and led him to the bed, then started undressing him. “I need a new agent. You know anybody?”

“Probably. Who’s representing you now?”

“A guy named Guy Baxter is telling everybody he is, except he’s not.”

“Explain.”

“Somebody sent me to see him a couple of weeks ago, and he tried to get me to sign a contract, but I wouldn’t. I found him creepy. And if I think that, the studios probably do, too.” She curled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

“Did he arrange the appointment with Peter?”

“No, he didn’t even know about it. Jeff Tatum, my new leading man, told Peter about me, and they called. Jeff’s represented by a guy at CAA.”

“Who sent you to see this Guy Baxter?”

“A bartender at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I was having a drink with a girlfriend, and he waved Guy over and said, ‘This girl needs an agent.’”

“That was it?”

“All of it. Guy actually called Peter and asked to introduce me to him, but Peter smelled a rat, I think. I already had the appointment by that time, anyway.”

“Well, you want to get that out before your casting hits the trades,” Stone said. “When you’re done doing what you’re doing, write down his name and address, and I’ll dictate a letter to him, warning him off.”

“I think I’ll be finished very, very soon,” she said.

“I think you will, too,” Stone said.