Any Given Moment (The Alexandra Chronicles Book 3) Read online

  “No one notified me," Warren Krebor said, a comment echoed by most of those present.

  Elizabeth paused; she could not tell them that ICA had no interest in representing them.

  "Because of the nature of their core business," Montgomery volunteered, suddenly moving through the room to stand next to Elizabeth in the front, "we believe their first inclination was to contact those clients who had the greatest ties to show business."

  "But they could get me a TV series," Warren Krebor said, "like Ray Bradbury got. I could do that. I'd like that."

  "Yes, well, at any rate," Elizabeth said, trying to get back to the point, but just then a high and mighty voice from the doorway at the back of the room interrupted her.

  "We are not here to talk about your career, Warren, but Eliz­abeth is simply too kind to tell you that." Everyone turned as Millicent Parks entered the room and took a seat near the back. "You may proceed, Elizabeth," she told her.

  After a moment, Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, well, thank you, Mil­licent."

  "Wait, before we go any further," Jordan Wells said, raising his hand, "I'd like to say something."

  "Yes, Mr. Wells?" Elizabeth said.

  "Like everybody else here, Louise and I owe a great deal to the Hillingses. As I understand it, the purpose of this meeting is to come up with a way to force ICA to honor the agreement the Hillingses negotiated with Ben Rothstein."

  "That is correct," Elizabeth said. She looked around the room. "Is everybody clear on that? The reason we're here is to think of a way to force ICA into making amends for their actions. Which included provoking Dorothy into a near-fatal heart attack, I might add."

  There were murmurs of agreement. Elizabeth nodded to Jor­dan. "Go on."

  "Well, all I wanted to say is, unlike most of you, almost all of our work is represented by ICA now. In fact, we're working on a TV miniseries which, quite frankly, we'd hate to see killed by our par­ticipation here.”

  Elizabeth nodded and then looked to David Aussenhoff. "David, you're a producer. Don't you have a movie being packaged by ICA?"

  Jordan Wells sat down as David reluctantly stood up. "Yeah, I do," he said, running a hand through his thick, dark hair.

  "And you know Creighton Berns, don't you?" Elizabeth asked.

  "Yes," David said, standing there.

  "Yeah, so?" Montgomery asked after a moment. "What are we waiting for, Aussenhoff, the new edition of Who's Who? Tell us what he's like."

  David paused before saying, "He's very, very tough and I think Mr. Wells's concern is valid."

  "I know Creighton Berns," Georgiana Hamilton-Ayres volun­teered, standing up.

  "What do you think of him, Georgiana?" Montgomery asked, his voice softening to nearly a whisper.

  Elizabeth looked at him. He had it bad all right.

  "Creighton Berns can be quite charming," Georgiana said, "but that's when he's getting what he wants. I've heard a lot of negative things about those times he doesn't."

  "Like what?" Montgomery softly asked his lady love.

  "Blackmail," she said dramatically. "And he takes revenge on those who cross him." She looked at David. "We once saw him destroy a director we both worked with at Metropolis." She looked around the room. "Is everyone aware that Creighton Berns used to be president of Metropolis Pictures?"

  "Destroyed a director how?" Elizabeth asked, looking to David.

  "Um," David said, "he undermined a big project."

  "And the director hasn't worked since," Georgiana said. Then she frowned, and added, "And didn't something happen to Ginny Stokes, David?"

  "Yes," David said reluctantly.

  "Who's that?" Montgomery asked.

  "A producer we both knew."

  "What happened to her?" Elizabeth asked.

  "She got blackballed by Creighton, and then, well, she ended up killing herself," David said quietly.

  There was an outbreak of murmuring. "Good Lord, I had no idea," Georgiana Hamilton-Ayres said. "I didn't know she was—"

  David cleared his throat and addressed Elizabeth. "Listen, if I may make a suggestion, anyone who currently has an active project with ICA is better off not going up against Creighton Berns."

  "Then why are you here?" Elizabeth asked him.

  He hesitated. "Because I care."

  Elizabeth was thrown by his answer and could only stand there, looking at him.

  Montgomery picked up the reins. "And you, Georgiana? Why are you here?"

  "I have no burning desire to wage war with Creighton Berns, I must admit, but I am more than willing to talk to him, one on one, about this situation."

  "ICA handled the dramatic rights to some of my books," Alice Mae Hollison said. "Do you mean to say that my attendance at this meeting might in some way threaten my dealings with them?"

  "I don't know," Elizabeth said truthfully.

  "Did they contact you to tell you that the Hillingses had retired and that ICA was taking over representation of your work?" Mont­gomery asked her.

  "No," she said.

  "Then I don't think your involvement will affect your relation­ship with ICA," Montgomery told her.

  Gerald Traubner was waving his hand. "I'm still not absolutely clear on something—did Henry and Dorothy sell the agency to ICA or not?"

  "Yes, they did," Elizabeth answered.

  "And what do Henry and Dorothy want now?" Traubner asked.

  "They want Dottie to get well, you damn fool," Millicent said impatiently, twitching in her seat.

  "And the Hillingses want to oversee the transition of their cli­ents' representation—as was originally agreed upon," Elizabeth added. This was perhaps the most difficult class she had ever led.

  "I wish Ben Rothstein was still at ICA," Alice Mae Hollison sighed. "I've always trusted him."

  "Forget it. Ben is out," David said with a firmness that made everyone look at him. "It's final. He has no support on the board. He's gone."

  "This is appalling!" Becky Tomlinson suddenly announced. "We have to rid ourselves of this bad fellow at ICA immediately!"

  "What we need is a major media event that will embarrass the agency," Sissy Connors said.

  "Publicity," Lucy Boyle agreed. "We must mount public opin­ion against him."

  "Exactly!" Millicent yelled from her seat. "Bravo, gals, you've got it! We need a demonstration in front of ICA!"

  There were excited murmurs of agreement about the idea.

  Jordan stood up. "As I said before, Louise and I would love to help, but for us to publicly demonstrate against ICA—"

  Georgiana stood up. "I'm afraid I couldn't participate in some­thing like a public demonstration either. But, as I said, behind the scenes, I am willing to do whatever I can to help."

  "Look," Montgomery said, "it's clear that I'm the only major celebrity here who's in a position to do anything publicly without getting hurt. I've got fifteen million listeners and I own my own show."

  "But not your television show," David said.

  There was an uncomfortable silence.

  "And how, pray tell, do you know about that?" Montgomery said slowly.

  "Think, Montgomery. Simon Grey, your producer." Montgomery frowned and, after a moment, shook his head. "I don't get it."

  "His outfit is an affiliate of ICA," David said. "That means ICA has a piece of your TV show if they want—if they let you keep it, that is."

  "How the hell do you know this?" Montgomery demanded.

  "It's a small industry," David said.

  "But you don't work in my industry!" Montgomery thundered.

  "Look," David said, "I don't want to argue with you—I'm just trying to warn you. ICA's into everything—somehow, some­way—and if you go up against them publicly, they're going to hurt you."

  Montgomery turned to Elizabeth. "Sounds to me like your friend's got a whole lot more than just a movie thrown in with ICA."

  "That's enough, Montgomery," Elizabeth said sharply.

  "I have a suggestion," David
said. "Can we have a show of hands of everyone in this room who currently has a project with ICA?"

  "Good idea," Elizabeth said. "Okay, current projects with ICA, please raise your hands."

  Hands went up: Jordan and Louise Wells, David Aussenhoff, Georgiana Hamilton-Ayres, Patty Kleczak, and Elizabeth.

  "What is your connection with them, Patty?" Elizabeth asked.

  "They want to send out my novel on submission," she explained. "They keep calling me from Los Angeles. They want a fresh copy of the manuscript—which I haven't sent yet."

  Elizabeth nodded. "And let's see, Jordan and Louise, you have a miniseries script. And Georgiana—?"

  "They handle everything for me," she said firmly.

  "As for me," Elizabeth said, "through the Hillingses they rep­resent my BBC and PBS contracts." She looked at Monty. "And they might have an in on your TV show."

  "Not anymore they won't. Not after this breach of confidenti­ality." He pounded his fist into his cupped hand, making a loud smacking sound that made the older people sitting in the front look nervous.

  "Elizabeth?" David said. "I think perhaps we should break up into two groups."

  "Who the hell put you in charge, anyway?" Montgomery snapped.

  Ignoring him, David continued, "I think those of us with active projects with ICA need to have a discussion. Meanwhile, the other group can go ahead and discuss a demonstration." He looked around before focusing on Millicent. "Perhaps Ms. Parks would chair the group planning to demonstrate."

  "Very well," Millicent said, rising to her feet and walking up to the podium.

  Elizabeth was not pleased. In a matter of minutes David had taken over the meeting, segregated the group, and was telling ev­eryone what to do. He had not changed.

  Montgomery didn't look pleased either, but he said, "There's a conference room we can use next door."

  Montgomery, Georgiana, Elizabeth, David, Jordan, Louise, and Patty Kleczak got up quietly and filed out.

  When the door closed behind them, Sissy Connors said, "If I didn't know better, I would say that we have just been the victims of discrimination. The average age in this room just rose by thirty years."

  The writers looked around at each other and nodded, murmur­ing, but then Millicent began to laugh. "But don't you understand? If we play our cards right, we can get the young people to do all the work, we'll get a tremendous amount of free publicity, and the Hillingses will get sweet revenge."

  There was a moment of silence. "That's right," Dick Stone finally said, smiling. "I didn't even think of that. This is a publicity stunt that'll benefit all of us."

  "I would prefer to keep our motives a bit more pure, if you don't mind," Claire Spender Holland said. "I owe a good deal of my success to Dorothy and Henry Hillings."

  "And you're going to help them," Dick said. "But admit it, Claire, it wouldn't be a bad thing to be in the papers again, would it? Been a long time."

  Claire Spender Holland looked at him as if he were the scum of the earth. But she, like everyone else in the room, had vivid mem­ories of their celebrated days as best-selling writers, when no one would leave them alone.

  Millicent called the meeting to order.

  No, no doubt about it. It had been a long time.

  18

  David caught Elizabeth's arm outside the screening room. "I swear I didn't know you'd be here," he whispered.

  "I was told you weren't coming," she whispered back.

  "I changed my mind at the last minute."

  She stared at him, as though looking for something specific in his face, then lowered her eyes without saying anything.

  "I've got to talk to you," he murmured. "There was a good reason why I—"

  The look she gave him then stopped him dead.

  "Elizabeth, listen," he pleaded after a moment, "I want to ex­plain to you what happened."

  She sighed, shaking her head, looking down the hall. "It is so like you to think this is an appropriate time." She pulled her arm free and walked to the conference room.

  "Elizabeth!" he whispered.

  She whirled around. "Later!" she whispered back. "Let's do what we're here to do!"

  Oh, God, it was all so familiar: David appearing out of nowhere at an important meeting no one could count on his attending, his decision to slip in an explanation of why he had run out on her three years ago in the middle of it. And it was just like her, wasn't it, to scold him like a schoolmarm?

  In the conference room Elizabeth found Jordan and Louise arguing in hushed tones; Montgomery and Georgiana whispering furiously back and forth; and poor Patty Kleczak sitting by herself, trying to remain cheerful and confident in a world of writers, Eliz­abeth was sure, that she had to be finding utterly bizarre. Elizabeth made a point of sitting next to Patty and establishing them as a pair. David could do whatever he wanted.

  "Damn it, Monty, I said no!" Georgiana Hamilton-Ayres sud­denly lashed out. She realized everyone was looking and so she got up, murmured something about needing a drink of water, and slipped out the door.

  After a pregnant silence, David said, "I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings next door, but they don't have anything to lose going up against ICA."

  "And we lose our integrity if we don't," Montgomery said sharply.

  David looked at him. "Then I sure as hell hope you have a plan, Big Mont."

  "As it happens, I do indeed," Montgomery said.

  Georgiana returned to the room and, after hesitating a moment, took the seat next to Montgomery again. This seemed to perk him up a little.

  "By Tuesday," Montgomery said, "I will have a court order to impound the offices of Hillings & Hillings. I intend on delivering it myself, and any of you who wish to accompany me, may."

  No one spoke or looked at anyone else. "I must say," Elizabeth finally said, "I am in awe of you. How did you manage to do that?"

  "I know the right kind of people," Montgomery told her, star­ing coldly at David. "Good, decent people. People who honor con­fidentiality, a man's word, hard work for an honest dollar."

  "Oh, brother," Louise Wells groaned. "Save it for the radio, okay? We can't turn you off here."

  Montgomery looked at her.

  "Go ahead, Montgomery," Elizabeth said.

  "I've also got people watching the offices who have orders to see that anything leaving the premises gets back inside," Montgomery added.

  "That sounds good," Patty Kleczak said.

  Encouraged by her receptiveness, Montgomery focused on Patty, lapsing into his radio voice again. "As soon as I became aware of the urgency of this matter, I immediately engaged the services of the finest private investigation firm in the city to assist me in clear­ing this entire situation up."

  "Great," Louise said, elbowing Jordan. "Since Mr. Smith here is taking care of everything, we can all go home." As if on cue, the couple stood up to leave.

  Elizabeth looked alarmed. "Please," was all she managed to say, and the couple sat back down. She then turned to Montgomery. "Let's tone it down a bit, all right?"

  There was a timid knock on the door.

  "Yes?" Elizabeth called.

  The door opened and a young man's face appeared. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Alexandra Waring from D BS News is calling from Iraq for Ms. Hamilton-Ayres."

  "Oh, thank you, I'll be right there," Georgiana said, springing out of her chair. "A major press contact! That's great, Georgiana," Montgomery said appreciatively.

  Georgiana hesitated, her smile faltering a little, "Yes, I guess so. I'll be back," she promised, leaving the room.

  "When the door closed, Monty turned to the group.”So, who wants to go with me Tuesday morning to serve the warrant at One-Oh-One Fifth?"

  "I'll go," Elizabeth volunteered, imagining all kinds of dreadful things that might happen if she didn't keep an eye on the talk-show host.

  "Good!" Montgomery said, looking around the table. "When his eyes landed on Georgiana's chair, he shook his head and said, "Georgiana's goi
ng to talk to Creighton Berns privately," but when his eyes got to David, he smiled. ""What about you, tough guy? Mr. Hollywood Inside Information?"

  "You know he shouldn't go," Elizabeth said. "And so he's not, and that's that."

  Both Montgomery and David looked at her, surprised.

  "We're not going," Louise said.

  "Maybe she's not," Jordan said, "but I want to be there."

  "No way, baby," Louise said.

  "Jordan, I appreciate the gesture, but I don't see any reason why you should have to come on Tuesday," Elizabeth said.

  "I could bring a video camera and take pictures," Jordan in­sisted.

  "Great idea," Montgomery said, sitting up straighter as though he were already on camera.

  "No!" Louise thundered.

  Everybody looked at her.

  "If I may say so, Mr. Wells," Montgomery said then, "I think you may be of better use to us on the West Coast. Perhaps you would be willing to talk to Creighton Berns privately, like Geor­giana is planning to do."

  "If you need support, I might be able to come back into the city on Tuesday morning," Patty Kleczak offered.

  "No, absolutely not," Elizabeth answered. "Mrs. Hillings would have another heart attack if she even knew you were here." She thought a moment. "No, I think it's settled—Montgomery and I will go. I was at the offices yesterday, playing dumb, pretending to be shocked that the Hillingses weren't there. Returning with Mont­gomery and the warrant will seem like a knee-jerk reaction on my part. As for the rest of you, I agree with Montgomery; I think you should return to the West Coast and talk to Creighton Berns, one­-on-one."

  With their meeting concluded, they trooped back into the screening room.

  "We're planning a press conference for a week from Monday," Millicent announced as they filed back in. "Everybody here has agreed to stay on so they can participate."