Chapter 130
A SILENCE SO complete took the room that I swore I could hear the pounding heartbeats of Jennifer and Thom Harlow.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Camilla Bronson said in an uncharacteristically high-pitched voice.
“It means that this is not going to be the typical Hollywood scandal complete with requisite cover-up,” I said. “For once, this is going to unwind with justice being served.”
Sanders’s face turned almost purple. “You and Private have a legal obligation to—”
“No, Dave, we don’t,” I said calmly. “That obligation went south the day you fired Private. What we did in Mexico, we did on our own. So we’ll be the ones who decide just compensation and penalty.”
“You—you’ll get nothing if you expose them,” Camilla Bronson sputtered.
“Everything will be ruined,” Terry Graves said. “Their careers. Their children. The orphans. Countless others.”
“We see that,” Justine replied.
“And we know justice isn’t always just,” I said.
A garbled voice said, “What’s that s’posed to mean?” It was the first thing Thom Harlow had said since we’d arrived.
“It means, Mr. Harlow, that we’re not going to tell the police or the FBI about your secret lives and transgressions,” Justine said.
There was a collective sigh.
“But in return, we have specific demands,” I said. “These are nonnegotiable terms.”
“And these terms are?” Jennifer Harlow said.
Cynthia Maines said, “Number one: the Harlows will never seek to retaliate against Adelita Gomez in any way.”
“Deal,” Thom Harlow said.
“Number two: the Harlows and Harlow-Quinn Productions will sign over sixty percent of all gross proceeds from Saigon Falls to Sharing Hands,” I said.
“Sixty percent of the gross!” Sanders cried. “Are you mad?”
Jennifer Harlow made a wheezing sound. Her husband started to shake his head, but then Justine said, “Perfectly sane. In return for our not revealing the extent of your fraudulent use of nonprofit funds for personal and corporate gain, you are going to increase that orphans’ endowment tenfold.”
“But the Harlows put their life savings into the film,” Terry Graves protested.
“Tell that to someone who gives a shit, Terry,” I said. “That’s term two. Accept it or suffer the consequences.”