Shoving thoughts of him away, I tried to focus on being on this stunning beach. Opening my eyes, I watched the water ripple a little more wildly than usual.
I felt Theo at my side, staring out at the water too.
After a while, he spoke again. “I’ll give you one thing, little mouse. You never deblaterate, and it’s rather refreshing.”
Deblaterate. To prattle, blab, babble. “I’ve never been much for prattling or small talk.”
He laughed, eyeing me as if I were a new species of human. “You’re very interesting, aren’t you, Sarah? Or should I say S. M. Brodie?”
Another wave of flutters shook my belly, and I didn’t know if it was because he’d used my name instead of that horrible pet name or because it was now hitting me that Theo, my number one choice, was here to write the screenplay ofHollow Grave. My life had been a strange mix of dream and nightmare this past year.
I straightened my shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “Jack Irving’s production company will pay me a minimum of a hundred grand if the TV show gets made. And an option fee of £8000.” I’d learned that an option fee was what a production company paid for the rights to make the TV show or movie. If they didn’t produce it within eighteen months, they had to pay another fee or the rights would revert to me.
Theo considered this. “Is that for the first book only?”
I nodded.
“And how many copies has the series sold worldwide?”
“At last count, over eight million. The first book alone has sold nearly two million.”
“Christ.” He whistled. “Well done, little mouse.”
I gave him a look and he grinned.
“Fine. When we get back to the cottage, I’ll have my agent, Fern, reach out to your agent with my offer.”
“Which is?”
“Ten-thousand-pound option fee for eighteen months. But I have an idea for incorporating book two into the first season, so I’d want the rights toHollow GraveandCity of Deceitand we’ll work out a percentage that equates to a minimum payout above Jack Irving’s offer if the thing gets made. And with me at the helm, it will.”
He knew that I wanted him to adapt the books and that he had the upper hand, so why hadn’t he lowballed me? “You could have offered just the same.”
He shrugged at the question in my tone. “Yes, I suppose I could have.”
Realizing Theo Cavendish would never explain himself, I decided not to argue about his gentlemanly offer. “Done. I’ll contact my agent when we get back.”
“Who is your agent?”
“Liz Mackle at Mackle & Brown Literary Agency in London.”
“I know Liz. Fern and I have done film rights deals with her before. Excellent.” He started to walk, his brow furrowed in thought, and I hurried after him.
“So, what is this idea of incorporating book two into the first season?” Now that we were really talking about it, my excitement was growing at the idea of seeing Juno’s world on-screen.
“There’s a scene between Juno and the main antagonist, Peter, inCity of Deceit.I think it would make an excellent scene in the last episode of the first season.”
I loved that he’d already mapped out the last episode in his head and was hopeful of a second season. “Is it the scene where she breaks into his house and he comes home?” It was one of my favorite scenes, where Juno begins bending the law and you start to see that Peter is fascinated by her but doesn’t want to harm her. Yet. There’s an attraction between them that adds a darkand complex layer to their dynamic. The reader should be part enthralled, part appalled.
Theo’s eyes glittered as he stared at me like I’d surprised him again. “That’s exactly the scene I had in mind.”
It just confirmed he was the right person to do this. To my surprise, we were on the same wavelength. “So … I’d like to be involved in writing the screenplay. How would we do that?”
He considered this. “Usually, darling, I’d tell you to fuck off and let me handle it.”
I flushed in immediate indignation and opened my mouth to protest, but Theo held up a hand with a smirk.
“But I already know that would get me nowhere. Plus … to my complete and utter shock, I think we need your voice in this.”
