“Absolutely,” RJ said. “Co-writing is all about trust. It’s logical; if the writers don’t see eye to eye, then the creativity doesn’t flow.”
“That makes sense,” I said meekly. Given the welcomeElliot had shown me, I was more than a little apprehensive about being able to see eye to eye with him.
RJ pointed at Elliot and me. “I want you tight. You need to be eating, living, breathing each other until the script is word perfect. Do you think you can manage that?”
I tried not to think about how I wouldeatElliot. Or breathe him, for that matter.
“It’s not like I have a choice now, is it?” Elliot muttered.
RJ’s eyes narrowed and Elliot cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. “But I’m going to give it a shot.”
“Glad to hear it,” RJ said, his visage back to its formerly happy display.
I raised my hand. “When you sayeatingeach other … ?”
There was a knock at the door and Vivian slunk in. “RJ, you have your meeting with Melroy Group now.”
“The film production group?” I blurted in excitement. They had funded some of the boldest, most exciting movies of the past few years.
“They’re financing this script. You see, we’re pitching for a negative pickup,” Elliot explained. “Do you even know—”
“I know what a negative pickup is,” I said, not in the mood for patronization. It was one of several ways to finance a production. A movie studio would agree to purchase the movie from the producer but only upon delivery of the final product, so private investors funded production with the promise of eventual payoff from the studio. It was essential to have happy financiers, otherwise your funding was gone.
“Everything’s in place,” RJ said. “Sol Rodrigues has agreed to play the role of Marla. After seeing her work onAll Kinds of Killing, we knew she’d be perfect.”
“Big get.” Elliot nodded in approval.
My stomach swooped in excitement. Sol Rodrigues was an icon, one of the top talents of her generation. Althoughonly in her mid-twenties, she’d already garnered one Academy nomination and had serious fashion credibility after starring in Valentino’s latest campaign. She’d worked with all the hottest directors and, from what I’d read in the trades, had begged to work with RJ. AndIwas working on a script for her.
“RJ?” Vivian looked pointedly at her watch then back up at him. “If we’re to make it to Zero Bond on time, we need to leave in ten.”
“Right, right.” RJ stood. “So, Lucie, let’s get you sorted out with everything you need.”
“IT have got your phone and laptop ready,” Vivian told me.
“Great,” I said. I turned back to RJ. “I’m looking forward to working with you.”
He chuckled and pointed at Elliot. “You should be saying that to him as well.”
Elliot’s face was a mask. “Can I go?”
“Joined at the hip!” RJ barked. “Best buddies. Elliot, show Lucie where to go.”
“Lucky me,” Elliot snarled. But under RJ’s scrutiny, he pasted a smile. “For now, I’ll take you to IT.”
Chapter Ten
Elliot Fox walked fast. I had to trot to keep up with him as he led me down the back corridors of the office to a dingy corner suite from which I could hear the unmistakable whir of servers. A visibly irritated Elliot hammered a fist against the door. “Noah! Riley!”
“What’s the password?” A disembodied voice called out.
Finally, a small smile from Elliot. “Walt sent me.”
The door was yanked open and a lanky guy with a 5D chess T-shirt and a brilliant smile popped his head out. “Yooo.” He and Elliot exchanged a bro-handshake. “Vivian not with you?”
“Afraid not, Noah,” Elliot said with an indulgent sigh.
As Noah sagged with visible disappointment, a smaller head of cropped, bright purple hair poked around the door. “She better not be, I don’t have my garlic and crucifix ready. Lucie, right?”
