Indiscretions - Elizabeth Adler [145]
Fitz switched off the machine and slid the ejected tape into his pocket.
Bill’s frightened eyes met Fitz’s calm blue ones.
“What’re you going to do about it?” he demanded hoarsely. “You can’t prove anything. Anyway, I didn’t do anything wrong. Rory was just overwrought, he was disturbed about Jenny’s death. Stan and I just took him in hand to protect him from himself … he’s a cokehead, y’know, nobody’ll believe him.”
“I believe him.” Fitz controlled the contempt and anger he felt as he watched Kaufmann squirm. “I believe that you and Reubin contributed to Jenny Haven’s death drive down Malibu Canyon just as Rory Grant did. And what you did to Rory was as close to blackmail as you can get.”
For once in his life Bill was speechless. He stared at Fitz in silence.
“However,” said Fitz briskly, “I’m not here to save Rory Grant from blackmail, nor to salve his conscience—or yours. I’m here on behalf of Jenny Haven’s daughters. There’s a considerable sum of money owing to them—both the amount stolen by Grant and further monies that they might win in a loss-and-damages claim for negligence by you and Reubin. My own lawyers tell me this would come to a very considerable sum.” Fitz paused, assessing Kaufmann’s reaction. He was obviously very frightened; his eyes blinked rapidly and his hands gripped the arms of the lovely Charles II chair so tightly his ring would probably leave scratches in the wood.
“It is the wish of the Haven daughters,” Fitz continued, “that their mother’s name should not be dragged unnecessarily through the courts. They will not tolerate any further scandal in connection with her name. Therefore, Kaufmann—and only for that reason—I am prepared to talk terms.”
Terms? Did he mean he wanted to make a deal? Bill perked up a little.
“Terms?”
“The girls are prepared to let you off far more lightly than either I, or any court, would. And both you and I know that the actual sums involved are far more than they are asking.”
“How much?” croaked Bill.
“One and a half million.”
Bill restrained himself just in time from asking, “Each?” His senses were beginning to clear, his brain was ticking over again. There might be a way out after all.
“One and a half million dollars,” repeated Fitz, “not a great deal to ask. And I say again, Kaufmann, it’s far less than a court would award them.” He could tell from the agent’s face that he’d judged the sum nicely; a million and a half was accessible money, he’d get his hands on it somehow.
“I don’t have that kind of money, McBain.” Bill released his grip on the chair arms. “A million and a half cash is hard to come by.”
“Look at it this way,” said Fitz. “It’s five hundred thousand from Rory, five hundred thousand from Stan Reubin’s estate, and five hundred thousand from you personally. You’re getting off lightly, Kaufmann, much too lightly!”
Five hundred thousand each, thought Bill, juggling facts and figures busily. He knew Rory was good for it, he’d just have to cancel the purchase of the house on Benedict and get an advance from the studios … and then there was Stan’s estate; Jessie would be sure to cut up rough … maybe he’d have to talk to Stan’s partners … yeah, that was it, he’d talk to them, they surely wouldn’t want to have the name of their firm involved in any scandal, it could ruin them just as it could ruin him. They’d pay up. Maybe they’d even go for a mil—they didn’t know the exact sum asked for, and they’d pay whatever