The 16mm Caper

Chapter 19

Cheryl felt she at least owed Freddy a telephone call. As big a jerk as he was, he did promise her a deal when he could have fluffed her off. Besides, it was only fair that he knew what was going on; those people, especially that horrible woman, were very dangerous.

The phone rang and rang and since there was no answering machine, Cheryl decided to go to Freddy's place and at least leave him a note.

******

"Are you sure?"

"After she did that little bit with Fisk I took some security precautions. I didn't notice until the break-in. There is no doubt, someone copied the old disc, the one we trashed the other day. Cheryl is the only person who knew how to get into the safe besides me and it wasn't broken into either."

"But what do you think she's doing with it? Whoever broke in certainly didn't have it."

"Or they did and decided it wasn't what they wanted." Peter pulled a doubtful face. "Anyway, I've been tryin' to get her and I can't track her down anywhere so I expect some help from you, pal."

"Fine. That's fine, Harv. I'm a little worried too but I have no idea where to look."

"I think we might try Freddy's, they were in cahoots at the start."

Peter followed the stocky film pro out of the dishevelled office and out to Harv's super-sized Malibu that roared to life like a Pratt and Whitney airplane engine. Riding over ramps and potholes like a huge inflatable cushion, Harv steered his behemoth across town to the address listed as Freddy Fisk's.

When they pulled up Cheryl was just entering the lobby and they both jumped out, gauging the traffic as they darted across the road.

******

"You!" Freddy struggled with the doorknob, his bandaged hands slipping on the smooth metal.

"Freddy what happened?" Cheryl stepped inside and closed the door for him.

"You, that's what happened! If I could I'd whack you upside the head!" He stalked off to his living room.

"Freddy you have no idea what I went through--"

"What you went through! Look at this you stupid bitch!" He held up his broken hands and stared malevolently. She began to tell him about the meeting when there was a sharp bang at the door. "Oh shit!" Freddy shrank back against the wall.

"What?" Cheryl whispered. "Who is it?"

"I don't--"

"Cheryl? I saw you go in there so open the goddamn door."

"That's Harv, my boss!"

"Cheryl?"

"It's okay, Freddy, It's okay."

She hurried to the door and opened it, surprised to see Peter as well. They pushed into the room and Harv gave a cursory glance at Freddy and his bandages.

"What's this?" He demanded.

"You- you can't just shove your way in here." Freddy started, losing some confidence when he saw and recognized Peter from the office.

"Cork it, Fisk." Harv snapped. He turned to Cheryl and folded his arms. "Well?"

Cheryl began to dissemble, but realized that Harv wouldn't be there, looking as he did, if he didn't know what she'd done.

"I made a big, greedy mistake, Harv. I understand completely if you fire me."

"Where is the disc?"

"I- don't have it any more. They took it from me in the hotel and I didn't get anything for it." She looked sheepishly at Freddy and began to cry.

Freddy started forward. "You what? What do mean you didn't get anything?"

He stopped when Harv placed a hand on his chest and pushed back. "Sit and shut it, Fisk or you'll have feet to match your hands."

Peter looked with surprise at the man, wondering where Harv suddenly got his tough guy attitude. The fact that it might not be so sudden flashed briefly in his mind.

"Stop blubbering and tell me what happened." He took her arm and led her to a seat.

Cheryl told the story from the beginning, copying the disc, to leaving the hotel after the woman had left. Harv wanted to know who the woman was but Cheryl didn't know, only that she seemed to know the man she'd met and was sort of mopping up after him.

"That was the same dame that first approached me," Peter said. "I'm sure of it."

"Sounds like the one from the parking lot . . ." Freddy bit his tongue and made himself smaller as Harv turned on him for an explanation.

******

"I just can't believe a man like Ralston Hughes would do something like this. I mean the guy is so high profile."

"Probably hired somebody. I mean Fisk wasn't faking his injuries."

"Thugs?" The question went unanswered as the group sat about pondering theories.

Dylan and Catlin had responded to a plea from Peter to have Mary over for the afternoon on Saturday and he would drop in with some friends; the ruse was so high school that Catlin figured she just couldn't refuse. Mary had remained stiff-lipped until she realized that everyone else was directing their concerns toward the film business and not she and Peter and finally relaxed enough to offer the odd opinion.

"Peter went to Fisk who sent him to me. Fisk talked Cheryl into finding out what was on the film and she told him." The group looked at Cheryl, who had been invited along, then away as she looked stricken and embarrassed. "Fisk approached Hughes and was told to acquire the film."

Harv was ticking a timeline off on his fingers. "Cheryl was supposed to get it for him but of course couldn't. He threatened her and, then he told us that some woman accosted him in the parking lot and forced him to reveal Cheryl's name and my company." He took a deep breath. "Between the time Fisk approached Hughes and spoke with this woman, she apparently also spoke with Peter, and told him she had an interested client. How did this dame get into the middle of this thing? Peter phoned Hughes and refused his offer--"

"Twenty-five grand!" Catlin announced.

"--but the woman then braced Fisk. She obviously wasn't working for Hughes so where does she fit in?" Harv waited a beat and then continued. "Next, we have Hughes setting up a meeting with Fisk who sends Cheryl with a bootleg copy," his eyes slid over to her blushing face, "and she meets with some guy who has a confrontation with this mystery dame again, who he apparently knew." Harv held out his hands in question.

"Two different parties." Dylan suggested.

"You mean besides Hughes?"

"Yeah, but connected somehow?" There was a murmur of consent and they all began again with their own versions of possible scenarios. Contradictions and frustrated theories filled the afternoon.