The Principle Of Chance (2 page)

He was met by his driver in the
front hall at precisely eight o’ clock.

‘Ready Joe?’

‘Yes Mr Orban. The car is waiting
for you.’ Joe informed him.

‘On time as usual, Joe.’

‘Thank you Mr Orban.’

The exquisite Rolls Royce was one of
Frank’s highly prized indulgences. Before he could collect his thoughts, his
phone rang and the day began.

Chapter Two

Jack decided to have a shower and
make some phone calls. He considered picking up the sheets from the side table.
It was a script for a new movie Frank had given him to look through. He strode
into his kitchen to put the espresso maker on. There it was; - a little note
with Nancy’s phone number. He shook his head; these girls were all the same.

He loved his life - his penthouse,
the beach house, fast cars, money and women. He also had good friends, which in
this city was scarce. Happiness? What was that? – it didn’t exist.

Jack Harvey’s acting career started
in 1945, when he was fifteen years old. He was working as an extra in a low
budget film at Golden & Red Studios. One of the producers noticed his good
looks and Jack was offered a one-line speaking role. It was a female producer
of course. Jack worked hard to show off what he could do. Before long, he
managed to get a lead role alongside one of the major heartthrobs, Gregory
(Smooth Boy) Taylor.

The high demand for cheerful,
entertaining movies during the depression years, provided him with a steady
job. Jack’s love of women began as his fame grew. There were always gorgeous,
well presented women hanging out on movie sets. He didn’t have to work hard;
usually a smile was a good start.

Jack had never married; he didn’t
need a blissful family life. There was no such thing in his mind as a happy
family. His parents came from the working class and lived in a rundown trailer
on the outskirts of the city. They struggled with money and argued all the
time. His father liked to drink, and that gave him the courage to beat up his
wife and his only child Jack. At the age of fourteen, Jack ran away. He
couldn’t stand it anymore and there wasn’t much he could do. The one time Jack
tried to stand up to his father, he had beaten the shit out of him.

During Jack’s first night on the
street, he met a prostitute called Suzie. Jack was a smart kid and he knew what
she was after. She was a woman of a certain age and she offered to house Jack
in return for regular servicing.

‘I have needs sugar.’ She explained,
while feeling the bulge in Jack’s trousers. With huge embarrassment, Jack
realised he was getting a hard-on.

‘I like….’ She said in a suggestive
tone.

Suzie taught Jack the art of
pleasing a woman. Jack was a fast and grateful learner, however after a few
weeks of living with Suzie he wanted out. She was a sex-crazed bitch who needed
to be pleasured day and night.

One afternoon Jack found himself at
the front gates of Golden & Red Studios. He boldly enquired about a
possible job. They needed a runner, Jack needed a job. His life was about to
change.

****

Frank arrived at one of his offices
on Eucalyptus Hill. He used this place only on rare occasions. It was located
in one of the remaining nineteenth century commercial buildings, surrounded by
appraised restaurants, art galleries and designer boutiques. Frank’s office was
on the top floor of a stunning Victorian building, overlooking tall palm trees
and the beautiful Laurel Park. The office was designed with comfortable
armchairs scattered around the period fireplace; the oak panelled walls and
sparkling chandeliers were an additional luxury.

He greeted his secretary, Edna, and
firmly requested not to be disturbed. Frank sat down behind his enormous desk.
He lit a cigar, one of his old habits that surfaced from time to time, and took
out the envelope from his briefcase. He placed it on the desk. Before he could
look at the contents, Don came in.

‘What time would you like the
meeting to start?’

Frank
looked up surprised. ‘What are you doing here so early? I thought you were at a
meeting.’

‘They pulled out.’ Don informed him.

‘They did?’

‘Works
better for us Frank.’ Don knew what he was doing. Frank didn’t need to be concerned.

‘You say we have a meeting?’ Frank
enquired.

Don was an amazing addition to his
team of people. He was diligent, precise and discreet. He’d been with Frank for
over forty years. He’d found Don in one of his offices doing meaningless
paperwork. Frank made some enquiries about him. Don was a lawyer struggling to
get a job. Frank offered him a temporary position in his company and never
looked back. They had formed a strong business relationship.

‘The strategy meeting?!’ Don
offered.

‘All right!’ Frank buzzed his office
secretary.

‘Edna dear, bring us some coffee and
hold my calls for a while.’

She responded straight away. ‘Yes Mr
Orban.’

Within minutes Edna, a woman in her
forties dressed in a black suit, came in with a bright smile on her face. She
placed two fresh coffees on the small table.

‘Where are the cakes?’ Frank was
disappointed.

‘You know what the doctor said Mr
Orban.’ Edna said, concerned.

‘To hell with the doctors! Bring the
cakes. I know you Edna, you have a tray full of my favourites!’

Edna and Don started laughing. Frank
couldn’t be fooled.

‘You know me too well Mr Orban.’
Edna left and shortly returned with some scrumptious-looking cakes artistically
placed on a silver tray.

‘Don’t you play this trick on me
again woman.’ Frank said helping himself to a slice of chocolate cake.

‘Business now.’ Frank sat back to
listen to Don’s report.

‘I had the final meeting with the
‘Blue Title’ production company. They are interested, but I will need to double
check the terms before signing. All seems in order. The lead role for
‘Your
Night and My Day’
has been cast. Ley Sinclair has been signed as you
requested.’

‘She agreed to the fee?’ Frank
questioned.

‘Yes she did. I didn’t need to offer
our top budget.’

‘You are a clever man Don! I like it.
These actresses are paid too much anyway. Ordinary people don’t earn a quarter
of it in their whole life.’

‘I also have the annual ‘‘revisit’’
report ready for you. I have taken the liberty of arranging a meeting for next
week, at your house with Mr Harvey.

‘Already?’

‘It has been a year.’ Don said.

‘So it has. Maybe this review is
needed. Do you think it is worth a go? ’ Frank mused.

‘It’s a worthwhile cause!’

‘I suppose it is.’

After the meeting, Frank had a
number of contracts to go through, which will take him to the end of the day.
He needed to employ another lawyer, times had changed - nowadays there had to
be a contract for everything.

****

Amy Ronay was enjoying a pleasant
drive home in her black BMW. She lived in a rented house in the Hills. The
drive was perfect to clear her head. The attractive views over the mountains
and the ocean were breath-taking.

Her head was filled with work. The
work she was considering giving up. Mr Carter, her boss, had overstepped the
mark and Amy felt the time had come to move on.

Being a commercial lawyer had some
setbacks, especially when you worked for a company where the boss wanted to get
to ‘know’ you better.

Carter’s represented important clients
and charged the earth. She wasn’t working on commission; they only paid her a
reasonable salary. She had made up her mind; it was time to leave.

Amy was thirty years old, a tall
slim girl, with shiny dark curly hair. She was a natural beauty with sparkling
blue eyes. In Hollywood, where beauty mattered, people were constantly under
pressure to look good. Amy, to try her best, signed up for yoga classes and she
worked out from time to time, but it wasn’t her thing.

She considered calling Mr Carter, to
inform him that she was quitting – maybe later. She needed to think through,
what she wanted to say to the man she detested.

In front of the gate to her house,
she tapped in the code. The gate opened soundlessly and she drove into the
cobbled courtyard. The house was peaceful. The smell of freshly cut grass
scented the air, and the pretty fountain surrounded by colourful flowers was
just gorgeous. The land was walled by high hedges that gave the privacy she
craved. She met the Spanish housekeeper Maria, as she was leaving the house.

‘I am finished today Miss Amy. Maybe
you need anything else…?’ Maria said with a smile.

‘No! No, I am ok. Have a nice
evening. I will see you tomorrow.’

‘Ok Miss Amy, I will be here
tomorrow.’ Maria opened the door of her ‘seen better days’ car but struggled to
start it up – as usual.

‘One day I will buy you a new car
and you will have to accept it!’ Amy informed her. Yet, Maria was a proud
woman, who wouldn’t dream of accepting a car from Amy.

‘Oh no, Miss Amy. You don’t do that,
this is a good car.’ She said happily as the car started up. She waved to Amy
and drove off.

There were things Amy wanted to
attend to and first of all she needed to make a call to cancel a date she had
agreed to. Why again? She dialled the number. It rang out. Maybe he won’t
answer and she’d be off the hook!

‘Hey…girl, you called.’ Ed was
buzzing on the line.

‘About tonight …’ She began.

‘Fancy the Steak House?’ He asked
eagerly.

Ed had met Amy through a client who
needed to sell a house - urgently. Ed’s athletic body, blond hair and blue eyes
worked magic on girls. Even on Amy – she had to admit.

‘I have to work tonight. Something
urgent came up.’ Amy said.

‘I’m asking you out sugar, are you
saying no?’ Talk about disappointment. He expected Amy to jump to attention.

‘I don’t know …’ Amy didn’t like his
tone.

‘Pick you up at eight?’ Ed wasn’t
going to take a
no
! ‘Baby, imagine a lovely dinner in a happening
restaurant. You can relax and get back to your work later.’ He could get any
girl he wanted. Surely she knew this. Amy was a sweet honey, maybe too brainy
but she might come in useful. Ed was selling overpriced mansions to the rich
and famous. He made mega bucks out of a good sale. He was quite ruthless in his
dealings but always got away with it. People wanted him to be confident – well
at least that’s what he told himself.

‘All right! I suppose I will have to
deal with work later.’ Amy surrendered. She needed a distraction to take her
mind off Mr Carter and Ed might just be it!

‘That’s my girl!’ Ed was pleased –
he’d won! Again!

Amy finished the call and stood
still for a moment. She had a feeling Ed was going to be a one date only!

Chapter Three

‘Mr Orban?’ Frank’s office secretary
buzzed the intercom.

‘Your driver is here to take you to
the restaurant. You have a meeting with Mr Blakes.’

‘On my way Edna.’ Frank replied as
he collected his diary and phone. ‘I won’t be back today and I will phone Ed, I
know he is booked for later.’

‘Thank you Mr Orban.’

Frank got into his waiting car and
instructed Joe to take him to Nonna’s. He scanned the note he had picked up
from the secretary on his way out. It was from Ross, a film director from the
studio.

Ross
informed Frank that the lead actress, Selina, was demanding diva treatment,
again! It wasn’t the first time Ross had complained about her. In fact, Frank
was considering letting her go. That diva was trouble. Frank loathed difficult
actresses. Selina got paid mega bucks. She was an English pop star from the
eighties who had met a top Hollywood agent and used him to her advantage. That
was the gossip – Frank had no idea what had really happened but the girl could
act. Frank dialled his friend Jack Harvey.

‘Jack, old boy.’ Frank greeted his
friend who he knew from his early days in the business.

‘Frank, it’s early in the morning!’

‘It’s three o’clock in the
afternoon!’ Frank corrected.

‘Damn! It is!’ Jack didn’t realise
how much time had passed while he was reading.

‘Working Jack?’

‘Can you tell? It’s a remarkable
piece Frank, the guy knows his stuff. You can have it by six tonight.’ Jack was
putting the final changes to one of the studio’s new screenplays. He helped
Frank out sometimes by making new scripts more fitting, when Frank wanted to
sign a new writer. Instead of returning the screenplay to them to re-write, the
studio asked for permission to do it themselves. Usually the writers agreed and
everyone was happy.