Bookman's promise

“Don’t, please. It’s not necessary.”

“You must like having that to hold over my head. Does it empower you having seen me in a bad light? Do you think you’ll get a better deal that way?”

“Let’s just talk business, Hal.”

“I am talking business and you’re starting to make me angry again. Do you think it’s easy for a man like me to apologize? About anything?”

“Look, Hal…I told you before, we’re fine.”

“But you’re lying, precious. Besides, maybe you’re not so fine with me.”

“If that’s the case, I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry, all right. Because now I’ve got something you want.”

“Which we haven’t even seen yet. I don’t know whether this was written by Richard Burton or the man in the moon.”

This was followed by another awkward silence. Then Archer said, “I’m not gonna give anything away. You’re good- looking, precious, but not that good,” and the tone changed again.

“You know what?” Erin said. “I’ve just decided I’m not in the mood for this.”

“Now there’s the Erin I know. She takes no prisoners. She goes straight for the gonads.”

“Do you want to talk or not?”

“I don’t know, what’s your offer?”

“You know what the offer is.”

“It’s not enough.”

“Then let’s hear your counteroffer.”

“Double it for starters. And you be a lot nicer than you have been. A lot, lot nicer.”

“That’s not going to happen, Hal.” “What isn’t?”

“Either condition. Double would be five times what anybody else would pay. And I will be civil and professional and that’s all you’ll ever get from me. I hope we’re clear at least on that.”

“Don’t put too high a premium on it, sweetheart. It’s just possible that I wouldn’t want anything you’ve got.”

“Then we’re making progress. We have our first item of agreement.”

“You really are one cold, calculating bitch.”

“Another comment like that and I’m on the next flight back to Denver.”

“So who’s stopping you?”

I heard her get up. She moved across the room and came toward the door.

Incredulous, he said, “You’d actually walk out of here? With all that’s at stake…”

“You’ve got a lot more at stake than I do. And the answer is yes. Keep a civil tongue in your head or I’m gone.”

He laughed without amusement. “You really are something else.”

She waited.

“All right, let’s talk,” he said.

She sat. “Start with the offer you’ve got. It’s already generous, as I’m sure you know.”

“That’s your opinion. How much is a lifetime worth? And let’s dispense with the notion that doubling it would be five times anything. There’s no telling what something like this would sell for in a well-publicized auction.”

“I’ve looked at recent auction records.”

“There are no auction records for this and you know it.”

Silence. Finally he said, “We’re talking unique, precious.”

“Maybe it’s so unique it doesn’t exist. You haven’t shown me anything yet.”

Archer laughed. “Now who’s wasting time?”

“Then show it to me. I’ll have to see it anyway, before anything real can happen.”

“Let’s get in the same ballpark first. If I put this at auction it’ll go through the roof.”