Sixkill

'How much is my consulting fee?' I said.

'Six figures would not be unreasonable,' Ratoff said.

'Wow,' I said.

'There'd be a confidentiality agreement, of course,' Ratoff said.

'Of course,' I said.

'So you'll do it?' Ratoff said.

'No,' I said.

Ratoff sat back and stared at me.

'Why?' he said.

'My dog would know,' I said.

'Your dog?'

'Pearl,' I said. 'When she sniffed me, I would no longer smell like rain.'

'Rain?' Ratoff said.

'What the fuck are you talking about,' Silver said.

'Faulkner?' I said. 'Surely you read The Sound and the Fury?'

'Never heard of it,' Silver said.

'There's this guy, Benjy,' I said, 'who's retarded, and his sister Caddy always smells like rain to him. . . .'

'Shut up,' Silver said.

I was quiet.

'We tried the easy way,' Silver said. 'It's not the only way.'

'You could grovel,' I said.

Silver shook his head.

'Don't fuck around with this,' Silver said. 'There's some very important people involved in this. L.A. people. You don't know them, and they like it that way. But trust me, they are important.'

'To whom?' I said.

Ratoff took a try at it.

'There is a great deal of money invested not only in the current film,' he said, 'but in Jumbo Nelson.'

I nodded.

'They are astute businessmen,' Ratoff said. 'They protect their investment. And their approach to protecting their investment is often quite direct.'

'You work for them?' I said.

'I represent them upon occasion.'

'Who are they?' I said.

'They prefer anonymity,' Ratoff said.

'I'll bet they do,' I said.

I looked at Silver.

'You?' I said.

'I am on retainer to Mr. Ratoff's firm,' Silver said.

'My clients,' Ratoff said, 'consider you a loose cannon in this situation, and they want you out of it, whatever way is most efficacious, and they don't care what it requires.'

'Efficacious,' I said. 'You sure you haven't read The Sound and the Fury?'

'I looked into you,' Silver said. 'Everybody said you thought you were tough and funny.'

'But good-natured,' I said.

'Well, I don't think you are either,' Silver said.

'Not even funny?' I said. 'That's cold.'

'One way or another,' Ratoff said, 'this situation is going to evolve without you.'

'Do your damnedest,' I said. 'Unless this was it.'

'This was not it,' Silver said.

'Good,' I said. ' 'Cause this was pathetic.'

Both men stood.

'You'll hear from us again,' Silver said.