“And we got it…all but the final twist…” David Turner entered in a fine gray suit and with a spring in his step, “and they will call as soon as it’s cleared.”
Ian stood and helped Mr. Turner to a seat. “How are you today?”
“Great…” he said “And you?”
Ian patted him on the shoulder as Turner turned to the other in the room. “Denver?”
“Dave, Ian just caught me up to speed and I have to apologize…”
“No need.” Turner waved his hand. “These were sneaky dealings; I’m as much to blame as you. Fortunately we have a young upstart here on the team whose part blood hound.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I just had a gut feeling and kept digging. What was done is perfectly legal, if a little immoral, but this is Hollywood.”
Wella patted Turner on the shoulder and put a bottle of chilled spring water in front of him. “Hey there handsome, how you doing today?”
“Oh, Wella, my dear, if I were only young enough…”
“Okay children…” Blake said over the intercom, “He’s here, is everything ready to go?”
Ian looked at Turner. Turner nodded his head. “Send him in.”
“Well, off to get everything ready for the fun part.” Wella stood and nodded to the rest of the room. “Mr. Metcalfe, once again a pleasure. Mr. Turner as always. I will see everyone in about 90 minutes.”
She scooted out the door as the group turned to see Blake escorting Baxter Reilly into the conference room.
Ian nodded his head. “Good morning Mr. Reilly,” Ian shook Reilly’s hand. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure before.”
“No, I don’t believe we have.” Ian couldn’t help but notice the smarmy grin and he couldn’t wait to wipe it off his face. Reilly leaned in, “Let’s not waste a lot of time, gentlemen. Shall we just get to it?”
Ian smiled, “Absolutely.” He opened the file in front of him. “Obviously we have a problem and we are here to figure out what we can do about it.”
“Let’s not beat around the bush. I don’t have time for it and Ian here looks like he could use a nap. You are canceling “Sebastian Manor”. I’m not stupid, just cut to the chase.” Reilly continued to grin, his pencil thin lips almost disappearing into his unkempt beard.
“That decision hasn’t been made, Mr. Reilly…” Ian quietly, but firmly said.
For a brief moment the smile disappeared from Reilly’s face, but returned with an icky sweet voice. “Please, Ian, call me Baxter…all my friends do.”
“Well thank you…” Ian returned the sticky sweet smile “…Mr. Reilly.”
Reilly’s eyes squinted but the smile stayed in place. “It’s no secret that you are developing another soap. It’s also no secret that you are staring at my contract.” He placed his hands behind his head and stuck his chest out. “Tell me about it…”
“Gladly…we have obtained rights to and are developing a new one hour daytime drama based on the Amanda Jackson gothic trilogy…” It was Ian’s turn to smile, he knew that was a bombshell to Reilly and Denver Metcalfe wasn’t aware of that fact either, only the team and David Turner knew.
Metcalfe sat back in his chair and smiled. “Justyn you are just full of surprises…”
“I certainly hope that before this day is through you will have learned that fact several times over…” Ian said. “I had planned on waiting until after the schedule meeting and announce it formally then, but Mr. Reilly has every right to hear it first.”
“Obviously, you’ll need to make room on the daytime schedule and I appreciate you telling me first…” Reilly acquiesced.
“Actually, Mr. Reilly,” Ian corrected him, “I don’t need to make room. “Blood Kisses” will debut, hopefully, premiere week running three nights per in prime time for three weeks as a limited series. We will also run those same episodes, expanded to five hours for three weeks, an hour a day in the 4 PM time slot, not 3 PM, so I don’t necessarily have to cancel “Manor”.
“Don’t be ridiculous…” Reilly pooh poohed, “the affiliates won’t go for that. I’m afraid your lack of experience is making you assume…”
“I’m not assuming anything. We talked 10 affiliates in key markets into moving “The Best of Everything” into that slot for the last two months, which has already resulted in doubling the shares. Couple that with an adaptation of three of the biggest bestsellers of all time and they’ll be falling all over themselves to run it whenever we want…”
“Impressive…” Reilly continued to smile. “I look forward to working on it…”
Ian smiled. “You won’t be working on it. You won’t be going anywhere near it, in fact an old friend of yours, the “Blood Kisses” author herself, Amanda Jackson, will be exec producing and writing. As you were, she has been given carte blanche.”
Ian took a quick look at Turner and Metcalfe, who were exchanging glances. Metcalfe was not bothering to hide a surprised, pleasure filled shock. Turner was grinning, ear to ear, in what Ian almost thought might be pride.
Baxter Reilly saw it and registered it as well. He nabbed their attention back in his favor. “My contract is right there in front of you Justyn. You know the terms and I intend on holding you to them. You cancel “Sensation Manor” and I exec produce and automatically become head writer on any dramatic replacement for the length of my contract.”
“But you wouldn’t do that.” Ian leaned in closely, mocked Reilly smarmy grin. "Now would you friend?”
“In a heartbeat.” Reilly folded his hands on the table and got in Ian’s face. “Got a problem with that? Sue me…bitch…”
Ian reached out and tapped Reilly on the fuzzy check. “But you still seem to be under the impression that we are canceling Sebastian Manor.”
Blake’s phone rang. “Excuse me…” He got up and stepped outside.
“You can’t afford to add a third daytime drama, you have no choice. Once you cancel my drama any new one is my show.” He tapped the contract, file still open in front of them. “Read it and weep.” He turned to Tolan and Metcalfe. “You boys might want to rethink the toddler…” he wiggled his fingers toward Ian. “He’s not very good at this.”
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