〃This time； venture；〃 I said。 〃I need an opinion from somebody who hasn't any ax to grind。〃
〃From every report I've had； it could be a very good gamble。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said。 〃Now do me a favor。 Hold off any action on the loan until I talk to you later in the day。 Maybe I'll e in on the guarantee in place of Norman。〃
〃You'll still need another million after that。〃
〃I know；〃 I answered。 〃But my writing hand's still good。 I can always sign another note。〃
Moroni laughed pleasantly as we said our good…bys。 He wasn't worried。 He knew I could cover the money easily out of the advance I got from the syndicate that leased the patents on my plastic mold。 Bankers always were ready to lend you as much money as you wanted； so long as you could put up collateral。
I looked down at my watch as I put down the phone。 It was almost seven thirty and I felt fuzzy。 I started to pick up the phone； then changed my mind。 The hell with them。 Let them wait if they wanted to see me。 I turned and went into the bathroom to take a shower。
The telephone rang three different times while I was under the shower。 I stood there letting the hot water soak into my skin and wash away the weariness。 It was almost eight o'clock when I came out of the bathroom and the telephone began ringing again。
It was Von Elster again。 His voice was low and conspiratorial。 〃Nevada； his agent and Rina are on their way up；〃 he whispered。 〃They didn't see us。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。
〃But how are we going to meet？〃
〃I guess it's too late now；〃 I said easily。 〃I'll just have to take my chances with Nevada's agent； I guess。 Tell your Mr。 Norman I appreciate his offer； though。 If there's anything I need； I'll call him。''
I heard his gasp of shock as I hung up。 I laughed and wondered how he was going to explain that to his boss。 I climbed into my trousers and was reaching for a shirt when a knock came at the door。
〃e in；〃 I yelled from the bedroom。 I heard the door open and finished buttoning up my shirt。 I looked for my shoes but they were over on the other side of the bed。 It wasn't worth walking over to get them so I came out in my bare feet。
Rina was already seated on the big couch。 Nevada and another man were standing in the middle of the room。 A slow smile came over Nevada's face。 He held out his hand。 〃Jonas；〃 he said warmly。
I took his hand awkwardly。 It seemed funny to shake hands with him as one would with a stranger。 〃Nevada。〃
There were faint lines of strain in the corners of his eyes； but for a moment they disappeared as he looked up into my face。 〃You're lookin' more like your pappy every day； son。〃
〃You're lookin' pretty good yourself。 Where'd you get them duds？〃
A faint tinge of sheepishness came into his face。 〃That's part of the act；〃 he said。 〃I got to wear 'em。 The kids expect it。〃 He fished in his pocket with that familiar gesture and came up with a package of makin's。 He began to roll a cigarette。 〃I been readin' a lot about you in the papers。 Flyin' from Paris to Los Angeles； gettin' married an' all。 Your wife with you？〃
I shook my head。
He glanced at me shrewdly。 In that moment； I knew he knew how it was with Monica and me。 He could read me like a book。 I could never hide anything from him。 〃Too bad；〃 he said。 〃I'd like to have met her。〃
I looked at the other man to change the subject。 Nevada caught himself quickly。 〃Oh； this is Dan Pierce； my agent。〃
We shook hands and I came right to the point。 〃I saw your picture last night；〃 I said。 〃I liked it。 Too bad you have to make it over。〃
〃I thought talking pictures wouldn't last；〃 Nevada said。
〃That's not the whole story； Nevada；〃 Pierce broke in angrily。 He turned to me。 〃Nevada wanted the picture silent； sure； but by the time we'd started shooting； he saw he was wrong。 We tried then to turn it into a talkie but we couldn't。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Norman wouldn't let us；〃 Pierce said。 〃He only had one sound stage at that time and he was using it for one of his own pictures。 He insisted we start shooting right away or he'd withdraw his guarantee。〃
The picture was clear now。 The whole thing had been a sucker play from the start。 I looked at Nevada。 I didn't understand it。 He was a better poker player than that。
Nevada read me again。 〃I know what you're thinkin'； boy；〃 he said quickly。 〃But I wanted to make this picture。 It said something that none of the other phonies I'd been in even came close to。〃
〃What about Norman？〃 I asked。 〃How e they won't advance you the money to shoot it over？〃
〃They've run out of credit；〃 Nevada said。 〃That's why the bank is calling the loan。〃
〃That's a lot of crap！〃 Pierce exploded again。 〃We're caught in a squeeze play。 Bernie Norman makes the bank call our loan and the bank turns the picture back to him。 He gets it for peanuts … about a third what it would have cost him to make it。〃
〃How much would it take to make the picture over？〃 I asked。
Nevada looked at me。 〃About a million bucks。〃
〃Plus the loan the bank is calling；〃 Pierce added quickly。
I turned to him。 〃Would you still have Norman release the picture？〃
He nodded。 〃Sure。 They've got ten thousand contracts on it an' if it's a talkie； not a theater will cancel out。〃
〃If it's silent？〃
〃We'll be lucky to get fifteen hundred；〃 he said。 〃They all want talkies。〃
〃What do you think I should do？〃
Nevada hesitated a moment； then his eyes came squarely on mine。 〃I wouldn't do it if I was you；〃 he said frankly。 〃You could blow the whole bundle。〃
I saw the look that Pierce threw him。 It was filled with anger but also with a peculiar sort of respect。 To Pierce I was just another sucker。 But to his credit； he recognized that I was something more to Nevada。
I stared at him for a moment； then turned and looked down at Rina； sitting on the couch。 Her face was impassive。 Only her eyes were pleading。
I turned back to Nevada。 〃I'll take the shot；〃 I said。 〃But only on one condition。 I'll buy you out and it will be my picture。 And when we make it again； we'll make it the way I want it。 There'll be no arguments； everybody will do as they're told。 You included。 If I'm going to lose the hand； at least I want to deal the cards。〃
Nevada nodded。 He'd heard my father say the same words often enough。 And he'd been the one who taught me always to reach for the deal when the stakes were high。
〃But what do you know about making pictures？〃 Pierce asked。
〃Nothing；〃 I said。 〃But how many people do you know who have made a talking picture？〃
That stopped him。 I could see the prehension e into his eyes。 What I had said was true。 It was a new business。 There were no veterans any more。 I turned back to Nevada。 〃Well？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said slowly。 〃I'm lettin' you take the whole risk。 I can't lose anything。〃
〃You're wrong！〃 Pierce said quickly。 〃If it's a stinker； your career is shot！〃
Nevada smiled at him。 〃I got along pretty good before；〃 he said。 〃I'm a little old to worry about anything I fell into by accident。〃
〃Well； Nevada？〃
He stuck out his hand and the worry lines around his eyes lifted suddenly and he was young again。 〃It's a deal； Junior。〃
I took his hand and then went over to the telephone。 I called Moroni at the bank。 〃Make arrangements to transfer the loan to Cord Explosives；〃 I said。
〃Good luck； Jonas；〃 he said with a chuckle。 〃I had the feeling you were going to do it。〃
〃Then you knew more than I did。〃
〃That's what makes a good banker；〃 he said。
I hung up and turned back to the others。 〃Now； the first thing I do is fire Von Elster。〃
Nevada's face was shocked。 〃But Von is one of the best in the business；〃 he protested。 〃He's directed every picture I ever made。 He discovered me。〃
〃He's a lousy little shit；〃 I said。 〃The minute he thought you were in trouble； he tried to sell you out。 He had Bernie Norman up here at seven o'clock this morning。 They wanted to give me some free advice。 I didn't talk to them。〃
〃Now maybe you'll believe me when I say Bernie was behind the squeeze；〃 Pierce said。
〃Like it or not； Nevada；〃 I said； 〃we made a deal。 It's my picture and what I say goes。〃
He nodded silently。
〃The next thing I want is for Pierce to arrange for me to see as many of the talkies as possible in the next three days。 Then； next weekend； I'll fly you all to New York。 We're goin' to spend three or four days goin' to the theater。 We might even pick up a stage director while we're there。 We'll see。〃 I paused to light a cigarette and saw a sudden look e over Nevada's face。 〃What are you smiling at？〃
〃Like I said； you're gettin' more like your pappy every day。〃
I grinned back at him。 Just then； the waiter came in with breakfast。 Nevada and Pierce went into the bathroom to wash up and Rina and I were left alone。
There was a gentle look on her face。 〃If you'd only let yourself go； Jonas；〃 she said softly； 〃I think you might bee a human being。〃
I looked into her eyes。 〃Don't try to con me；〃 I said。 〃We both know why I did it。 You and I made our deal last night。〃
The gentle look faded from her face。 〃Do you want me to blow you right now？〃 she asked。
I knew I had hit her from the way she spoke。 I smiled。 〃I can wait。〃
〃So can I；〃 she replied。 〃Forever； if I have to。〃
Just then the telephone