I didn't know what they wanted but I was damn sure it boded no good for Nevada.
"Wait down there until I can get dressed. I'll call you."
I put down the phone and finished lighting the cigarette.
The blue cover of the script caught my eye.
I picked up the telephone again. I gave the operator Tony Moroni's home number out in the valley.
"Sorry to wake you up, Tony," I said. "This is Jonas."
His soft voice chuckled over the phone.
"That's all right, Jonas. I get up early, anyway.
By the way, congratulations on your marriage."
"Thanks," I said automatically, suddenly remembering I hadn't even thought about Monica since I came to town. "Did you bank Nevada Smith's new picture?"
"The Renegade?"
"Yeah."
"Yes, we did," he answered.
"What's the story on it?" I asked.
"Its a good picture," he said.
"It would have a bettor chance if it were a talkie, but it's a good picture."
"If you think it's good, why are you calling your loan?"
"Let me ask a question first, Jonas," he said.
"Exactly what is your interest?"
"I don't know yet," I said frankly. "Nevada's my friend. I want to find out what's happening.
Why are you calling the loan?"
"You know how we work," he explained. "We made the loan to Smith on his collateral plus the guarantee of the Norman Pictures Company.
Now Bernie Norman needs credit to remake some of his own pictures, so he's withdrawing his guarantee. Automatically, that means we have to call in the loan."
No wonder Von Elster and Bernie Norman were down in the lobby waiting to see me.
They didn't want anybody to interfere with their fingering Nevada.
"Exactly what happens to Nevada?" I asked.
"If he can't pay the loan, we foreclose on the picture, then all his collateral goes into an escrow account. Then we liquidate until we recover."
"What do you do with the picture then?" I asked.
"Junk it?"
"Oh, no." He laughed softly. "Then we turn it over to Norman to release.
That gives Bernie a chance to get his money out. He has about four hundred thousand in it.
After he recovers, the overage is paid to us. When our loan is paid off, we turn over what's left to Smith."
The whole thing was beginning to make sense. By the time any money got to Nevada, he'd have had it.
"What's the chances on any overage?" I asked.
"Not very good," Tony answered. "Under the present deal, the distribution fees are very low and Nevada Smith's money comes out first. When we take over, the fees will triple and his share will come out last."
"Who gets the fees – the bank?"
He laughed again.
"Of course not. Bernie does. He's the distributor."
Now I had it.
The boys downstairs were going to make it real big. Screw Nevada.
That way, they could grab themselves off a big one for practically nothing. I wondered just how smart Nevada's agent could be if he let him stick his head into a trap like that.
"One more question, Tony," I said, "and I'll stop bothering you.
How much more money should it take to make The Renegade over as a talkie?"
He was silent for a moment.
"Let's see," he said.
"The sets are still standing, they have all the costumes. That's about half the cost.
Maybe another million, less, if they're lucky."
"Is it worth it?"
He hesitated.
"I usually don't venture opinions on pictures.