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expression – bland indifference.
    A Lebanese houseman hovered, waiting to take their order for coffee before backing respectfully from the room.
    Deena indicated they should sit on an overstuffed couch, and when they were settled she said in her slightly accented voice, ‘The meeting we are about to have must be absolutely confidential. Am I assured of this?’
    â€˜Of course,’ Jerry replied quickly, offended she might think otherwise.
    â€˜My husband is not to know of this conversation either.’
    â€˜Mrs. Swanson, you are a valued client. Whatever you say to us is strictly for our ears only.’
    â€˜Good.’ She crossed impressive silk-clad legs and reached for a thin black cigarette from a silver box.
    Jerry leaped to attention with his lighter.
    Deena drew deeply on her cigarette, stared first at Jerry then at Steven, and said, ‘I don’t believe in wasting time. Do you?’
    â€˜Couldn’t agree more,’ replied Jerry, ever obliging, and quite attracted to this cool, expensive-looking woman, even though she wasn’t his usual type.
    Deena silenced him with a look. ‘Kindly hear me out,’ she said imperiously. ‘No interruptions.’
    Jerry’s back stiffened. He wasn’t used to being spoken to as if he were hired help.
    Deena began to speak again, oblivious to his hurt feelings. ‘Gentlemen,’ she said calmly, ‘it has recently come to my attention that one of these days I might be obliged to commit the perfect murder.’
    A heavy silence hung over the room while Deena paused for a long moment, allowing her words to register. When she was satisfied they had, she continued. ‘If this situation ever arose, and I failed in my attempt to make it perfect, I would naturally expect you, as my attorneys, to do everything in your power to defend me.’ A long white finger, decorated with a huge diamond ring, pointed straight at Steven. ‘
You
. I would want you to defend me. I understand you’re the best.’
    â€˜Now
wait
a minute,’ Steven interrupted heatedly. ‘I can’t—’
    â€˜No,
you
wait a minute,’ she snapped, a woman used to getting her own way. ‘Allow me to finish.’ She glared at them both, dead blue eyes daring either of them to interrupt again. ‘A retainer of one million dollars was transferred into your company’s account today. All you have to do, Mr. Myerson, Mr. Berkeley, is to be there
when
and
if
– and I emphasize the
if
– I need you.’ She gave a brittle laugh, before adding with slow deliberation, ‘For all our sakes, we should hope that day never comes.’

Chapter 5
    Abe Panther sat behind his large walnut desk, a fierce Inga positioned in the background.
    Lucky Santangelo entered the room, accompanied by Morton Sharkey, her West Coast lawyer.
    Abe greeted Lucky with a friendly nod. They had met only once before and he’d warmed to her instantly – recognizing in her a true maverick and adventurer. She reminded him of himself when he was young.
    â€˜You’re looking well, Mr. Panther,’ Morton Sharkey said politely, still in a mild state of shock that Lucky had been able to get this far. When she’d first come to him with her wild proposition he’d almost laughed in her face. ‘Don’t you know you’re asking the impossible?’ he’d warned her. ‘Panther Studios is controlled by Mickey Stolli and Ben Harrison. And let me tell you, I know for a fact they’d never even consider selling.’
    â€˜Aren’t you forgetting they merely run it?’ Lucky had replied coolly. ‘And from what I hear, they’re mostly in business for themselves. Don’t worry, Morton, I’ve had every detail checked out. Abe Panther owns the studio one hundred per cent. He can do whatever he likes. And I want him to sell it to me.’
    â€˜The man is a hundred and six,’ Morton had