happily tell you. But before I do, I should point out that I’m not expecting you to like it. I do , however, expect you to be sensible enough to at least think it over before you say no, because the money is quite excellent for what it is.’
‘Whatever,’ Larry muttered, sounding thoroughly unimpressed. ‘And what is this marvellous thing you’ve got lined up for me, pray tell?’
‘It’s a game show,’ Georgie told him, adding quickly, ‘along the lines of a McIntyre sting,’ in the hopes that the mention of the heavyweight of undercover exposés might draw him in for long enough to hear her out. ‘The production company are US-based, and they assure me that they were doing this kind of thing over there long before McIntyre got into it, so there’s no problem with copyright, or—’
‘Bollocks to copyright,’ Larry interrupted. ‘Who are they, and what’s the deal?’
Crossing her fingers, because he actually sounded interested, Georgie said, ‘They’re called Shock-Wave, and they’re over here filming a documentary series about the differences between US and UK police forces. It’s quite—’
‘They want me to front it?’ Larry cut in again, wondering why on earth she’d assumed that he wouldn’t like it. He’d had nothing for a year, and now he was being offered a whole series – and everyone loved those American cop shows. This could be the start of something huge!
‘Not exactly,’ Georgie said, bringing him back down to earth with a resounding thud.‘Apparently, the officer they’ve been liaising with for the series asked if they’d consider doing this as an offshoot to the main programme, and that ’s what they want you for. Unfortunately, it’s only been commissioned for the States at the moment, but there’s always a chance it’ll be picked up over here if it’s a success. And they’re really keen to have you on board,’ she added, wanting to boost him back up before he completely switched off on the idea. ‘They delayed going back to the States just so they could work with you.’
That last bit was a blatant lie, but Georgie crossed her fingers, praying that Larry wouldn’t question it too closely. He’d always believed that he could make it in the States given half a chance, and with any luck he’d be so flattered at the thought of an American company actually having heard of him that he wouldn’t dig too deeply.
And Georgie wouldn’t disillusion him by telling him that they hadn’t actually heard of him. That it had in fact been the police inspector’s idea to have him as host, claiming that a well-known presenter with a history of falling foul of the law himself might be better suited to luring in the criminals they were targeting than the goody-goody presenter whom Shock-Wave had originally had in mind.
‘The money’s fantastic for a one-off,’ she repeated now. ‘But I do have to warn you that this might be because the project contains a certain element of risk.’
‘Risk?’ Larry lit a cigarette and sucked wetly on it. ‘So, what we talking here? Danger money?’
‘Only inasmuch as you’ll be dealing with criminals. It’s what they call a sting, you see: a fake show to lure in offenders that the police are finding it hard to get hold of by conventional means. But I’m assured there’s no danger of you being left alone with them. You’ll have the full protection of the company’s own security team, and if you saw the McIntyre shows you’ll know that the place will be crawling with police, so I really can’t see anything going wrong.’
Amazed that she had thought he would give this the time of day, Larry said, ‘Fuck that! And fuck you , if this is the only shit you can come up with. What use is it to me if no one will even see it, you stupid bitch? And you think it’s all right to put me in danger, too! Christ, call yourself an agent? I’d get better service off a fucking chimp !’
‘I really wouldn’t advise you to dismiss it
‘Whatever,’ Larry muttered, sounding thoroughly unimpressed. ‘And what is this marvellous thing you’ve got lined up for me, pray tell?’
‘It’s a game show,’ Georgie told him, adding quickly, ‘along the lines of a McIntyre sting,’ in the hopes that the mention of the heavyweight of undercover exposés might draw him in for long enough to hear her out. ‘The production company are US-based, and they assure me that they were doing this kind of thing over there long before McIntyre got into it, so there’s no problem with copyright, or—’
‘Bollocks to copyright,’ Larry interrupted. ‘Who are they, and what’s the deal?’
Crossing her fingers, because he actually sounded interested, Georgie said, ‘They’re called Shock-Wave, and they’re over here filming a documentary series about the differences between US and UK police forces. It’s quite—’
‘They want me to front it?’ Larry cut in again, wondering why on earth she’d assumed that he wouldn’t like it. He’d had nothing for a year, and now he was being offered a whole series – and everyone loved those American cop shows. This could be the start of something huge!
‘Not exactly,’ Georgie said, bringing him back down to earth with a resounding thud.‘Apparently, the officer they’ve been liaising with for the series asked if they’d consider doing this as an offshoot to the main programme, and that ’s what they want you for. Unfortunately, it’s only been commissioned for the States at the moment, but there’s always a chance it’ll be picked up over here if it’s a success. And they’re really keen to have you on board,’ she added, wanting to boost him back up before he completely switched off on the idea. ‘They delayed going back to the States just so they could work with you.’
That last bit was a blatant lie, but Georgie crossed her fingers, praying that Larry wouldn’t question it too closely. He’d always believed that he could make it in the States given half a chance, and with any luck he’d be so flattered at the thought of an American company actually having heard of him that he wouldn’t dig too deeply.
And Georgie wouldn’t disillusion him by telling him that they hadn’t actually heard of him. That it had in fact been the police inspector’s idea to have him as host, claiming that a well-known presenter with a history of falling foul of the law himself might be better suited to luring in the criminals they were targeting than the goody-goody presenter whom Shock-Wave had originally had in mind.
‘The money’s fantastic for a one-off,’ she repeated now. ‘But I do have to warn you that this might be because the project contains a certain element of risk.’
‘Risk?’ Larry lit a cigarette and sucked wetly on it. ‘So, what we talking here? Danger money?’
‘Only inasmuch as you’ll be dealing with criminals. It’s what they call a sting, you see: a fake show to lure in offenders that the police are finding it hard to get hold of by conventional means. But I’m assured there’s no danger of you being left alone with them. You’ll have the full protection of the company’s own security team, and if you saw the McIntyre shows you’ll know that the place will be crawling with police, so I really can’t see anything going wrong.’
Amazed that she had thought he would give this the time of day, Larry said, ‘Fuck that! And fuck you , if this is the only shit you can come up with. What use is it to me if no one will even see it, you stupid bitch? And you think it’s all right to put me in danger, too! Christ, call yourself an agent? I’d get better service off a fucking chimp !’
‘I really wouldn’t advise you to dismiss it
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