“People want stories. Ones with a hook, a few good twists, and a satisfying conclusion. They want to feel their feelings and then to formdefinitive opinions.”
“It’s not an ‘opinion’ that Odetta Olson murdered Dorian Fisher,” Constance said.
“You have to stop saying that out loud,” Lou said. “It sounds so bad.”
Constance gave her a pointed look. “Yeah well, the truth can be a real bitch.”
I sighed. “Focus, people. We were probably the only direct witnesses, which means it’s all on us. If we come forward, every time someone does a search on any of our names, the first hit will be that we witnessed Dorian Fisher’s murder and did nothing.”
“We could report it anonymously,” Constance said.
“Maybe, but…”
Why was it so hard for me to share my own story? The girls had both done it. It was time.
“I have a motive, too,” I blurted out.
Lou and Constance perked up. I wondered if anyone could see us here, out in the open. Three girls in questionable states of mind, plotting how they might get out of being implicated in a very famous man’s murder.
I took a deep breath and puffed out my cheeks as I exhaled.
“When I arrived in Cannes, I had a great boyfriend and a great job, and I thought these were the things I cared the most about in the world. I was wrong.”
I told them about the screenplay I wrote, the thrill I’d felt doing it. I was so grateful to have what I had that I never allowed myself to dream beyond that. And I would have continued on like this, if Ben, the love of my fucking life, hadn’t stolen my work and passed it off as his.
“At the party, Ben told me that Dorian Fisher was buying ‘his’ screenplay for half a million dollars. He was there to sign the deal. He said he’d split the money with me if I kept my mouth shut and didn’t tell DorianFisher that it was never his screenplay to sell.”
“Your boyfriend stole your work and offered to give you half of the money for it?” Constance asked, dismayed.
I nodded. “Right before I came downstairs and found you.” If nothing else, it was a relief to no longer carry this alone. “I essentially told him to go fuck himself and that I would go to Dorian Fisher and tell him the screenplay was mine. One of the last things Ben told me was that, unless he dropped dead on the yacht, the deal was happening. I guess he didn’t consider the fact that Dorian Fisher dropping dead might also tank the whole thing. So now Ben has lost his big check, and I was very clear about the fact that I’d do anything to stop the deal. I keep thinking that Ben might be a little eager to say that I was enraged when I went to speak to Dorian Fisher and that I was out to get revenge.”
“Gosh, I hopeheends up in the Mediterranean Sea, too,” Lou said.
Constance winced.
“Sorry,” Lou said. “Too soon.”
“And it’s the truth. I wassomad. I really did want to do anything to stop it. And here’s the other thing I can’t stop thinking about. Maybe the police will believe that we’re innocent, but what about all the people on that yacht? They’re some of the richest, most connected people in Hollywood. They have alotof influence. Even if we report it anonymously,they’llknow it was us. No one will let us come within fifteen feet of a decent job ever again.”
“But there are three of us,” Constance said. “If we align our stories, like you said, if we stick together, we can get through this. And what’s the alternative? To protect a murderer? To lie to the police?”
Still neither of us suggested going to confess right away, so instead we walked back to the hotel in silence. The lobby was packed with suitcases and people checking out. In a few hours, the closing ceremony would beunderway, the Palme d’Or would be announced, and the festival would be over.
This was the end, but it didn’t feel like it. On closer inspection, the air seemed charged. People were casting glances around, whispering.
Did you hear about that party last night?
Do you know what happened?
And then all three of our phones beeped at the exact same time.
Dis-Moi ToutPodcast
DM1:Just when we thought the festival was wrapping up, this edition of Cannes is getting curiouser and curiouser.
DM2:We’re hearing someverystrange things. Some of which we can tell you about…
DM1:And others we need to hold on to a little longer. There are tips we can’t just run with.