Page 37 of Jace 4Ever
He opened the drawer and pulled out a little ledger. He flipped to a tab with my name on it. As I stared at the tabs, I started to put the pieces together of what was going on. The tabs had the names of most of the people I worked with on set, including three of the on-screen women and two of the on-screen men.
Denis was essentially running a twisted version of an indentured servitude production company. Where we not only had to pay him back with labor, but we also had to pay him back with a portion of our paychecks.
“Here. You started out with $24,500 and you’ve paid back sixty-six hundred. So, you still owe eighteen thousand.”
“Do you want a cashier’s check or wire transfer?”
His head snapped up and his eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I have it. I have all of it. Right now. Do you want a cashier’s check or wire transfer?”
“Where the fuck did you get that money?”
“I told you I had something coming down the pike last week. I didn’t know it was going to get here that fast. I want to pay you back in full and walk away from this. How do you want to get paid?”
“You can’t—”
“I can. If I pay you back in a lump sum, I’m out of the agreement. The agreement said I was dismissed when you were paid in full.”
He kept staring at me, but I folded my arms. He was trying to figure out a loophole, an excuse to not take the money. He wanted my labor, not the money. And I wasn’t playing that game anymore. I wanted out.
The chair creaked as he sat back in it. “Cashier’s check. Today. And you’re not allowed to leave the productions until it clears the bank.”
“You got it. I’ll get it for you today at lunch. Consider this my resignation. I’m done with this.” I turned and headed for the door of the trailer. “And, you’d better deposit the check today, or I’ll consider going to the police about what I just saw in that little ledger.”
I slammed the door behind myself. I was done. This was over.
Jesus, I owed Nelson so many blow jobs.
Jace:Uh, how do I get a cashier’s check?
Noah: Go to the bank?
Jace: Is that going to be your answer every time?
Noah: Go to the bank.
Jace: Jerk.
Noah: No, seriously. Take your checkbook and go to the bank. The tellers know how to do them. You just need your checkbook.
Jace: Shit. Can’t they use a bank check?
Noah: As long as you have ID and you have an account there, yeah.
Noah: What the hell is going on, Jace? Why all these money questions?
Jace: I’m paying back a debt, finally.
Noah: What debt? Damn it, Jace.
Jace: The money I owe for my brother’s defense attorney.
Noah: I thought that was pro bono?
Hell.
Jace: No. I took out a loan.
