Chapter Twenty-three

JANET PINCH HITS

Janet and Helen found that Jim Hill was extremely pleasant and likeable, but he appeared to be laboring under some severe nervous strain and Janet noticed that his hands shook when he picked up a glass of milk.

"This script for your broadcast has about got me down," he confessed. "I've got to keep lots of punch in the action and yet I can't give away the actual plot of the film. On top of that old Adolphi is a regular crab and it doesn't seem like anything will suit him. This whole show of yours has to be okayed Saturday night by the Ace film people and if they don't like it they can cancel out and give it to another company."

"Is there any danger of that?" asked Janet.

"I'll say there is. This is a juicy contract and two other chains would like to get it on their networks. Believe me, there is some intense rivalry in getting big contracts like this. Why the Acme and the Sky High chains would be willing to pay a large sum just to see us fizzle the rehearsal Saturday night."

Janet was silent for a time. She had sensed the tension in the studio without knowing exactly what was behind it. Now she knew what was wrong.

Jim Hill was speaking again.

"Both of you girls are from the original film company on the coast, aren't you?" he asked.

Helen nodded in agreement.

"Then perhaps you would have some suggestions that might help me out of this tangle," suggested the continuity writer.

"Mr. Adolphi suggested that several days ago and I worked one whole afternoon on it, but someone stole the manuscript I had finished out of my room," explained Janet.

Jim whistled softly to himself.

"So that's how it stands." Janet and Helen weren't sure whether he was talking to them or to himself.

The continuity writer pushed back his chair and stared at them appraisingly.

"I wish you'd help me and I'll promise that your script won't be stolen from your hotel room. What do you say?"

Janet looked at Helen, and her companion nodded approvingly. The decision was easy to make for Jim was likeable and both of the girls wanted the broadcast to be a success.

"All right, we'll do it," said Janet.

"You mean you'll do it," Helen corrected her. "I'm not good as a writer and you can fairly make a typewriter talk. I'll just hang around and give you whatever advice I can and try not to be a nuisance."

"Say, that's great," said the continuity writer. "When can you begin?"

"As soon as we are through rehearsing this afternoon," promised Janet.

"How long will it take?"

"I don't know," she confessed. "Radio continuity is something new for me. I'll simply do the rough stuff and you'll have to smooth it over."

"Then suppose you come to my office as soon as you're through and you can work right on into the evening. Helen and I will see that you are well supplied with coffee, sandwiches and whatever you want in the way of eats."

"I'll be there," promised Janet. "Now we've got to get back to the studio."

At rehearsal that afternoon neither their director nor Rachel Nesbit were in a good mood and Rachel made it obvious that despite Curt's explanation she still blamed Janet and Helen for being taken off the continuity work on the script.

"It was the chance of a lifetime," Janet overheard her telling another girl in the company. "What if there is a clause about keeping the script secret. I'd know it as soon as the final chapter is placed in the hands of the company for rehearsal."

"But we won't get the final chapter until Saturday afternoon," replied the other. "They're taking no chances about any leaks on this program so any of the other companies can interfere with their contract for this big film broadcast."

Janet had no idea just how much the broadcast of their program would mean to the World Broadcasting Company, but from all the talk in the studio, she knew that it must be an exceedingly large sum. The vice president in charge of programs dropped into the studio that afternoon and watched them work for over an hour. At the end of that time, when the director called a brief recess, Janet saw him conferring with Mr. Adolphi. Whatever passed between them evidently was not pleasant to the director for he called them back at once and they started all over again, the director driving them with an intensity that approached a white-hot fury.

At last the rehearsal was over and most of them were completely worn out. Janet, fortunately, had been spared most of the director's criticism while poor Helen had come in for several bitter attacks from him.

"I'm going on to the hotel, take a shower and crawl into bed," said Helen. "Another day like this will put me in bed for a week."

"I'll be along later," said Janet. "Get the mail at the desk and if there are any letters for me, leave them on my bed."

They parted, Helen taking the elevator down and Janet turning toward the suite of rooms where the continuity writers worked. At the end of a long corridor, she found Jim Hill's office, a tiny cubby that contained only a desk, chair and typewriter stand.

"I thought you'd forgotten all about this writing date," said Jim, looking up. "I've patched up the sequence that Adolphi objected to this afternoon, but I'm still in a mess over the last episode. It's got to carry a lot of punch and this is the chapter we've got to guard until the last afternoon of rehearsal. There are more leaks in a big studio like this than you can shake a fist at."

"But who would give away this information?" asked Janet.

"That's not hard to guess," replied Jim. "It could be someone jealous of another member of the company, or someone who wanted a job with another broadcasting outfit and who figured that by double crossing his or her present employer, a better job could be obtained."

Jim stood up and motioned for Janet to take his place at the typewriter. Briefly he explained what he had been trying to work out and Janet thought his ideas sounded good. But somewhere the winning punch was lacking.

She scanned the last pages of script which he had written. Then she rolled a fresh sheet of copy paper into the typewriter and started work. A new interest took possession of her and the fatigue of the day dropped away as she got into the swing of the writing.