“We both know I could make it look like an accident,” Jo said. “But seriously. Sexual harassment lawyers. Libel lawyers. Any type of lawyer that could help a victim come forward if a celebrity harassed or assaulted them.”
“What are you planning?” Evelyn asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” Jo said. “I’ve got to talk to people. Figure it out. I know it’s not your specialty, but you have contacts. Put me in touch with the right people.”
“God, you’re a bulldog,” Evelyn said.
It wasn’t an actual solution—it wasn’t changing the Hollywood culture, thesocietalculture of the way men treat women. Support after the fact wasn’t as good as prevention. But it was something.
“You’ll get me names?” Jo asked.
“I’ll reach out to some people tomorrow,” Evelyn said.
“Good people.”
“As if I associate with anyone else.”
—
Emma turned her phoneback on Thursday morning, but even then she was so inundated with calls that Jo had her turn it off again. No phone made for a quiet week. Not many people had Jo’s direct line, for good reason, but it rang Friday afternoon. Jo didn’t recognize the number, which at least meant it was neitherInnocents’ network nor Agent Silver’s studio.
Instead, it was Annabeth.
“I hope your week hasn’t been too hard,” Jo said.
“Lord, it’s been adisaster,” Annabeth said, but she was laughing. “In a good way, if that’s possible.”
“I’ve had good disaster weeks,” Jo said. “Though I doubt any of them were particularly like your week.”
“Probably not.”
“You’ve done well,” Jo said. “Handled it well.”
“Thank you,” Annabeth said. “I’m actually calling to thank you anyway. For the heads-up. For the kick in the behind to make me step forward.”
Jo didn’t like that phrasing. “Ms. Pierce, I didn’t mean to push you into anything you didn’t want to do.”
“First of all, call me Annabeth,” she said. “And I know you didn’t. Younotpushing me is what I needed to finally decide to do it. Which was the right choice for me. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“And bless his heart, Barry didn’t know what hit him,” Annabeth laughed.
Jo chuckled. Barry’s people had attempted damage control all week, not to much avail. More women had stepped forward. If it had just been about discrediting Jo and the anonymous employee fromInnocents, he might have been able to do it, but this? He was drowning, and it was beautiful. It reaffirmed Jo’s desire to do it to every scumbag in Hollywood.
“I’m thinking of funding a group of publicists and lawyers,” she told Annabeth. “To help women who want to speak out. Get their statements organized, protect them from any lawsuits or threats.”
“That’s great in theory,” Annabeth said, “but there’s more to it than that. I wouldn’t have said anything back during my first movie even if I had lawyers and publicists. That’s not really going to help a teenage actress on the edge of stardom—she’s going to put up with a lot because she thinks it’s the price of fame. I tell you this from experience.”
“It shouldn’t be,” Jo growled. She was quick to anger on this subject, but she tried to reel it in. “I want to do something to stopthe perception that women have to put up with this as the price of fame.”
“You’d have to connect the victims with other job opportunities. Somehow ensure they wouldn’t end their careers by saying something.” Annabeth paused, changing tack. “And victims shouldn’t have to speak out. That’s not always the best choice for them personally. You don’t want to be forcing this on people not ready for it.”
Jo rubbed her forehead. “I want to make a safe space,” she said. “Where victims have access to everything that could help them, no matter the path that’s right for them.”
Annabeth was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, there was a spark in her voice.
“You need counselors, as well as the publicists and lawyers,” she said. “Counselors and other actresses, who have been through it—like mentors. Who can help you through it professionally.”