“Has Miss Monroe seen to your needs?” Melville asked.
“She’s been great.”
“And your room? Is it okay?”
“It’s very nice. So,” Rockwell said, anxious to finish the small talk and get down to business, “I have to say that I’m very excited by your movie idea, Mr. Melville. What inspired it?”
“I started my career as a prosecutor, and I specialized in prosecuting death penalty cases. After my accident, I came to realize that there were innocent people who had been sentenced to death, and I’ve dedicated myself to finding these men and women and helping gain their freedom.”
“That’s very noble of you.”
“While Miss Monroe and I were investigating these cases, we learned about the murder of your wife, Claire Winters.”
Rockwell frowned. “There’s no mystery about who killed my dear wife.”
“I agree wholeheartedly. The man who was convicted for that heinous crime is where he belongs.”
Rockwell relaxed.
“But your tragedy touched me. Here was a man who hadfame and fortune, but what was that worth when he obtained it at the cost of losing the woman he loved?”
“You got that right. I’d give everything back—the career, the money, the fame—if I could have my Claire back in my arms.”
“Yes, exactly,” Melville said. “And, because of that, I saw all the elements of a great film. We have the murder of a beautiful movie star, the successful investigation and conviction of the man who committed it, and the impact of that horrible crime on you.
“Of course, you will be the focus of the film. The murder, the investigation, and the trial would be a subplot. The conflict between the fame the murder brought you and your anguish at the loss of your wife would be what we would concentrate on. So, now that you’ve heard my idea, what do you think?”
“I think it’s great, and I can’t wait to jump in.”
Melville beamed. “I’d hoped you’d feel that way. Now, I’ve been doing some research into the motion picture industry, and I’m guessing that the first thing we need to do is find someone to write the screenplay.”
“And financing. A good script is important, but finding the money is what makes a project go from an idea to the silver screen.”
Melville nodded. “I’m way ahead of you. I had a successful career in private practice after I left the district attorney’s office, and my investments have done very well, so I can help fund our project. I’ve also talked with some people with deep pockets who are definitely interested in contributing capital.”
“That’s great!”
“Do you have an idea for a screenwriter?”
“Let me give it some thought.”
“Excellent. Now I believe that we should give the writer asmuch background material as we can, and I’ve compiled a list of people who were involved in the case who we want to interview. These would be the detectives, the witnesses, etcetera.”
Melville swiveled his chair and took a thick file out of a cabinet behind his desk. He studied it for a moment.
“We do have names and addresses for some of them, but we’re having trouble locating some of the people who would be characters in the movie.”
“I haven’t kept in touch with the cops or the prosecutors,” Rockwell said. “The DA’s office and the precinct can probably put you in touch.”
“That’s a great idea. There are two people we can’t trace. They’re the people who were with you on the evening of the murder.”
Melville looked down at his file. “One is your old stuntman, Tony Clark, and the other is his neighbor, Rose McIntire. Do you know where we can find either of them?”
Rockwell’s pulse quickened, but he kept his composure.
“I’m afraid I can’t help you there. I only met Miss McIntire once. She was Tony’s neighbor and a fan, so he invited her over. I got her a few parts in some of my films, but I haven’t seen her in ages.”
“And Mr. Clark?”