Pursuit of Justice
The name came to Brody in his sleep one night. He could not remember any details of the dream the following morning, but the name lingered in his mind: Gwendolyn Justice. A recent college graduate working as a copy editor for a small, local newspaper, he had been in the process of writing his first whodunit during his free time. Working evenings and weekends, he made slow and steady progress. On the night of his dream, he was roughly three-quarters of the way through the book.
The main character was to be a female sleuth: a mannish, no-nonsense detective named Josephine Vaccaro, who went by the nickname of "Joe." Upon waking up that morning, however, Brody called in sick at work, sat down in front of his laptop and edited his manuscript. In slightly under eight hours' time, Joe Vaccaro was transformed into the ultra-feminine Gwendolyn Justice. His original detective's close-cropped chestnut hair was replaced by long, softly curled blond locks. The squinty brown eyes that hid behind the thick lenses of Joe's outdated eyeglasses changed to a shade of blue that resembled the color of a cloudless summer sky. What required the most rewriting was the removal of Joe's dialogue, written to reflect her heavy Brooklyn accent, and the inclusion of Gwendolyn's words, spoken with a captivating British accent. Thus, the street-smart New York cop was out; the Oxford-educated Scotland Yard inspector was in.
Modifications to the plot itself were essential but relatively easy. The crime scene shifted from the Upper East Side of Manhattan to London's Kensington Square. Lastly, the victim: the unfaithful husband of a wealthy New York socialite and Mayflower descendant was put to rest, and the philandering husband of a wealthy London socialite and daughter of a peer of the realm was murdered in his place.
Brody Hellerman's book was eventually published under the title Brought to Justice and became an international bestseller. Literary critics on both sides of the Atlantic gave favorable reviews, many referring to Gwendolyn Justice as the twenty-first century female equivalent of Sherlock Holmes.
"You've created the perfect woman," Sydney Hellerman-Gale, Brody's sister and number one fan, declared after reading the first edition copy he had sent her. "She's intelligent, articulate, empowered, beautiful in a nonthreatening or degrading way ...."
"You should have been the writer," her brother laughed. "If I were asked to describe Gwendolyn Justice, I would say 'smart, cute and classy.'"
"That would be like describing the Grand Canyon as a 'crack in the ground.'"
All kidding aside, no one appreciated the fictional detective's attributes as much as her creator did. Like Dr. Victor Frankenstein, Brody had given life to the creature—metaphorically speaking. The author was so proud of his progeny that he wrote a sequel centered on the clever British inspector. Miscarriage of Justice, the second novel, not only sold more copies than the first but earned the author both an Edgar Award and the Hammett Prize.
Brody was working on his third Gwendolyn Justice case, Fugitive from Justice, when he received a phone call from Stanislaus Janikowski, an Oscar-winning Hollywood producer who was interested in procuring the movie rights to Brought to Justice.
"Sorry, but I'm not interested," Brody said before the producer even had the opportunity to make an offer.
"Wait. Don't you want to know how much money I'm willing to pay?"
"Frankly, I don't care about the money. After all, I'm not some penniless writer hoping to sell a short story to a magazine willing to pay six cents a word. I've had two books on the bestseller list, and I'm writing a third, which I hope will sell as well."
"Michael Crichton got a million and a half for the rights to Jurassic Park, and J.K. Rowling got two million for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I'd say that amounts to way more than six cents a word."
"True," Brody agreed, now willing to at least take the time to hear what Stanislaus had to say.
"Then there's Dan Brown," the producer continued. "He pulled in a cool six million for The Da Vinci Code."
"That much? Okay. I'm interested. How high a number are we talking for Brought to Justice?"
"Your book doesn't have any of the hype and controversy to boost ticket sales that The Da Vinci Code had, so I'm not willing to pay you quite as much as Dan Brown got. I'll tell you what; how does five million sound?"
"Like music to my ears."
"That price is conditional, though."
"Upon what?"
And so, my financial windfall will soon be gone with the wind, Brody thought pessimistically. Speaking of which, I wonder how much money Margaret Mitchell made on the movie rights to her novel.
He would later discover that she received fifty thousand, a record amount back in 1936.
"The condition is that I pay you five million for your debut novel, and if the movie is a success, I get the option on Miscarriage of Justice," Stanislaus explained.
"And how much will you be willing to pay for that one?"
"The price will be negotiable, but, at a minimum, I'd be willing to spend as much as I am for the first book."
There was silence on the line as Brody considered the offer.
"Well, what is it?" Janikowski prompted. "Deal or no deal."
"Send over a written contract, Howie Mandel, and I'll have my lawyer take a look at it. If he's happy with it, you've bought yourself the movie rights."
* * *
Not wanting to take valuable time away from completing his novel, Brody declined Janikowski's offer to write the screenplay for the movie. That task was then given to Merve Frobisher, a man who had collaborated with such movie greats as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino. About the same time Frobisher finished the first draft of his script, the producer wrapped up production on a romantic comedy and turned his attention to finding the perfect actress to cast in the role of Gwendolyn Justice.
Keira Knightly came to mind. With blond hair she would look the part. However, many people thought of her as Elizabeth Swann, the character she played in The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Besides, after two Oscar nominations, she would no doubt demand a higher salary than he was willing to pay. Other names were rejected as well: Emily Blunt, Emma Watson, Claire Foy and Carey Mulligan.
"I want a new face," he told his good friend, Piers Kilgallen, who was working on a film in Britain. "One people will not associate with any other role."
"I think I might be able to help you out," the director said. "I know a young woman who would make the perfect Gwendolyn Justice."
"Does she have any acting experience?"
"She's done some musical theater work here in London, a little Shakespeare as well."
"Ever been in front of a camera?"
"I believe she had a small role on an episode of Doctor Who."
Despite Holly Lynde's lack of experience, when Stanislaus Janikowski saw a photograph of the pretty blond actress, he was convinced she was the right woman to play Brody's Scotland Yard inspector.
Providing she can act, he thought.
Rather than fly Holly to California for a screen test, Stanislaus got on a plane and flew to London where she was appearing at Shakespeare's Globe in a production of Othello. The actress was cast not as Desdemona but in the lesser role of Bianca, Cassio's jealous lover. Despite her paucity of lines, her delivery was impressive. It was clear to the producer that she had talent and, more importantly, presence.
At the conclusion of the play, Janikowski went backstage to talk to Holly. He was surprised to learn that Piers Kilgallen had not mentioned anything to her about the potential movie role.
"I'm a producer," he explained when he saw that his name meant nothing to her. "I'm interested in having you test for the lead role in my new film."
"How original!" she said facetiously. "The door's that way."
"That's no cheap pick-up line. I really am making a movie. It's based on the book Brought to Justice by Brody Hellerman."
A spark of hope appeared in her blue eyes.
Is this guy on the level? she wondered.
"Look, don't take my word for it. Call Piers Kilgallen," the producer suggested. "He's a friend of mine. He'll vouch for me."
Stanislaus reached into his pocket, took out a business card and placed it on her dressing room vanity.
"Give me a call if you're interested," he said, turning to leave. "But you gotta let me know by the end of the week. We begin shooting on the first."
* * *
"How's the new novel coming?" Sydney asked when she phoned her brother to wish him a happy birthday.
"Good. I ought to be done with it in another week or so," Brody answered.
"What's it going to be called?"
"Criminal Justice."
"I like that one."
"Did I tell you I'm going to London next month?"
"No. What's in London?"
"The world premiere of Brought to Justice."
"How exciting!" his sister exclaimed. "Are there going to be any movie stars there?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
"Have you had the opportunity to meet your Gwendolyn yet?"
"My Gwen—? Oh, you mean Holly Lynde? No. Stan Janikowski sent me a film clip of a scene from the movie, though. She seems okay."
"Talk about a lukewarm review! What's wrong? Can't she act?"
"Of course, she can. If she were cast in a different role maybe ...."
"I suspect no actress will satisfy your high expectations."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Brody asked defensively.
"You've got a 'thing' for your British inspector," Sydney explained.
"Oh, come on! You make me sound like a jealous husband."
"I was thinking more along the lines of an overprotective father. In essence, you gave birth to Gwendolyn Justice. She's your creation and your pride and joy. Now, along comes Holly Lynde. To the movie-going public she will become your detective, and I don't think you're willing to share Gwendolyn with her."
"That's ridiculous!" Brody cried and changed the subject.
Secretly, however, he wondered if his sister was right.
* * *
The London premiere of Brought to Justice had all the glitter, glamour and glitz of an evening at the Oscars. Movie stars from both sides of the Atlantic attended. The Hollywood luminaries were joined by a liberal sprinkling of British aristocrats and even a few members of the royal family. Amidst all the high fashion and sparkling jewelry, Brody Hellerman had eyes for only one person: Holly Lynde. It was as though the writer's fairy godmother had waved her magic wand across the pages of Brought to Justice and—bippity boppity boo!—out sprang Gwendolyn Justice in the flesh.
"You're everything I imagined when I wrote the book," he said when the two were introduced after the screening of the movie.
"And you're everything I imagined when I read it," the quick-witted actress replied.
She's got a sense of humor, Brody thought with appreciation. I'll have to be sure to bring it out in my next book.
In the weeks that followed the premier, Brody remained in London. During that time, he and Holly were inseparable.
"They always say truth is stranger than fiction," he mused from atop the London Eye, gazing at the city skyline. "As a writer, I would never have come up with a love-at-first-sight and happily-ever-after scenario like this one."
Holly tightened her grip around his waist and smiled up at him.
"And I wouldn't have believed it, but here we are."
"And in under twenty-four hours, we'll board a plane at Heathrow that will take us to our new life."
"I have to admit I'm a little nervous."
"Why?"
"I don't know if you sister will like me."
"Don't worry; she'll love you. Now give me a kiss. By this time tomorrow, you'll be Gwendolyn Hellerman."
"Gwendolyn?" Holly echoed, laughing at his slip of the tongue.
"Did I say that? My subconscious mind must be telling me it's time to get back to writing."
"Well, let your subconscious mind know that you're taking some time off to spend with your soon-to-be wife."
For more than a decade the couple enjoyed a happy marriage, dividing their time between their California condominium and their London flat. During that time, Brody completed six more novels: Poetic Justice, Obstruction of Justice, Justice of the Peace, Rough Justice, Divine Justice and Justice for All. Holly continued portraying the Scotland Yard inspector on film. Over the years, the writer had incorporated aspects of his wife's personality into his fictional sleuth, including her fondness for fish and chips and her dislike of Yorkshire pudding.
Brody was only four chapters away from finishing what was to become Delayed Justice when he received a phone call from Stanislaus Janikowski, who had produced every Gwendolyn Justice film since Brought to Justice.
"What's up?" Brody asked when he saw the producer's name on his caller ID.
"I'm afraid I've got some bad news," Janikowski answered. "It's Merve Frobisher. He's been diagnosed with terminal cancer. His doctor gives him less than six months."
Although there had been disagreements in the past over how to portray Gwendolyn Justice on film; over all, the two writers enjoyed a pleasant and successful collaboration. His wife had also grown close to the screenwriter. Since being cast for the lead role in Brought to Justice, Holly had come to view the older man as a father figure.
"Things won't be the same anymore," the actress sobbed, wiping the tears from her eyes with a Kleenex.
"We're all going to miss Merve, but life goes on and so will the franchise. Stan will find someone else to write the script for Divine Justice."
* * *
"I thought it would be a good idea for us to get to know one another since we'll probably be working together for quite a while," the screenwriter announced when Holly Lynde sat down at the table of an out-of-the-way London Pub.
"I'm always happy to go out to lunch with a coworker," the actress replied. "I'm only sorry Brody can't be here to meet you, but he's going to remain in the States a while longer."
"Stan tells me he's having difficulty finishing the new book."
"Yes, he is. For the first time in his career, he's experiencing writer's block. That's why he's agreed to give you complete creative control on this script. Frankly, I was surprised at that move. He's always been so possessive of his Gwendolyn."
"There's no need for him to worry. I've read every one of his novels, and I feel as though I know her inside and out."
The server came to the table, and Holly ordered her favorite dish: fish and chips. The screenwriter ordered a burger and fries. She would have preferred a pushcart hot dog, but this was London, not New York.
"You say your husband is possessive of his lady detective. Tell me, as an actress, how do you feel about Gwendolyn Justice?" the screenwriter asked.
"I love her! She's gotten to be a part of me. It may sound funny, but it's like the two of us are slowly melding into one."
As she doused her burger and fries with ketchup, the writer asked, seemingly offhand, "What do the both of you think of Brexit?"
"Me and Brody?"
"No. You and Gwendolyn."
"She doesn't have an opinion on it," Holly answered with a laugh.
"Oh, no? She's supposed to have been born and raised in London. Surely, as an Oxford-educated woman, she would have strong feelings about it."
"She's not political."
"What does she feel about other things?" the screenwriter pressed.
"Like what?"
"Like climate change, same-sex marriage, abortion and immigration. What about bringing back the death penalty? That one ought to be of major interest to a Scotland Yard inspector."
"None of these subjects ever pop up in my husband's novels."
"Okay. What about Gwendolyn's personal life? Does she have a significant other? Will she eventually marry and have children?"
"I don't know what Brody has in store for her. Why do you ask? I thought you said you knew her inside and out."
The screenwriter was blunt.
"Yes, I do. That's because she's a rather one-dimensional character."
As a loyal wife, Holly was offended by the other woman's criticism of her husband's work. However, as an actress who had played the part for more than a decade, she reluctantly agreed with her.
"Let me be perfectly honest," the writer said. "As I see it, Gwendolyn Justice doesn't have much shelf life left. The fact that your husband is running out of steam on his current novel only proves my point."
Holly looked the other woman directly in the eye. Moments later a smile appeared on her face.
"Maybe the Gwendolyn Justice franchise is in need of some fresh ideas," she declared. "You've got creative control on this film. What do you intend to do with it?"
* * *
It became a race between Brody Hellerman and his wife as to what would be finished first: the rough draft of his new book or the principal photography of the film adaptation of Divine Justice. In the end, the writer won. After finishing the last chapter, he boarded a plane and flew to London. Eager to see her husband after their four-month separation, Holly met him at Heathrow herself.
"I missed you so much!" she cried as she hugged him tightly.
"Not half as much as I missed you," he replied.
"I'll drive," he offered as they approached his wife's MINI Cooper in the airport parking lot.
"So, you're done with the book?" Holly asked as Brody made his way toward the M4.
"Finally! But I want to look it over one more time before I send it off to the publisher."
"What's this one going to be called?"
"I haven't decided yet. I've just been so frustrated trying to finish it, that I haven't thought about a title. Enough about me. How's the picture coming?"
"Great! You're going to love what the new screenwriter has done."
"Really? Is she better than Merve Frobisher was?"
"I don't mean to speak ill of the dead, but yes. She's fantastic! She's made Gwendolyn Justice a force to be reckoned with."
A warning bell rang in Brody's head, similar to the ringside gongs used in boxing matches. It was his signal to put up his dukes and enter the ring.
"What do you mean?" he asked, unaware his hands were tightening their grip on the steering wheel.
"Remember that young man in your book, the Labour candidate for MP?"
"Yeah, what about him? He's just a minor character. As I recall he only appears in one chapter."
"Well, in the film version, he's become much more important to the storyline—and to Gwendolyn."
"How so?"
"We think it's high time for Ms. Justice to have a romantic interest in someone."
"Oh, you do?" the writer asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I assume by we, you mean you and that new screenwriter."
"That's right. She thinks there ought to be some changes made, and I agree with her."
"What gives either of you the right to meddle with my work?"
"Neither of us is touching your novels, and, as for the film adaptations, they're our work, not yours."
"That's absurd! I created Gwendolyn Justice. She's mine. No one else has a claim on her."
"Excuse me!" Holly cried, her anger now matching his. "I've starred in that role for more than ten years. I most definitely have a claim on her."
The argument continued as they drew closer to London. It reached its peak when Brody left the M4 at Junction 1. As he pulled onto the A4, he momentarily forgot he was driving in England, not America. He entered the highway on the right-hand side of the road, not realizing his mistake until he saw a lorry coming directly at him. In the last moments of her life, Holly Lynde-Hellerman wished she had insisted on driving when they left the airport.
* * *
Although Divine Justice was nearly completed, Stan Janikowski decided to shelve the picture rather than try to finish the remaining scenes with another actress playing the lead role. Once production was closed down, the producer met with the screenwriter.
"I really liked your script," he told her. "Too bad things worked out the way they did. It would have made a hell of a movie!"
"Thank you."
"I've got the rights to a Civil War drama that I need a script for. Would you be interested?"
"I appreciate the offer, but I'd like to try my hand at something else."
"Comedy? Science fiction? Horror? I've got plenty of projects in the making."
"No. I want to go back to New York and try writing a novel."
"Well, good luck to you. Give me a call if you change your mind."
"Thanks again. I will."
"Oh, and if your book is any good, I want first dibs at the movie rights," Janikowski laughed.
Three days later, the former screenwriter sat down at her desk and removed a laptop computer from its case. There were several Word files in the folder entitled manuscript, each containing five chapters. Based on the length of the book, she estimated it would take her two to three weeks to make the necessary changes.
First things first, she thought, opening chapters one through five and beginning the task.
Using the Word's find/replace and cut/paste features, she removed all Brody Hellerman's references to London and its environs, making the new setting of the story the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Next, the scene of the crime was changed from Trafalgar Square to Central Park. This necessitated hundreds of minor edits, mainly substituting British expressions with American ones. Apartment to flat; torch to flashlight; solicitor to lawyer; chemist to drugstore; lift to elevator; petrol to gasoline.
This is almost like translating into another language.
Two weeks later, when the car parks became parking lots, she saw the end of her efforts in sight.
Last but far from least, the most important change.
Using global search and replace, the screenwriter killed off the inspector from New Scotland Yard and resurrected Detective "Joe" Vaccaro of the NYPD.
Rest in Peace, Gwendolyn Justice.
The last thing Josephine Vaccaro did before sending the completed manuscript off to the publisher was to give Brody's revised manuscript a title.
The mannish, no-nonsense novelist with the close-cropped chestnut hair squinted her brown eyes as she stared at the keyboard through the thick lenses of her outdated eyeglasses. Although there was no reference to her predecessor's Oxford-educated sleuth, Joe decided to pay homage to the late novelist in the title.
Pursuit of Justice, she typed, centered and in a boldface font in all caps at the top of the first page.
It was an appropriate title. Nearly fifteen years earlier, Brody Hellerman had discarded Josephine Vaccaro. Brought to Justice was to have been her debut, not Gwendolyn's. Instead, she had been carelessly cast aside and forgotten. Had she not masterfully gotten rid of the author and stepped into his shoes, she would have remained in oblivion forever. But now she was finally reclaiming the life that was meant to be hers.
Some would call it revenge, but I call it justice!
Salem wants me to write a mystery novel in which the fictional sleuth will be a black cat as brilliant as Sherlock Holmes.
