"You're already doing a duet," Lennox answered. "You can't do two. Besides, you need that three minutes to change. Here's my gimmick. Let Sam do the duet with one of the dancers. We'll introduce Sam as the rehearsal pianist on the show who wrote the tune that Mig made famous. Then let 'em guess Sam's name for a hundred bucks." "That stinks!" Mason snarled. "Why? It's cute. It's in the family, and it's great promotion for everybody. What do you think, Tooky?" "We'll take it under advisement," Ween answered. Which was tantamount to an okay. Lennox nodded to Ween, then turned to Grabinett. "Mel, can you budget us for fifteen hundred extra Sunday?" "A yard and a half extra!" Grabinett blinked in horror. "Ray's got a sensational idea for the Nolan. Tell him about flying the 3." Sachs told Grabinett, first demonstrating the shot from the overhead grid and then from the stage underneath. His genius was defeated by the budget and the overhead camera disposed of. "If that finishes next Sunday, let's get on to the twenty-second," Grabinett said. "One more thing about Sunday," Lennox said. "The most important.... The letters." "Jesus Almighty!" "I want to make a last appeal. You all know about the threats for the New Year's show. I've been around to see each of you and shown you the threats." "Y-Your police f-friend's been around t-too," Johnny Plummer stammered softly. "Fink? The detective? What'd he ask?" "Lambkin, it was about the stage hands and camera crews mostly," Charlie Hansel said, "Fink's a deep one, he is." "He's the smartest shamus in plainclothes," Bacon told them. "We did his biography on 'The People Against--'." "Well that proves this isn't for laughs," Lennox said. "I think we're in for trouble. Bad trouble. I want to appeal to all of you for the last time. If you know anything about this ... anything at all that can help us out ... please don't cover up. We'll be discreet. We'll keep it quiet. But at least give us a fair shake. Help us protect you and protect the show." "Discreet will we!" Grabinett shouted. "I'll fire the lousy crook. I'll kick the Judas out so fast he won't feel it on his Almighty pants. And I can do it. I got moral conduct clauses in every contract." "Mel! Please!" "I ain't gonna have the name of Melvin Grabinett associated with the louse who's let us in for this trouble. And I'll sue. I got indemnifying clauses in every contract." "That's lovely. Lovely. That's the sure way to make a man admit he's in trouble and needs help." "I don't want to help him. I'm warning him. This goes for anybody. If you're gonna make trouble for the show, out you go." Grabinett blinked passionately and then continued in the same hysterical voice. "Now let's get going on the 22nd. Just remember what I tell you every week. The client wants a family show. A sweet show that makes a family feel better after they've seen it."