The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 260: The Hollywood Scandal Duo]

Hawke was rather taken aback when he heard that a thief had stolen the videotape. He asked, "It wasn't the tape with Salomon, was it?"

"That's exactly it." Erica, who was handling the case, had asked thoroughly: "She bought the rights from you and kept it separate; she didn't destroy it."

The clip that was streamed on Twitter was just edited highlights, with key parts blurred out.

Hawke remarked, "To lose something like that, she really is something else."

Erica chuckled, "The tape was just sitting in her bedroom. According to Paris, she occasionally took it out to watch with her new boyfriend, saying it could be entertaining."

Hawke poured a glass of wine and handed it to Erica. "Sure enough, Paris Hilton's mind works differently from most."

He turned to ask, "Do you have any suspects yet?"

This case wasn't particularly sensitive, which was why Erica discussed it with Hawke. "The initial suspicion is that it was someone hired by a vendor from San Fernando Valley. According to Paris, some major vendors there had contacted her. The show you pitched her, In Paris' Company, made her a hot reality star. Coupled with her socialite status, the tape was quite enticing."

Hawke ventured a guess, "Paris doesn't exactly need the money. With her fame now, she must have turned down those vendors from San Fernando?"

Erica raised her glass, took a small sip, and said, "Exactly. Paris declined, but according to her, those vendors didn't give up; they reached out to her again on the side. So she suspects it's a vendor from San Fernando who had someone steal the recording."

Hawke added, "Typically, something like this wouldn't be settled by stealing the tape; there are copyright issues involved. Yet, those San Fernando people are known for their ruthless style. They probably don't care about others suing them. Like I did back in the day, creating a fake thief to buy the rights could dodge a lot of trouble. As for the lawsuits, they might just increase publicity."

"We're just starting the investigation, so specifics remain unclear," Erica continued. "Paris didn't just lose the tape; other valuable items went missing, too. The thief left fingerprints that appear amateurish, but there are currently no matches from the database."

Hawke inquired, "Doesn't she have a security system at home? No surveillance cameras?"

Erica candidly responded, "Not many people voluntarily install surveillance systems at home."

Hawke laughed, "People like me are few and far between."

Suddenly, Erica leaned closer to Hawke and gently blew into his ear, whispering, "Isn't there something different about filming yourself and then watching it later?"

"I wouldn't know," Hawke answered honestly. "I've never filmed myself."

Erica raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you a photography expert?"

Understanding her implication, Hawke said, "Let me grab the camera."

He retrieved a high-definition camcorder from the basement and invited Erica upstairs.

When it came to photography skills, Hawke proudly claimed he was quite adept.

That evening, sometimes he played the photographer, other times Erica took the lead. Occasionally, the camera rested on the table, or it was hung from the ceiling, capturing overhead shots.

The next morning, Erica was punctual for work.

Hawke had organized the camera, removed the storage card, and placed it in the basement safe.

This kind of content absolutely could not exist on a computer, especially not one connected to the internet.

He resolved that once they were done reviewing, he would destroy it entirely.

...

After breakfast, Hawke noticed Edward had driven over.

The savior pulled his Audi A8 into the garage and drove the bulletproof Mercedes out.

Hawke jumped in the car, saying, "Let's head to the office."

Edward drove out of Silver Lake and turned onto Santa Monica Boulevard.

Hawke inquired, "How was your date last night?"

"We had dinner and then went to a villa in Pacific Palisades." Edward, always one to amp up the excitement, added, "I made breakthrough progress with Maria Collins beneath the wedding photos of her and Miller Collins."

Considering the typical view that a soul remains after death, Hawke thought of that guy who tried to blow him up and said, "You're always coming up with new tricks."

Edward was grateful; following Hawke had elevated him into the high-income bracket, and he was well on his way to becoming a multi-millionaire.

In turn, he intended to take some justice back for Hawke, saying, "Some bone fragments and relics of Miller Collins seem to be about to be buried."

Hawke understood: "As you wish."

"I will." Edward grinned widely with two rows of white teeth. "As for choosing a place, I am always casual."

...

Once at the office, Hawke worked for a while, taking care of some tasks before holding a meeting with Caroline, Sasha, and Harland.

With user numbers climbing, Twitter's growth in North America had slightly slowed.

But internationally, there was vast potential, especially in Europe and Latin America.

Hawke thought of David Beckham, a true superstar in soccer, whose influence spread across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

After the meeting, Caroline followed Hawke into his office to discuss the Clarium Capital's financing negotiations.

So far, work efficiency was below par; a third-party valuation was still in progress.

The dual-class stock structure had been mainly agreed upon, and Peter Thiel sought a board seat.

Hawke made it clear that while a board seat could be arranged, they would need to increase the financial offer.

There were still discussions left to hold.

...

After lunch, Hawke received a phone call -- it was Paris Hilton.

She wanted to set up a meeting with him.

Hawke pondered briefly and said, "Come over to Twitter; I'll be waiting for you in my office."

"Okay," Paris, who had visited frequently during the tape incident, replied. "I'll be there in half an hour."

After hanging up, Hawke searched online and found a plethora of news about Paris Hilton.

The latest reports covered her home being burglarized.

While the media didn't mention the videotape, it listed stolen items like dresses, lingerie, cash, and jewelry.

Hawke was surprised. Did they even steal lingerie? Was it diamond-encrusted?

Scanning other news articles, they were mostly gossip.

Most stories featuring Paris included Britney Spears; the two made up today's Hollywood scandal duo.

If one person could keep eighty paparazzi busy, together they could surely keep three hundred on their toes with the juicy stories they generated.

There was also news about Britney and her father.

The conflict between them was well-known, and they occasionally aired their issues in public spectacles.

...

Not long later, Paris Hilton, dressed in a lovely outfit, arrived at Twitter. Hawke met her in the reception area.

Paris wore a red dress, a lady's hat adorned with colorful feathers, and diamond-studded fingerless gloves; her attire was dazzling, an eye-catching display.

Upon seeing Hawke, she brightened, exclaiming, "I'm in a huge mess and have to ask for your help."

Hawke asked directly, "You mean regarding the burglary at your Beverly Hills mansion?"

"Yes," Paris, who had previously met Erica and knew she was Hawke's girlfriend, said. "You must have heard about the tape being stolen, right? I suspect it was those vendors from San Fernando Valley. They had contacted me multiple times to buy the video distribution rights, claiming I could earn over ten million dollars. I turned them all down."

She paused for a moment and added, "Then there's that jerk, Rick Salomon. Those vendors had been in touch with him too. I already had my lawyer warn him, but he declined."

Hawke asked, "What do you need from me?"

Paris had a clear aim: "I need to ensure the contents of that tape don't get released! Although Twitter played some snippets, they were under ten minutes and were blurred out. I can't be too embarrassed right now, especially since I have my own show and a candy brand, plus I'm branching into fashion with my own line of fingerless gloves."

Hawke understood, "You're worried this might affect your career?"

"Yes, I'm now a star and have my own business brand." Thanks to Hawke's earlier planning, Paris's career was on a promising path.

The satisfaction from achieving success through her own business far exceeded just monetary gains.

Paris turned to Hawke, "As long as the video isn't made public, I'm fine." She recognized the stakes: "Those vendors offered me five million dollars for the rights. I can't provide you with five million, but I can give you the 3.7 million I made in the past six months as compensation."

Hawke was puzzled about how his compensation related to the San Fernando vendors' rights fees, but Paris's offer of 3.7 million seemed quite sincere.

Paris's current career was almost entirely due to Hawke's input.

She decisively stated, "If you agree, I can have the money transferred to your studio's account right now."

Hawke remained cautious, replying, "I need to understand the specifics first."

Paris, thinking it was a San Fernando vendor's work, became anxious: "If the video goes public, my career will be over."

Before she had a career, she hadn't cared much about these matters.

However, achieving some level of success made her realize their importance.

Hawke contemplated, "Here's the deal; I need some information -- the vendors you've dealt with, your business and TV program competitors, and a list of your neighbors... Also, your assistants and household staff."

At that point, Hawke shook his head privately. Erica was already investigating this case, and the leads he thought of would likely be ones Erica pursued.

He decided to check in with Erica about the situation after lunch.

Paris said, "I'll get started on that right away and have it ready for you by this afternoon at the latest."

Hawke thought it would be best to visit Beverly Hills, suggesting, "Are you home this afternoon? I'll drop by around two-thirty."

"I'll be at home waiting for you," Paris replied, grabbing her handbag as she prepared to leave. "See you this afternoon."

Hawke escorted her out of the reception area.

...

As noon approached, he called Erica, who had been investigating the matter.

The fingerprints left at the scene hadn't matched up, and all the individuals Hawke had thought of were under exhaustive scrutiny by Erica, who had ruled them out as suspects.

*****

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