The New York shoot for Joker wrapped up smoothly.
Martin flew the crew back to Los Angeles, taking Jenifer and Courteney with him, neither of whom wanted to leave.
Once back in LA, Martin gave himself and the crew a day off, planning to spend it tidying up his place at the Beverly Hills estate.
The next day, his manager Jeff Raymond showed up with Robert Downey in tow.
"You're being followed?" Martin asked, a little surprised.
Little Robert Donny's expression was grim as he nodded. "It's not paparazzi this time—otherwise I'd just ignore it. It's the Eye of Hollywood. That notorious bastard."
Martin knew exactly who he meant.
The man was a famous Hollywood private investigator, real name Anthony Delitanoc, of Italian descent.
His favorite pastime was using all kinds of illegal methods to dig up scandals and private secrets about celebrities, then using them to extort huge sums of money.
His personal creed: "Everyone has a fatal weakness, and that weakness is scandal. The only way to deal with a scandal is to dig up another one."
This guy had nearly brought the likes of Stallone, Tom Cruise, and Michael Jackson to the brink of ruin.
But Martin distinctly remembered—hadn't he gone to prison in 2002?
"Anthony Delitanoc? Wasn't he locked up?" Martin asked.
Jeff Raymond explained, "He was released a long time ago. He only got two years and three months. He was out by 2005."
"Why's he after Robert? Do you have something he can use against you?"
"No. But that bastard has no bottom line, and I don't want him messing up my life. He had his guys plant a bug in my house! Damn it—if Suzanne hadn't noticed the flower vase was in the wrong place, we'd still be in the dark. She was so shaken up. That son of a bitch!"
Robert was seething.
Martin understood. Nobody would feel comfortable knowing their privacy was being watched without limits.
Jeff said, "Anthony's dangerous. He probably thinks Robert will relapse and wants to get proof for blackmail. Fortunately, Robert's genuinely turned over a new leaf."
"That guy's a real piece of work," Robert muttered.
"Got it," Martin said, understanding why they had come. They wanted him to deal with this.
He stood, clapped Robert on the shoulder. "Leave it to me. Tell Suzanne not to worry either—I'll handle it."
...
"Warn me? Tell me to stop bothering Robert and his family? Who the hell dares talk to me like that?"
Anthony rubbed his shiny bald head, sneering. "Who thinks they've got that much clout? Think one sentence will make me back off? Ha! I get over a hundred threats a day. And this guy thinks he can scare me with words alone? Daydreaming!"
His thirty-year-old assistant shifted uneasily. "The caller's name was Gordon. He said the man warning us is named Martin Meyers."
Anthony froze mid-smirk, rose from the sofa. "Who? Which Martin Meyers?"
"Uh… I think it's the Martin Meyers. The super-genius, industry heavyweight. He's pretty close with Robert."
"Martin Meyers… Martin Meyers…" Anthony paced in circles, his expression changing several times before he stopped and sneered again. "So what? Unless I get paid, I'm not backing off. He wants me to stop now? Fine—bring me a million dollars."
"Boss… this is Martin Meyers we're talking about."
"So what? I'm the Eye of Hollywood."
His assistant began to suspect prison had knocked something loose in his boss's head.
When Gordon relayed the demand, Martin actually laughed in disbelief. This guy was neck-deep in trouble already, yet still so brazen. How had he survived in Hollywood this long?
Martin made a few phone calls.
Five days later, news broke that sent joy through Hollywood's celebrity circles—the man had been caught again.
The trial was swift and merciless.
That day, Judge Fischer declared, "Delitanoc has long acted with malice and arrogance, causing lasting damage to public trust in government institutions and inflicting physical, psychological, and emotional harm on his victims. In his work, he obtained scandals and private materials for clients to use in lawsuits or disputes, including wiretapping victims such as Tom Cruise, Stallone, and Clinton."
"Previously, Delitanoc served prison time for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, yet showed no sign of reform. This court finds him guilty on 78 counts, sentences him to 15 years in prison, and fines him and his two accomplices two million dollars."
The case stirred Hollywood. Some were overjoyed; others were terrified—mostly those who had once hired him.
The Los Angeles Times reported: "Delitanoc was once among Hollywood's most infamous private detectives. His wiretapping scandals exposed the dirty dealings behind the polished images of stars. From this perspective, his conviction may help curb the industry's shadowy transactions. Celebrities ought to be pleased."
Anthony Delitanoc's life was over. For Martin, though, it was nothing more than a minor interlude.
At CAA's offices, Robert turned to Jeff in shock. "I just wanted him to back off. I didn't think Martin would actually send him to prison. That's… that's—" He trailed off, unable to find the right word.
Jeff chuckled. "You'll get used to it. Being friends with Martin comes with a strong sense of security."
Robert nodded in agreement.
...
The New York Times: "Democratic and Republican presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain appeared together in New York on the 16th for a charity dinner. It was likely their last joint public event before the election. Unlike their previous debates, they joked and traded barbs, each trying to outdo the other's humor…"
The Washington Post: "On the 18th, Republican presidential candidate McCain criticized Democrat Obama's support for tax cuts and adjustments to tax brackets, calling them socialist economic measures. McCain said such policies merely redistribute wealth rather than create it…"
The Los Angeles Times: "Little Rascal is nearing completion. In an interview with this paper, Martin said post-production is already underway and hinted that this unconventional anti-hero film could hit theaters next summer…"