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Set in Beverly Hills during the financially unstable 1980s, The Centerpiece is told from the perspective of a prominent business manager, Robert Berlin, who provides sophisticated financial services to celebrities. The Centerpiece follows the private lives and the finances of entertainment industry personalities, as well as their relationships, and their vulnerability to financial predators. Two of Berlin's clients, Latin heartthrob Hugo Beltran and his vivacious and sexy actress wife, the Hungarian Bombshell Veronica Vavra, have become involved with the reputed genius Dr. Mark Draper. Draper's background is steeped in intrigue, including Delta Force service, CIA involvement, arms sales, and pharmaceutical development. Berlin learns his clients have loaned Draper a substantial amount of money against the collateral of cash held in safe deposit boxes. Despite Berlin's concerns, his clients become more entangled with Draper over the years. Yet more money is advanced by Beltran to finance Draper's pharmaceutical company. A partnership is then formed to import diamonds from Russia. But the complexity of Draper's ventures increases Berlin's anxiety. When Hugo Beltran develops cancer, the safe deposit boxes are opened and found to contain no cash. A huge fraud has been perpetrated on Berlin's clients. Meanwhile, as the diamond business flourishes, Draper is murdered. Berlin is faced with some difficult decisions.