sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第34节

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　Ordinarily；　Toby　would　not　have　given　Jill　Castle　more　than　a　second　glance。　But　Toby　was　not　used　to　being　denied　anything　he　wanted。　Jill's　refusal　only　acted　as　a　goad。　He　invited　her　to　dinner　again。　When　she　declined；　Toby　shrugged　it　off　as　some　kind　of　stupid　game　she　was　playing　and　decided　to　forget　about　her。　The　irony　was　that　if　it　had　been　a　game；　Jill　would　never　have　been　able　to　deceive　Toby；　because　Toby　understood　women　too　well。　No；　he　sensed　that　Jill　really　did　not　want　to　go　out　with　him；　and　the　thought　galled　him。　He　was　unable　to　get　her　out　of　his　mind。　Casually；　Toby　mentioned　to　Eddie　Berrigan　that　it　might　be　a　good　idea　to　use　Jill　Castle　on　the　show　again。　Eddie　telephoned　her。　She　told　him　she　was　busy　doing　a　bit　role　in　a　Western。　When　Eddie　reported　back　to　Toby；　the　edian　was　furious。　
　〃Tell　her　to　cancel　whatever　she's　doing；〃　he　snapped。　〃We'll　pay　her　more。　For　Christ's　sake；　this　is　the　number　one　show　on　the　air。　What's　the　matter　with　that　dizzy　broad？〃　
　Eddie　called　Jill　again　and　told　her　how　Toby　felt。　〃He　really　wants　you　back　on　the　show；　Jill。　Can　you　make　it？〃　
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Jill　said。　〃I'm　doing　a　part　at　Universal。　I　can't　get　out　of　it。〃　　Nor　would　she　try。　An　actress　did　not　get　ahead　in　Hollywood　by　walking　out　on　a　studio。　Toby　Temple　meant　nothing　to　Jill　except　a　day's　work。　
　The　following　evening；　the　Great　Man　himself　telephoned　her。　His　voice　on　the　telejphone　was　warm　and　charming。　
　〃Jill？　This　is　your　little　old　co…star；　Toby。〃　
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Temple。〃　
　〃Hey；　e　on！　What's　with　the　'mister'　bit？〃　
　There　was　no　response。　
　〃Do　you　like　baseball？〃　Toby　asked。　〃I've　got　box　seats　for　〃　
　〃No；　I　don't。〃　
　〃Neither　do　I。〃　He　laughed。　〃I　was　testing　you。　Listen；　how　about　having　dinner　with　me　Saturday　night？　I　stole　my　chef　from　Maxim's　in　Paris。　He　〃　
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　have　a　date；　Mr。　Temple。〃　There　was　not　even　a　flicker　of　interest　in　her　voice。　Toby　felt　himself　gripping　the　receiver　more　tightly。　
　〃When　are　you　free？〃　
　〃I'm　a　hard…working　girl。　I　don't　go　out　much。　But　thank　you　for　asking　me。〃　
　And　the　line　went　dead。　The　bitch　had　hung　up　on　him　　a　fucking　bit　player　had　hung　up　on　Toby　Temple！　There　was　not　a　woman　Toby　had　met　who　would　not　give　a　year　of　her　life　to　spend　one　night　with　him　　and　this　stupid　cunt　had　turned　him　down！　He　was　in　a　violent　rage；　and　he　took　it　out　on　everyone　around　him。　Nothing　was　right。　The　script　stank；　the　director　was　an　idiot；　the　music　was　terrible　and　the　actors　were　lousy。　He　summoned　Eddie　Berrigan；　the　casting　director；　to　his　dressing　room。　
　〃What　do　you　know　about　Jill　Castle？〃　Toby　demanded。　
　〃Nothing；〃　Eddie　said　instantly。　He　was　not　a　fool。　Like　everyone　else　on　the　show；　he　knew　exactly　what　was　going　on。　Whichever　way　it　turned　out；　he　had　no　intention　of　getting　caught　in　the　middle。　
　〃Does　she　sleep　around？〃　
　〃No；　sir；〃　Eddie　said　firmly。　〃If　she　did；　I'd　know　about　it。〃　
　〃I　want　you　to　check　her　out；〃　Toby　ordered。　〃Find　out　if　she's　got　a　boyfriend；　where　she　goes；　what　she　does　　you　know　what　I　want。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Eddie　said　earnestly。　At　three　o'clock　the　next　morning；　Eddie　was　awakened　by　the　telephone　at　his　bedside。　
　〃What　did　you　find　out？〃　a　voice　asked。　
　Eddie　sat　up　in　bed；　trying　to　blink　himself　awake。　〃Who　the　hell　　？〃　He　suddenly　realized　who　was　at　the　other　end　of　the　telephone。　〃I　checked；〃　Eddie　said　hastily。　〃She's　got　a　clean　bill　of　health。〃　
　〃I　didn't　ask　you　for　her　fucking　medical　certificate；〃　Toby　snapped。　〃Is　she　laying　anybody？〃　
　〃No；　sir。　Nobody。　I　talked　to　my　buddies　around　town。　They　all　like　Jill　and　they　use　her　because　she's　a　fine　actress。〃　He　was　talking　faster　now；　anxious　to　convince　the　man　at　the　other　end　of　the　phone。　If　Toby　Temple　ever　learned　that　Jill　had　slept　with　Eddie　　had　chosen　him　over　Toby　Temple！　　Eddie　would　never　work　in　this　town　again。　He　had　talked　to　his　casting…director　friends；　and　they　were　all　in　the　same　position　he　was。　No　one　wanted　to　make　an　enemy　of　Toby　Temple；　so　they　had　agreed　on　a　conspiracy　of　silence。　
　〃She　doesn't　play　around　with　anybody。〃　
　Toby's　voice　softened。　〃I　see。　I　guess　she's　just　some　kind　of　crazy　kid；　huh？〃　
　〃I　guess　she　is；〃　said　Eddie；　relieved。　
　〃Hey！　I　hope　I　didn't　wake　you　up？〃　
　〃No；　no；　that's　all　right；　Mr。　Temple。〃　
　But　Eddie　lay　awake　a　long　time；　contemplating　what　could　happen　to　him　if　the　truth　ever　came　out。　For　this　was　Toby　Temple's　town。　
　
　Toby　and　Clifton　Lawrence　were　having　lunch　at　the　Hillcrest　Country　Club。　Hillcrest　had　been　created　because　few　of　the　top　country　clubs　in　Los　Angeles　admitted　Jews。　This　policy　was　so　rigidly　observed　that　Groucho　Marx's　ten　year…old　child；　Melinda；　had　been　ordered　out　of　the　swimming　pool　of　a　club　where　a　gentile　friend　had　taken　her。　When　Groucho　heard　what　had　happened；　he　telephoned　the　manager　of　the　club　and　said；　
　〃Listen　　my　daughter's　only　half…Jewish。　Would　you　let　her　go　into　the　pool　up　to　her　waist？〃　As　a　result　of　incidents　like　this；　some　affluent　Jews　who　enjoyed　golf；　tennis；　gin　rummy　and　baiting　anti…Semites　got　together　and　formed　their　own　club；　selling　shares　exclusively　to　Jewish　members。　Hillcrest　was　built　in　a　beautiful　park　a　few　miles　from　the　heart　of　Beverly　Hills；　and　it　quickly　became　famous　for　having　the　best　buffet　and　the　most　cogitative　conversation　in　town。　The　Gentiles　clamored　to　be　admitted。　In　a　gesture　toward　tolerance；　the　board　ruled　that　a　few　non…Jews　would　be　allowed　to　join　the　dub。　
　Toby　always　sat　at　the　edians　table；　where　the　Hollywood　wits　gathered　to　exchange　jokes　and　top　one　another。　But　today　Toby　had　other　things　on　his　mind。　He　took　Clifton　to　a　corner　table。　
　〃I　need　your　advice。　Cliff；〃　Toby　said。　
　The　little　agent　glanced　up　at　him　in　surprise。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　Toby　had　asked　for　his　advice。　
　〃Certainly；　dear　boy。〃　
　〃It's　this　girl；〃　Toby　began；　and　Clifton　was　instantly　ahead　of　him。　Half　the　town　knew　the　story　by　now。　It　was　the　biggest　joke　in　Hollywood。　One　of　the　columnists　had　even　run　it　as　a　blind　item。　Toby　had　read　it　and　mented；　
　〃I　wonder　who　the　scump　is？〃　
　The　great　lover　was　hooked　on　a　girl　on　the　town　who　had　turned　him　down。　There　was　only　one　way　to　handle　this　situation。　
　〃Jill　Castle；〃　Toby　was　saying；　〃remember　her？　The　kid　who　was　on　the　show？〃　
　〃Ah；　yes；　a　very　attractive　girl。　What's　the　problem？〃　
　〃I'll　be　god　damned　if　I　know；〃　Toby　admitted。　〃It's　like　she's　got　something　against　me。　Every　time　I　ask　her　for　a　date；　I　get　a　turn…down。　It　makes　me　feel　like　some　kind　of　shit…kicker　from　Iowa。〃　
　Clifton　took　a　chance。　〃Why　don't　you　stop　asking　her？〃　
　〃That's　the　crazy　part；　pal。　I　can't。　Between　you　and　me　and　my　cock；　I've　never　wanted　a　broad　so　much　in　my　life。　It's　getting　so　I　can't　think　about　anything　else。〃　He　smiled　self…consciously　and　said；　〃I　told　you　it　was　crazy。　You've　been　around　the　track　a　few　times；　Cliff。　What　do　I　do？〃　
　For　one　reckless　moment；　Clifton　was　tempted　to　tell　Toby　the　truth。　But　he　couldn't　tell　him　that　his　dream　girl　was　sleeping　around　town　with　every　assistant　casting　director　who　could　give　her　a　day's　work。　Not　if　he　wanted　to　keep　Toby　as　a　client。　
　〃I　have　an　idea；〃　Clifton　suggested。　〃Is　she　serious　about　her　acting？〃　
　〃Yes。　She's　ambitious。〃　
　〃All　right。　Then；　give　her　an　invitation　she　has　to　accept。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
　〃Have　a　party　at　your　house。〃　
　〃I　just　told　you；　she　won't　〃　
　〃Let　me　finish。　Invite　studio　heads；　producers；　directors　…　people　who　could　do　her　some　good。　If　she's　really　interested　in　being　an　actress；　she'll　be　dying　to　meet　them。〃　
　Toby　dialed　her　number。　
　〃Hello；　Jill。〃　
　〃Who　is　this？〃　she　asked。　
　Everyone　in　the　country　recognized　his　voice；　and　she　was　asking　who　it　was！
　〃Toby。　Toby　Temple。〃　
　〃Oh。〃　It　was　a　sound　that　could　have　meant　anything。　
　〃Listen；　Jill；　I'm　giving　a　little　dinner　party　at　my　home　next　Wednesday　night　and　I〃　　he　heard　her　start　to　refuse　and　hurried　on〃I'm　having　Sam　Winters；　head　of　PanPacific；　and　a　few　other　studio　heads　there；　and　some　producers　and　directors。　I　thought　it　might　be　good　for　you　to　meet　them。　Are　you　free？〃　
　There　was　the　briefest　of　pauses；　and　Jill　Castle　said；　〃Wednesday　night。　Yes；　I'm　free。　Thank　you；　Toby。〃　And　neither　of　them　knew　that　it　was　an　appointment　to　Samarra。　
　
　On　the　terrace；　an　orchestra　played；　while　liveried　waiters　passed　trays　of　hors　d'oeuvres　and　glasses　of　champagne。　When　Jill　arrived　forty…five　minutes　late；　Toby　nervously　hurried　to　the　door　to　meet　her。　She　was　wearing　a　simple　white　silk　dress；　and　her　black　hair　fell　softly　against　her　shoulders。　She　looked　ravishing。　Toby　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　her。　
　Jill　was　aware　that　she　looked　beautiful。　She　had　rashed　and　styled　her　hair　very　carefully　and　had　taken　a　long　time　with　her　makeup。　
　〃There　are　a　lot　of　people　here　I　want　you　to　meet。〃　
　Toby　took　Jill's　hand　and　led　her　across　the　large　reception　all　into　the　formal　drawing　room。　Jill　stopped　at　the　entrance；　glaring　at　the　guests。　Almost　every　face　in　the　room　was　familiar　to　her。　She　had　seen　them　on　the　cover　of　Time　and　LIFE