sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第31部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃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 and Newsweek and Paris Match and OGGI or on the screen。 This was the real Hollywood。 These were the picture makers。 Jill had imagined this moment a thousand times； being with these people； talking with them。 Now that the reality was here； it was difficult for her to realize that it was actually happening。 Toby was handing her a glass of champagne。 He took her arm and led her to a man surrounded by a group of people。
〃Sam； I want you to meet Jill Castle。〃
Sam turned。 〃Hello； Jill Castle；〃 he said pleasantly。
〃Jill； this is Sam Winters； chief Indian of Pan…Pacific Studios。〃
〃I know who Mr。 Winters is；〃 Jill said。
〃Jill's an actress； Sam； a damned clever actress。 You could use her。 Give your joint a little class。〃
〃I'll keep that in mind；〃 Sam said politely。 Toby took Jill's hand； holding it firmly。 〃e on； honey；〃 he said。 〃I want everybody to meet you；〃
Before the evening was over； Jill had met three studio heads； half a dozen important producers； three directors； a few writers； several newspaper and television columnists and a dozen stars。 At dinner； Jill sat at Toby's right。 She listened to the various conversations； savoring the feeling of being on the Inside for the first time。
〃。。。 the trouble with these epics is that if one of them flops； it can wipe out the whole studio。 Fox is hanging on by its teeth； waiting to see what Cleopatra does。〃
〃。。。 have you seen the new Billy Wilder picture yet？ Sensational！〃
〃Yeah？ I liked him better when he was working with Brackett。 Brackett has class。〃
〃Billy has talent；〃
〃。。。 so； I sent Peck a mystery script last week； and he's crazy about it。 He said he'd give me a definite answer in a day or two。〃
〃。。。 I received this invitation to meet the new guru； Krishi Pramananada。 Well； my dear； it turned out I'd already met him； I attended his bar matzah。〃
〃。。。 the problem with budgeting a picture at two is that by the time you have an answer print； the cost of inflation plus the god damned unions has pushed it up to three or four。〃
Millions； Jill thought excitedly。 Three or four millions。 She remembered the endless penny…ante conversations at Schwab's where the hangers…on； the Survivors； avidly fed each other crumbs of information about what the studios were doing。 Well； the people at this table tonight were the real survivors； the ones who made everything in Hollywood happen。 These were the people who had kept the gates shut against her； who had refused to give her a chance。 Any person at this table could have helped her； could have changed her life； but none of them had had five minutes to spare for Jill Castle。 She looked over at a producer who was riding high with a big new musical picture。 He had refused to give Jill even an interview。 At the far end of the table； a famous edy director was in animated conversation with the star of his latest film。 He had refused to see Jill。 Sam Winters was talking to the head of another studio。 Jill had sent a telegram to Winters； asking him to watch her performance on a television show。 He had never bothered answering。 They would pay for their slights and insults； they and everybody else in this town who had treated her so shabbily。 Right now； she meant nothing to the people here； but she would。 Oh； yes。 One day she would。
The food was superb； but Jill was too preoccupied to notice what she ate。 When dinner was over； Toby rose and said；
〃Hey！ We better hurry before they start the picture without us。〃
Holding Jill's arm； he led the way to the large projection room where they were to watch a movie。 The room was arranged so that sixty people could fortably view the picture in couches and easy chairs。 An open cabinet filled with candy bars stood at one side of the couch。 A popcorn machine stood on the other side。 Toby had seated himself next to Jill。 She was aware that all through the screening his eyes were on her rather on the movie。 When the picture ended and the lights went up； coffee and cake were served。 Half an hour later； the party began to dissolve。 Most of the guests had early studio calls。 Toby was standing at the front door say
