sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第44部分

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and　pads。　〃I　reached　down　to　undo　the　straps　that　held　Toby　in　the　wheelchair；　and　I　felt　faint　again　and　started　to　fall。　I　　I　must　have　accidentally　released　the　brake。　The　chair　started　to　roll　into　the　pool。　I　tried　to　grab　it；　but　itit　went　into　the　pool　with　　with　Toby　strapped　into　it。〃　Her　voice　was　choked。　〃I　jumped　into　the　pool　after　him　and　fought　to　free　him；　but　the　straps　were　too　tight。　I　tried　to　lift　the　chair　out　of　the　water；　but　it　was　　it　was　too　heavy。　…It。。。　was　。。。　just。。。　too。。。　heavy。〃　She　closed　her　eyes　a　moment　to　hide　her　deep　anguish。　Then；　almost　in　a　whisper；　〃I　tried　to　help　Toby；　and　I　killed　him。〃　
　It　took　the　inquest　jury　less　than　three　minutes　to　reach　a　verdict：　Toby　Temple　had　died　in　an　accident。　
　
　Clifton　Lawrence　sat　in　the　back　of　the　courtroom　and　listened　to　the　verdict。　He　was　certain　that　Jill　had　murdered　Toby。　But　there　was　no　way　to　prove　it。　She　had　gotten　away　with　it。　The　case　was　closed。　
　　
　The　funeral　was　standing　room　only。　It　was　held　at　Forest　Lawn　on　a　sunny　August　morning；　on　the　day　Toby　Temple　was　to　have　started　his　new　television　series。　There　were　thousands　of　people　milling　about　the　lovely；　rolling　grounds；　trying　to　get　a　look　at　all　the　celebrities　who　were　there　to　pay　their　last　respects。　Television　cameramen　photographed　the　funeral　services　in　long　shots　and　zoomed　in　for　close　ups　of　the　stars　and　producers　and　directors　who　were　at　the　graveside。　The　President　of　the　United　States　had　sent　an　emissary。　There　were　governors　present；　studio　heads；　presidents　of　large　corporations；　and　representatives　from　every　guild　that　Toby　had　belonged　to：　SAG　and　AFTRA　and　ASCAP　and　AGVA。　The　president　of　the　Beveriy　Hills　branch　of　the　Veterans　of　Foreign　Wars　was　there　in　full　uniform。　There　were　contingents　from　the　local　police　and　fire　departments。　And　the　little　people　were　there。　The　grips　and　prop　men　and　extras　and　stunt　men　who　had　worked　with　Toby　Temple。　The　wardrobe　mistresses　and　the　best　boys　and　the　goffers　and　the　gaffers　and　the　assistant　directors。　And　there　were　others；　and　all　of　them　had　e　to　pay　homage　to　a　great　American。　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　were　there；　remembering　the　skinny　little　kid　who　had　walked　into　their　office　at　Twentieth　Century…Fox。　I　understand　you　fellas　are　going　to　write　some　jokes　for　me。。。。　He　uses　his　hands　like　he's　chopping　wood。　Maybe　we　could　write　a　woodchopper　act　for　him。。。　。　He　pushes　too　hard。　。。　。　Jesus；　with　that　material　　wouldn't　you？。。。　A　ic　opens　funny　doors。　A　edian　opens　doors　funny。　And　Toby　Temple　had　worked　and　learned　and　gone　to　the　top。　He　was　a　prick；　Rainger　was　thinking。　But　he　was　our　prick。　
　Clifton　Lawrence　was　there。　The　little　agent　had　been　to　the　barber　and　his　clothes　were　freshly　pressed；　but　his　eyes　gave　him　away。　They　were　the　eyes　of　a　failure　among　his　peers。　Clifton　was　lost　in　memories；　too。　He　was　remembering　that　first　preposterous　phone　call。　There's　a　young　ic　Sam　Goldwyn　wants　you　to　see。。。　and　Toby's　performance　at　the　school。　You　don't　have　to　eat　the　entire　jar　of　cosier　to　know　if　it's　good；　right？。。。　I've　decided　to　take　you　on　as　a　client；　Toby。。。。　If　you　can　put　the　beer　drinkers　in　your　pocket；　the　champagne　crowd　will　be　a　push…over。。　。。　I　can　make　you　the　biggest　star　in　the　business。　Everyone　had　wanted　Toby　Temple：　the　studios；　the　networks；　the　nightclubs。　You've　got　so　many　clients　that　sometimes　I　think　you　don't　pay　enough　attention　to　me。。。。　It's　like　a　group　fuck。　Cliff。　Somebody　always　gets　left　with　a　hard…on。。。。　I　need　your　advice。　Cliff。。。。　It's　this　girl。。。　Clifton　Lawrence　had　a　lot　to　remember。　
　Next　to　Clifton　stood　Alice　Tanner。　She　was　absorbed　in　the　memory　of　Toby's　first　audition　in　her　office。　Somewhere；　hidden　under　all　those　movie　stars；　is　a　young　man　with　a　lot　of　talent。。。。　After　seeing　those　pros　last　night；　I　　I　don't　think　I　have　it。　And　falling　in　love　with　him。　Oh；　Toby；　I　love　you　so　much。。。。　I　love　you；　too；　Alice。。。。　Then　he　was　gone。　But　she　was　grateful　that　she　had　once　had　him。　
　Al　Caruso　had　e　to　pay　tribute。　He　was　stooped　and　gray　and　his　brown　Santa　Claus　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　He　was　remembering　how　wonderful　Toby　had　been　to　Millie。　
　Sam　Winters　was　there。　He　was　thinking　of　all　the　pleasure　Toby　Temple　had　given　to　millions　of　people　and　he　wondered　how　one　measured　that　against　the　pain　that　Toby　had　given　to　a　few。　Someone　nudged　Sam　and　he　turned　to　see　a　pretty；　dark…haired　girl；　about　eighteen。　
　〃You　don't　know　me；　Mr。　Winters〃she　smiled〃but　I　heard　you're　looking　for　a　girl　for　the　new　William　Forbes　movie。　I'm　from　Ohio；　and。。。〃　
　David　Kenyon　was　there；　Jill　had　asked　him　not　to　e；　but　David　had　insisted。　He　wanted　to　be　near　her。　Jill　supposed　that　it　could　do　no　harm　now。　She　was　finished　with　her　performance。　The　play　had　closed　and　her　part　was　over。　Jill　was　so　glad　and　so　tired。　It　was　as　though　the　fiery　ordeal　she　had　gone　through　had　burned　away　the　hard　core　of　bitterness　within　her；　had　cauterized　all　the　hurts　and　the　disappointments　and　the　hatreds。　Jill　Castle　had　died　in　the　holocaust　and　Josephine　Czinski　had　been　reborn　in　the　ashes。　She　was　at　peace　again；　filled　with　a　love　for　everyone　and　a　contentment　she　had　not　known　since　she　was　a　young　girl。　She　had　never　been　so　happy。　She　wanted　to　share　it　with　the　world。　The　funeral　rites　were　ending。　Someone　took　Jill's　arm；　and　she　allowed　herself　to　be　led　to　the　limousine。　When　she　reached　the　car；　David　was　standing　there；　a　look　of　adoration　on　his　face。　Jill　smiled　at　him。　David　took　her　hands　in　his　and　they　exchanged　a　few　words。　A　press　photographer　snapped　a　picture　of　them。　
　Jill　and　David　decided　to　wait　five　months　before　they　got　married；　so　that　the　public's　sense　of　propriety　would　be　satisfied。　David　spent　a　great　part　of　that　time　out　of　the　country；　but　they　talked　to　each　other　every　day。　Four　months　after　Toby's　funeral；　David　telephoned　Jill　and　said；　
　〃I　had　a　brainstorm。　Let's　not　wait　any　longer。　I　have　to　go　to　Europe　next　week　for　a　conference。　Let's　sail　to　France　on　the　Bretagne。　The　captain　can　marry　us。　We'll　honeymoon　in　Paris　and　from　there　we'll　go　anywhere　you　like　for　as　long　as　you　like。　What　do　you　say？〃　
　〃Oh；　yes；　David；　yes！〃　
　She　took　a　long　last　look　around　the　house；　thinking　of　all　that　had　happened　here。　Remembering　her　first　dinner　party　there　and　all　the　wonderful　parties　later　and　then　Toby's　sickness　and　her　fight　to　bring　him　to　health。　And　then。。。　there　were　too　many　memories。　She　was　glad　to　be　leaving。　
　
　
　David's　private　jet　plane　flew　Jill　to　New　York；　where　a　limousine　was　waiting　to　drive　her　to　the　Regency　Hotel　on　Park　Avenue。　The　manager　himself　ushered　Jill　to　an　enormous　penthouse　suite。　
　〃The　hotel　is　pletely　at　your　service；　Mrs。　Temple；〃　he　said。　〃Mr。　Kenyon　instructed　us　to　see　that　you　have　everything　you　need。〃　Ten　minutes　after　Jill　checked　in；　David　telephoned　from　Texas。　
　〃fortable？〃　he　asked。　
　〃It's　a　little　crowded。〃　Jill　laughed。　〃It　has　five　bedrooms；　David。　What　am　I　going　to　do　with　them　all？〃　
　〃If　I　were　there；　I'd　show　you；〃　he　said。　
　〃Promises；　promises；〃　she　teased。　〃When　am　I　going　to　see　you？〃　
　〃The　Bretagne　sails　at　noon　tomorrow。　I　have　some　business　to　wind　up　here。　I'll　meet　you　aboard　the　ship。　I've　reserved　the　honeymoon　suite。　Happy；　darling？〃　
　〃I've　never　been　happier；〃　Jill　said。　And　it　was　true。　Everything　that　had　gone　before；　all　the　pain　and　the　agony；　it　had　all　been　worth　it。　It　seemed　remote　and　dim；　now；　like　a　half…forgotten　dream。　
　〃A　car　will　pick　you　up　in　the　morning。　The　driver　will　have　your　boat　ticket。〃　
　〃I'll　be　ready；〃　Jill　said。　
　Tomorrow。　It　could　have　started　with　the　photograph　of　Jill　and　David　Kenyon　that　had　been　taken　at　Toby's　funeral　and　sold　to　a　newspaper　chain。　It　could　have　been　a　careless　remark　dropped　by　an　employee　of　the　hotel　where　Jill　was　staying　or　by　a　member　of　the　crew　of　the　Bretagne。　In　any　case；　there　was　no　way　that　the　wedding　plans　of　someone　as　famous　as　Jill　Temple　could　have　been　kept　secret。　The　first　item　about　her　impending　marriage　appeared　in　an　Associated　Press　bulletin。　After　that；　it　was　a　front…page　story　in　newspapers　across　the　country　and　in　Europe。　The　story　was　also　carried　in　the　Hollywood　Reporter　and　Daily　Variety。　
　The　limousine　arrived　at　the　hotel　precisely　on　the　dot　of　ten　o'clock。　A　doorman　and　three　bellboys　loaded　Jill's　luggage　into　the　car。　The　morning　traffic　was　light　and　the　drive　to　Pier　90　took　less　than　half　an　hour。　A　senior　ship's　officer　was　waiting　for　Jill　at　the　gangplank。　
　〃We're　honored　to　have　you　aboard；　Mrs。　Temple；〃　he　said。　〃Everything's　ready　for　you。　If　you　would　e　this　way；　please。〃　
　He　escorted　Jill　to　the　Promenade　Deck　and　ushered　her　into　a　large；　airy　suite　with　its　own　private　terrace。　The　rooms　were　filled　with　fresh　flowers。　
　〃The　captain　asked　me　to　give　you　his　pliments。　He　will　see　you　at　dinner　this　evening。　He　said　to　tell　you　how　much　he's　looking　forward　to　performing　the　wedding　ceremony。〃　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Jill　said。　〃Do　you　know　whether　Mr。　Kenyon　is　on　board　yet？〃　
　〃We　just　received　a　telephone　message。　He's　on　his　way　from　the　airport。　His　luggage　is　already　here。　If　there　is　anything　you　need；　please　let　we　know。〃　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Jill　replied。　〃There's　nothing。〃　And　it　was　true。　There　was　not　one　single　thing　that　she　needed　that　she　did　not　have。　She　was　the　happiest　person　in　the　world。　There　was　a　knock　at　the　cabin　door　and　a　steward　entered；　carrying　more　flowers。　Jill　looked　at　the　card。　They　were　from　the　President　of　the　United　States。　Memories。　She　pushed　them　out　of　her　mind　and　began　to　unpack。　
　He　was　standing　at　the　railing　on　the　Main　Deck；　studying　the　passengers　as　they　came　aboard。　Everyone　was　in　a　festive　mood；　preparing　for　a　holiday　or　joining　loved　ones　aboard。　A　few　of　them　smiled　at　him；　but　the　man　paid　no　attention　to　them。　He　was　watching　the　gangplank。　
　At　eleven…forty　a。m。；　twenty　minutes　before　sailing　time；　a　chauffeur…driven　Silver　Shadow　raced　up　to　Pier　90　and　stopped。　David　Kenyon　jumped　out　of　the　car；　looked　at　his　watch　and　said　to　the　chauffeur；　
　〃Perfect　timing。　Otto。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　sir。　And　may　I　wi