sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第39章
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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 saying good night to Sam Winters when Jill walked up； wearing her coat。
〃Where are you going？〃 Toby demanded。 〃I'm gonna take you home。〃
〃I have my car；〃 Jill answered； sweetly。 〃Thank you for a lovely evening； Toby。〃
And she left。 Toby stood there in disbelief； watching her drive away。 He had made exciting plans for the rest of the evening。 He was going to take Jill upstairs to the bedroom andhe had even picked out the tapes he was going to play！ Any woman here tonight would have been grateful to jump into my bed； Toby thought。 They were stars； too； not some dumb bit player。 Jill Castle was just too damned stupid to know what she was turning down。 It was over as far as Toby was concerned。 He had learned his lesson。 He was never going to talk to Jill again。
Toby telephoned Jill at nine o'clock the next morning； and he was answered by a tape…recorded message。
〃Hello； this is Jill Castle。 I'm sorry I'm not at home now。 If you'll leave your name and telephone number； I'll call you back when I return。 Please wait until you hear the signal。 Thank you。〃
There was a sharp beep。 Toby stood there clutching the telephone in his hand； then slammed down the receiver without leaving a message。 He was damned if he was going to carry on a conversation with a mechanical voice。 A moment later； he redialed the number。 He listened to the recording again and spoke。
〃You've got the cutest voice over in town。 You should package it。 I don't usually call back girls who eat and run； but in your case； I've decided to make an exception。 What are you doing for dinner to ？〃
The phone went dead。 He had talked too long for the god damned tape。 He froze； not knowing what to do； feeling like a fool。 It infuriated him to have to call back again； but he dialed the number for the third time and said； 〃As I was saying before the rabbi cut me off； how about dinner tonight？ I'll wait for your call。〃 He left his number and hung up。
Toby waited restlessly all day and did not hear from her。 By seven o'clock； he thought； to hel
