cb.coldheart canyon-第88章
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〃It's none of my business。〃
〃Say it anyway。 Go on。〃
〃Well。 I just hope you're not relying too much on Todd Pickett。 You know he's not all that reliable。 None of them are； these younger guys。 They're all talk。〃
〃He's different。〃
〃I hope so。〃
〃We can't ever know why things happen between two people。 But when it feels right； you have to go with your instincts。〃
〃If he's so right for you； why did he run out on you？〃
〃That was my fault； not his。 I showed him some things which were more than he was ready to see。 I won't make that mistake again。 And then he had some woman with him； Tammy Somebody…or…Other； who was just trying to steal him away。 Do you know her？〃
〃Tammy？ No。 I don't know a Tammy。 Oh wait。 I do。 I had a call from the police in Sacramento。 She went missing。〃
〃And they called you。 Why？〃
〃Because I know Todd。 Apparently； this Tammy woman runs his fan…club。〃
Katya started to laugh。
〃That's all she is to him？〃 she said。
〃Apparently。〃
〃She runs his fan…club？〃
〃That's my understanding。〃
〃So there's no romance between them？〃
〃No。 I don't even think they really know one another。〃
〃Well； that solves that。〃
〃It does and it doesn't；〃 Jerry said cautiously。 〃She still persuaded him to go with her。〃
〃Then it's up to me to persuade him to e home；〃 Katya purred。 She pressed her window button； and kept it down until the window was entirely open。 Jerry caught a glimpse of her in the mirror。 The last of her caution and her fear had evaporated。 She was luxuriating in the warm wind against her face； eyes closed； hair shining。
〃How much farther？〃 she asked him； without opening her eyes。
〃Another ten minutes。〃
〃I can smell the ocean。〃
〃Well； we're at Fourth Street。 Four blocks over； there's the beach。〃
〃I love the sea。〃
〃Todd has a yacht； did you know that？ It's docked in San Diego。〃
〃You see。 Perfect。〃 She opened her eyes； catching Jerry's gaze in the mirror； demanding a response from him。
〃Yes； it's perfect；〃 he said。
She smiled。 〃Thank you；〃 she said。
〃For what？〃
〃For everything。 Bringing me here。 Listening to me； indulging me。 When things have settled down and Todd and I have made the Canyon a more civilized place； we're going to start inviting people over； just a few special friends； to share the beauty of the place。 You never saw the house at its best。 But you will。 It is magnificent。〃
〃Oh I'm sure。〃
〃And that's how it's going to be again； after tonight。〃
〃Magnificent？〃
〃Magnificent。〃
EIGHT
This was Tammy's Cinderella moment： her dream e true。 All right； perhaps all the details weren't perfect。 She could have looked a little more glamorous； and she would have liked to have lost another twenty…five pounds。 And they could have been ing in through the front door instead of slipping in at the side to avoid the photographers。 But she was happy to take what fate was giving her： and fate was giving her a chance to walk into an A…list party on the arm of Todd Pickett。
Everywhere she looked there were famous faces； famous smiles； famous gazes； famous figures swathed in gowns by famous designers； famous fools making jokes that had everyone in their circle breathless with laughter； famous power…brokers telling tales of how they'd made a million in a minute； and the less famous wives of these power…brokers listening with their lids half…closed because if they had a buck for every time they'd heard these tired old tales they'd be able to divorce their dead…weights of husbands。
And hanging on the arms of the famous （much as she was hanging on Todd's arm） were younger men and women who watched their panions with the kind of eyes Tammy was reserving for the hors d'oeuvres。 There was appetite in those eyes。 One day； those gazes seem to say； I will have all that you have。 I will own cars and yachts and palaces and houses。 I will have a small vineyard in Tuscany and a large ranch in Big Sky Country。 There will be no door that will be closed to me； no ear that will not attend to my concerns。 When I drop my purse； somebody will pick it up for me。 When my car is empty of gas； it will be miraculously filled （and the ashtrays emptied）。 If the drink in my hand is getting low； it will be replenished without my requesting it。 When I am hungry； somebody will make food that will be so exquisitely shaped every mouthful is like a little meal unto itself。
In fact； the food was drawing her attention about as much as the famous faces。 She'd never seen such exquisite little confections； and each one had a description； proffered by its server； much of which was so remote from Tammy's experience she didn't understand it。 Slices of rare marinated this on slices of smoked that； drizzled with…
Oh what the hell？ She'd take two。 No make that three。 It was only finger…food； for God's sake； and she was hungry。
To wash it all down she'd accepted a Bellini from a dazzling waiter as soon as she'd stepped inside； and it tasted so sweet and harmless she downed two…thirds of her glass before she realized how potent it was。 In truth； however； it would scarcely have mattered if she'd downed five Bellinis and fallen flat on her face。 She was invisible as far as these people were concerned。 The glacial beauties and their handsome swains； the deal…makers and the word…splitters； none of them wanted to concede her ragged presence in their gilded midst： so they simply looked the other way。 Once or twice she caught the tail of a mystified glance laid upon her； but these were from amateurs at the game。 To the true professionals… which is to say most of the people in this assembly…she was simply a non…presence。 She could have been standing right in their line of vision and somehow their gaze would have slid off her and around her； anything to avoid seeing her。
She caught tight hold of Todd's hand。 So much for the Cinderella fantasy。 It was a nightmare。
Much to her delight Todd clutched her hand in return。 His palm was pouring sweat。
〃They're all looking at me；〃 he said； leaning close to her。
〃No； they're not。〃
〃Hi； Todd。〃
〃Hi； Jodie。 Good to…see that？ They say hi then they move on。 She's gone already。 Hi； Steven！ When are you…？ Too late。 He's off。 It's fucking uncanny。〃
〃Where's Maxine？〃
〃I haven't seen her yet。 She's probably out back。 She likes to sit and hold court at these things。 She says only hostesses circulate。〃
〃And she's not the hostess？〃
〃Fuck； no。 These aren't her guests。 They're her supplicants。〃 Tammy had seen some attractive…looking hors d'oeuvres sailing by。
〃I'll have one of those；〃 she said； tapping the waiter on the shoulder； 〃if you don't ask in this place；〃 she explained； as she took three； 〃you don't get。〃
〃Are they good？〃
〃What do I know？ They're filling a hole。 Very slowly。 Doesn't anybody have any appetite around here？〃
〃Not publicly。〃
To get to the back of the house he had led her into a larger room…which； despite the fact that it was packed with guests…was almost as hushed as a library。 A few people looked round at Todd…a few even attempted tentative smiles…but nobody made any move to break off their whispered exchanges and approach him； for which Tammy was grateful。 The density of famous faces was much the same in here as it had been next door。 This really was the crème de la crème： the people who could get a studio to spend several million dollars developing a script by simply hinting that they might be in it when it was finished； the names above the tide that audiences knew so well they only used an actor's given name when they were talking about the show： Bruce and Demi and Brad and Tom and all the rest。 Next year； some portion of the crowd would have slipped onto the B…list； after a dud or two。 But tonight they were at the top of their game； famous amongst the famous。 Tonight there wasn't an agency in the city that wouldn't have signed them on the spot； or a late…night talk…show that wouldn't have bumped Einstein； Van Gogh and the Pope to have them on。 They were American royalty； the way that Pickford and Fairbanks had been royalty in the early years。 Yes； there were more crowns now； more thrones。 But there were also more fans； in every
