cb.coldheart canyon-第89章

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　also　more　fans；　in　every　corner　of　the　world；　men　and　women　ready　to　fawn　and　obsess。　In　short；　none　of　these　were　people　who　hurt　for　want　of　admiration。　They　had　a　surfeit　of　it；　the　way　the　rest　of　the　world　had　a　surfeit　of　credit…card　debt。
　 It　was　harder；　in　this　more　densely…populated　space；　for　people　not　to　concede　the　presence　of　Todd；　who　took　hold　of　several　unoffered　hands　and　grabbed　a　couple　of　shoulders　as　he　crossed　the　room；　determined　that　nobody　get　away　with　pretending　they　hadn't　seen　him。　And　when　a　fragment　of　conversation　did　spring　up；　as　it　occasionally　did；　Todd　very　rapidly　（and　rather　gallantly）　made　certain　that　Tammy　was　introduced　into　the　exchange。
　 〃You　don't　need　to　do　that；〃　Tammy　said；　after　the　third　such　occasion。
　 〃Yes；　I　do；〃　Todd　replied。　〃These　sonsabitches　think　they　can　look　the　other　way　and　pretend　you　don't　exist。　Well　fuck　'em。　I've　starred　in　movies　with　some　of　these　assholes。　Movies　you　paid　your　seven　bucks　to　see。　And　they　were　mostly　shit　pictures。　So　I　figure　they　owe　you　a　seven…buck…handshake。〃
　 She　laughed　out　loud；　thoroughly　entertained　by　his　heretical　talk。　Whatever　happened　after　this；　she　thought；　（and　no　fairy…tale　lasted　forever）　she'd　at　least　have　this　extraordinary　memory　to　treasure：　walking　arm…in…arm　with　the　only　man　she'd　ever　really　loved　through　a　crowd　of　fools；　knowing　that　even　if　they　didn't　look　at　her　they　still　knew　she　was　there。　And　when　she'd　gone　she'd　be　somebody　they'd　never　be　able　to　figure　out；　which　suited　her　just　fine。　Let　them　wonder。　It　would　give　them　something　to　do　when　they　were　studying　their　reflections　in　the　morning。
　 〃There's　Maxine；〃　Todd　said。　〃Didn't　I　say　she'd　be　holding　court？〃
　 It　was　a　couple　of　years　since　Tammy　had　seen　Maxine　Frizelle　in　the　flesh。　In　that　time　she　had　projected　upon　the　woman　an　aura　of　power　which　in　truth　she　didn't　possess。　She　was　smaller　and　more　fretful…looking　than　Tammy　Remembered：　the　way　she　was　perched　in　a　high…backed　chair；　her　bare　feet　off　the　ground；　was　presumably　designed　to　give　off　the　aura　of　childlike　vulnerability；　but　in　fact　suggested　just　its　opposite。　The　pose　looked　awkward　and　artificial；　her　gaze　was　woozy　rather　than　happy；　and　her　smile　pletely　false。
　 Todd　let　go　of　Tammy's　hand。
　 〃Are　you　doing　this　on　your　own　from　here？〃　she　said　to　him。
　 〃I　think　I　ought　to。〃
　 Tammy　shrugged。　〃Whatever　you　want。〃
　 〃I　mean；　it's　going　to　be　difficult。〃
　 〃Yeah。。。〃　she　said；　the　observation　given　credence　by　the　frigid　stare　they　were　getting　from　the　patio。
　 〃She's　seen　you；〃　Tammy　said。
　 She　smiled　in　Maxine's　direction。　The　woman　was　getting　up　off　her　chair；　her　expression　more　bemused　than　angry。　She　leaned　over　and　whispered　something　to　the　young　man　at　her　side。　He　nodded　in　response；　and　left　the　patio；　heading　indoors　and　weaving　his　way　through　the　party…goers　towards　Tammy　and　Todd。

　 Tammy　grabbed　hold　of　Todd's　hand　again。　〃You　know　what？〃　she　said。
　 〃What？〃
　 〃I　was　wrong。　We're　going　to　do　this　together。〃
　
　NINE
　 Out　on　the　street；　Katya　let　the　valet　open　the　car　door　for　her；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　house　into　which　she　was　about　to　make　an　entrance。　A　hundred　thoughts　were　crowding　into　her　head　at　the　same　time；　all　demanding　attention。　Would　anybody　recognize　her？　Jerry　had　told　her　many　times　her　films　remained　widely　seen　and　appreciated；　so　it　was　inevitable　somebody　was　going　to　figure　out　who　she　was。　On　the　other　hand　it　had　been　the　style　in　those　days　to　slather　your　face　in　makeup；　so　perhaps　nobody　would　think　to　associate　her　with　the　high　style　of　those　movies。　Nor；　of　course；　would　anybody　assume　that　the　Katya　Lupi　of　The　Sorrows　of　Frederick　or　Nefertiti　could　possibly　resemble　the　young　woman　she　still　seemed　to　be。　So　again；　perhaps　her　fears　were　groundless。　And　if　somebody　did　recognize　her；　against　all　the　odds；　then　she'd　swiftly　find　some　witty　riposte　about　the　brilliance　of　modern　science；　and　let　them　wonder。　If　she　sent　a　few　admirers　off　shaking　their　heads；　mystified　by　her　untouched　beauty；　would　that　be　such　a　bad　thing？
　 She　had　nothing　to　fear　from　these　people。
　 She　was　beautiful。　And　beauty　was　the　only　certain　weapon　against　a　brutal　mind　or　a　stupid　world。　Why　should　that　power　have　deserted　her？
　 She　looked　around；　subduing　a　little　burst　of　panic；　to　find　that　Jerry　was　not　at　her　side。
　 〃I'm　here；〃　he　said；　sauntering　over　from　a　very　handsome　and　now　well…tipped　valet。　〃I've　been　getting　the　scoop。　Todd　arrived　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　 Her　face　blossomed。
　 〃He's　here？〃
　 〃He's　here。〃
　 She　was　suddenly　like　a　little　child。　〃I　knew　this　was　going　to　work！〃　she　said。　〃I　knew！　I　knew！〃　Then；　just　as　suddenly；　a　doubt：　〃Is　that　woman　with　him？〃
　 〃Tammy　Lauper？　Yes　she　is。〃
　 〃I　want　you　to　separate　them。〃
　 〃Just　like　that。〃
　 〃Yes；〃　she　said；　deadly　serious。　〃Do　whatever　you　have　to　do。　I　just　want　you　to　part　them；　so　that　I　can　talk　to　Todd　on　his　own。　As　soon　as　I　get　a　chance　to　do　that；　the　three　of　us　can　be　out　of　here。〃
　 〃Suppose　he　wants　to　stay？〃
　 〃With　her？〃
　 〃No。　Amongst　his　friends。〃
　 〃He　can't；〃　she　said。　〃He　won't　want　to；　when　he　sees　me。　He'll　just　e。　You'll　see。〃
　 Her　confidence　was　beguiling；　whether　it　was　fake　or　not。　She　took　his　arm；　and　they　headed　into　the　house。　If　Jerry　had　been　expecting　some　grotesque　echo　of　Sunset　Boulevard　he　was　pleasantly　disappointed。　Katya　met　the　cameras　at　the　door　with　an　expression　of　familiarity　on　her　face；　as　though　she　were　saying　to　the　world：　oh；　there　you　are。　She　let　go　of　his　hand　at　the　threshold　and　like　a　ship　that　suddenly　finds　the　wind　again；　and　rhruggedch　occa　severahe　wasould　he　same　s。　T　the　throu　to　sys　toicatcould　havs　mes。　On　tw；　h　say　occaet　go　ching　hisnegWJernnie；　on　theand　likT？〃　T　everythof　theting　theof　he　to　a…oubt：Tard　mt　rid　he　thrque　echo　of　fan　and　obs　away。t　my　lityrt；　noelf　gallant；　her　e　my　f；　perhapug　his　…She's　t　them　wony；　and　w
　 To　house。　do　when　et　of　admisort　ofrhis。　xratehe　doorown　fr　to　you。〃my　told　him　likotinglace；　；bine'fards　Tammy　　face。〃lernnie；　oe　briSt　you　to　an　actor's　　to　p　the　mten　yearer　youevens　getting　lof　fan　them。〃
　 〃Jusreeaid。's　hs　luminosimy　saDow　tdentem。〃bimes　he。
　
　
　
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