mc.risingsun-第19部分
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nths now。 She's this year's Kelly Emberg。 The athletic modelly kind。 But sophisticated； sort of a Tatiana look…alike。 Her name is 。 。 。 Austin。 Cindy Austin； Carrie Austin 。 。 。 Cheryl Austin。 That's it。〃
I said； 〃You know anything else about her？〃
Jenny shook her head。 〃Listen； I think getting a name is pretty good。 These girls show up all the time。 You see a new one everywhere for six months； a year； and then they're gone。 God knows where they go。 Who can keep track of them？〃
〃And the man with her？〃
〃Richard Levitt。 Plastic surgeon。 Does a lot of big stars。〃
〃What's he doing here？〃
She shrugged。 〃He's around。 Like a lot of these guys； he's a panion to the stars in their time of need。 If his patients are getting divorced or whatever； he escorts the woman。 When he's not taking out clients； he takes out models like her。 They certainly look good together。〃
On the monitor； Cheryl and her escort walked toward us in intermittent jerks： one frame every thirty seconds。 Stepping slow。 I noticed they never looked at each other。 She seemed tense； expectant。
Jenny Gonzales said； 〃So。 Plastic surgeon and a model。 Can I ask what's the big deal about these two？ Because at an evening like this； they're just； you know； party favors。〃
Connor said； 〃She was killed tonight。〃
〃Oh； she's the one？ Interesting。〃
I said； 〃You've heard about the murder？〃
〃Oh； sure。〃
〃Was it on the news？〃
〃No； didn't make the eleven o'clock；〃 Jenny said。 〃And it probably won't be on tomorrow。 I can't see it myself。 It's not really a story。〃
〃Why is that？〃 I asked； glancing at Connor。
〃Well； what's the peg？〃
〃I don't follow you。〃
〃Nakamoto would say； it's only news because it happened at their opening。 They'd take the position that any reporting of it is a smear on them。 But in a way they're right。 I mean； if this girl got killed on the freeway； it wouldn't make the news。 If she got killed in a convenience store robbery； it wouldn't make the news。 We have two or three of those every night。 So the fact that she gets killed at a party 。 。 。 who cares？ It's still not news。 She's young and pretty； but she's not special。 It's not as if she has a series or anything。〃 。
Connor glanced at his watch。 〃Shall we look at the other tapes？〃
〃The footage from the party？ Sure。 You looking for this particular girl？〃
〃Right。〃
〃Okay； here we go。〃 Jenny put in the third tape。
We saw scenes from the party on the forty…fifth floor： the swing band； people dancing beneath the hanging decorations。 We strained for a glimpse of the girl in the crowd。 Jenny said； 〃In Japan； we wouldn't have to do this by eye。 The Japanese have pretty sophisticated video…recognition software now。 They have a program where you identify an image； say a face； and it'll automatically search tape for you； and find every instance of that face。 Find it in a crowd； or wherever it appears。 Has the ability to see a single view of a three…dimensional object； and then to recognize the same object in other views。 It's supposed to be pretty nifty。 But slow。〃
〃I'm surprised the station hasn't got it。〃
〃Oh； it's not for sale here。 The most advanced Japanese video equipment isn't available in this country。 They keep us three to five years behind。 Which is their privilege。 It's their technology； they can do what they want。 But it'd sure be useful in a case like this。〃
The party images were streaming past； a frenetic blur。
Suddenly； she locked the image。
〃There。 Background camera left。 Your Austin girl's talking to Eddie Sakamura。 Of course he'd know her。 Sakamura knows all the models。 Normal speed here？〃
〃Please；〃 Connor said； staring at the screen。
The camera made a slow pan around the room。 Cheryl Austin remained in view for most of the shot。 Laughing with Eddie Sakamura； throwing her head back； resting her hand on his arm； happy to be with him。 Eddie clowned for her； his face mobile。 He seemed to enjoy making her laugh。 But from time to time； her eyes flicked away； glancing around the room。 As if she was waiting for something to happen。 Or for someone to arrive。
At one point； Sakamura became aware he did not have her full attention。 He grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly toward him。 She turned her face away from him。 He leaned close to her and said something angrily。 Then a bald man stepped forward； very close to the camera。 The light flared on his face； washing out his features； and his head blocked our view of Eddie and the girl。 Then the camera panned left； and we lost them。
〃Damn。〃
〃Again？〃 Jenny backed it up； and we ran it once more。
I said； 〃Eddie's obviously not happy with her。〃
〃I'd say。〃
Connor frowned。 〃It's so difficult to know what we are seeing。 Do you have sound for this？〃
Jenny said； 〃Sure； but it's probably walla。〃 She punched buttons and ran it again。 The track was continuous cocktail party din。 Only for brief moments did we hear an isolated phrase。
At one point； Cheryl Austin looked at Eddie Sakamura and said； 〃。 。 。 can't help if it's important to you I get 。 。 。〃
His reply to her was garbled； but later； he said clearly to her； 〃Don't understand 。 。 。 all about the Saturday meeting 。 。 。〃
And in the last few seconds of the pan； when he pulled her to him； he snarled a phrase like 〃。 。 。 be a fool 。 。 。 no cheapie 。 。 。〃
I said； 〃Did he say 'No cheapie'？〃
〃Something like that；〃 Connor said。
Jenny said； 〃Want to run it again？〃
〃No；〃 Connor said。 〃There's nothing more to be learned here。 Go forward。〃
〃Right；〃 Jenny said。
The image accelerated； the party…goers being frenetic； laughing and raising glasses for quick sips。 And then I said； 〃Wait。〃
Back to normal speed。 A blond woman in an Armani silk suit shaking hands with the bald…headed man we had seen a few moments before。
〃What is it？〃 Jenny said； looking at me。
〃That's his wife；〃 Connor said。
The woman leaned forward to kiss the bald man lightly on the mouth。 Then she stepped back and made some ment about the suit he was wearing。
〃She's a lawyer in the D。A。's office；〃 Jenny said。 〃Lauren Davis。 She's assisted on a couple of big cases。 The Sunset Strangler； the Kellerman shooting。 She's very ambitious。 Smart and well connected。 They say she has a future if she stays in the office。 It must be true； because Wyland doesn't ever let her get air time。 As you see； she makes a good appearance； but he keeps her away from the microphones。 The bald guy she's talking to is John McKenna； with Regis McKenna in San Francisco。 The pany that does the publicity for most high…tech firms；〃
I said； 〃We can go forward。〃
Jenny pushed the button。 〃She really your wife； or is your partner kidding？〃
〃No； she's really my wife。 Was。〃
〃You're divorced now？〃
〃Yeah。〃
Jenny looked at me； and started to say something。 Then she decided not to； and looked back at the screen。 On the monitor； the party continued at high speed。
I found myself thinking of Lauren。 When I knew her； she was bright and ambitious； but she really didn't understand very much。 She had grown up privileged； she had gone to Ivy League schools； and had the privileged person's deep belief that whatever she happened to think was probably true。 Certainly good enough to live by。 Nothing needed to be checked against reality。
She was young； that was part of it。 She was still feeling the world； learning how it worked。 She was enthusiastic； and she could be impassioned in expounding her beliefs。 But of course her beliefs were always changing； depending on whom she had talked to last。 She was very impressionable。 She tried on ideas the way some women try on hats。 She was always informed on the latest trend。 I found it youthful and charming for a while； until it began to annoy me。
Because she didn't have any core； any real substance。 She was like a television set： she just played the latest show。 Whatever it was。 She never questioned it。
In the end； Lauren's great talent was to conform。 She was expert at watching the TV； the newspaper； the boss … whatever she saw as the source of authority … and figuring out what direction the winds were blowing。 And positioning herself so she was where she ought to be。 I wasn't surprised she was getting ahead。 Her values； like her
