sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第17部分

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ne　of　his　clients　into　this　hotel。　The　manager　of　the　Oasis　hoped　that　now　the　hotel　would　get　some　of　Lawrence's　fantastically　big　stars。　
　The　suite　was　enormous。　It　consisted　of　three　bedrooms；　large　living　room；　a　kitchen；　a　bar　and　a　terrace。　On　a　table　in　the　living　room　were　bottles　of　assorted　liquors；　flowers　and　a　large　bowl　of　fresh　fruit　and　cheeses；　pliments　of　the　management。　
　〃I　hope　this　will　be　satisfactory；　Mr。　Temple；〃　Parker　said。　
　Toby　looked　around　and　thought　of　all　the　dreary　little　cockroach…ridden　fleabag　hotel　rooms　he　had　lived　in。　
　〃Yeah。　t's　okay。〃
　〃Mr。　Landry　checked　in　an　hour　ago。　I've　arranged　to　the　Mirage　Room　for　your　rehearsal　at　three　o'clock。〃　
　〃Thanks。〃　
　〃Remember；　if　there's　anything　at　all　you　need　〃　And　the　manager　bowed　himself　out。　Toby　stood　there；　savoring　his　surroundings。　He　was　to　live　in　places　like　this　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　He'll　have　it　all　　the　broads；　the　money；　the　applause。　Mostly　the　applause。　People　sitting　out　there　laughing　and　cheering　and　loving　him。　That　was　his　food　and　drink。　He　did　not　need　anything　else。　
　
　Dick　Landry　was　in　his　late　twenties；　a　slight；　thin　man　with　an　alopecian　head　and　long；　graceful　legs。　He　had　started　out　as　a　gypsy　on　Broadway　and　had　graduated　from　the　chorus　to　lead　dancer　to　choreographer　to　director。　Landry　had　taste　and　a　sense　of　what　an　audience　wanted。　He　could　not　make　a　bad　act　good；　but　he　could　make　it　look　good；　and　if　he　was　given　a　good　act；　he　could　make　it　sensational。　
　Until　ten　days　ago；　Landry　had　never　heard　of　Toby　Temple；　and　the　only　reason　Landry　had　cut　into　his　frantic　schedule　e　to　Las　Vegas　and　stage　Temple's　act　was　because　
　
　Toby　dropped　his　spoon。　
　〃A　thousand　a　week？　That's　fantastic。　Cliff！〃　
　〃And　I've　had　a　couple　of　feelers　from　the　Thunderbird　and　the　El　Rancho　Hotel。〃　
　〃Already？〃　Toby　asked；　elated。　
　〃Don't　wet　your　pants。　It's　just　to　play　the　lounge。〃　He　smiled。　〃It's　the　old　story；　Toby。　To　me　you're　a　headliner；　and　to　you　you're　a　headliner　　but　to　a　headliner；　are　you　a　headliner？〃　He　stood　up。　〃I　have　to　catch　a　plane　to　New　York。　I'm　flying　to　London　tomorrow。〃　
　〃London？　When　will　you　be　back？〃　
　〃In　a　few　weeks。〃　Clifton　leaned　forward　and　said；　〃Listen　to　me；　dear　boy。　You　have　two　more　weeks　here。　Treat　it　like　a　school。　Every　night　you're　up　on　that　stage；　I　want　you　to　figure　out　how　you　can　be　better。　I've　persuaded　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　not　to　leave。　They're　willing　to　work　with　you　day　and　night。　Use　them。　Landry　will　e　back　weekends　to　see　how　everything　is　going。〃　
　〃Right；〃　Toby　said。　〃Thanks；　Cliff。〃　
　〃Oh；　I　almost　forgot；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　said　casually。　He　pulled　a　small　package　from　his　pocket　and　handed　it　to　Toby。　Inside　was　a　pair　of　beautiful　diamond　cufflinks。　They　were　in　the　shape　of　a　star。　
　Whenever　Toby　had　some　free　time；　he　relaxed　around　the　large　swimming　pool　at　the　back　of　the　hotel。　There　were　twenty…five　girls　in　the　show　and　there　were　always　a　dozen　or　so　from　the　chorus　line　in　bathing　suits；　sunning　themselves。　They　appeared　in　the　hot　noon　air　like　late…blooming　flowers；　one　more　beautiful　than　the　next。　Toby　had　never　had　trouble　getting　girls；　but　what　happened　to　him　now　was　a　totally　new　experience。　The　showgirls　had　never　heard　of　Toby　Temple　before；　but　his　name　was　up　in　lights　on　the　marquee。　That　was　enough。　He　was　a　Star；　and　they　fought　each　other　for　the　privilege　of　going　to　bed　with　him。　
　The　next　two　weeks　were　marvelous　for　Toby。　He　would　wake　up　around　noon；　have　breakfast　in　the　dining　room　ere　he　was　kept　busy　signing　autographs　and　then　rehearse　an　hour　or　two。　Afterward；　he　would　pick　one　or　two　the　long…legged　beauties　around　the　pool　and　they　would　up　to　his　suite　for　an　afternoon　romp　in　bed。　And　Toby　learned　something　new。　Because　of　the　tiny　costumes　the　girls　wore；　they　had　to　get　rid　of　their　pubic　hair。　But　they　waxed　it　in　such　a　way　that　only　a　curly　wip　of　hair　was　left　in　the　center　of　the　mound；　making　the　：ning　more　available。　
　〃It's　like　an　aphrodisiac；〃　one　of　the　girls　confided　to　by。　〃A　few　hours　in　a　pair　of　tight　pants　and　a　girl　bees　having　nymphomaniac。〃　
　Toby　did　not　bother　to　learn　any　of　their　names。　They　were　all　〃baby〃　or　〃honey〃；　and　they　became　a　marvelous；　sensuous　blur　of　thighs　and　lips　and　eager　bodies。　
　
　During　the　final　week　of　Toby's　engagement　at　the　Oasis；　he　had　a　visitor。　Toby　had　finished　the　first　show　and　was　in　his　dressing　room；　creaming　off　his　makeup；　when　dining　room　captain　opened　the　door　and　said　in　hushed　tones；　〃Mr。　Al　Caruso　would　like　you　to　join　his　table。〃　
　Al　Caruso　was　one　of　the　big　names　in　Las　Vegas。　He　owned　one　hotel　outright；　and　it　was　rumored　that　he　had　shares　in　two　or　three　others。　It　was　also　rumored　that　he　had　bad　connections；　bur　that　was　no　concern　of　Toby's。　What　was　important　was　that　if　Al　Caruso　liked　him；　Toby　would　get　bookings　in　Las　Vegas　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　He　hurriedly　finished　dressing　and　went　into　the　dining　room　to　meet　Caruso。　
　Al　Caruso　was　a　short　man　in　his　fifties　with　gray　hair；　nkling；　soft　brown　eyes　and　a　little　paunch。　He　reminded　by　of　a　miniature　Santa　Claus。　As　Toby　came　up　to　the　tabIe；　Caruso　rose；　held　out　his　hand；　smiled　warmly　and　said；　
　〃Al　Caruso。　Just　wanted　to　tell　you　what　I　think　of　you；　Toby。　Pull　up　a　chair。〃　
　There　were　two　other　men　at　Caruso's　table；　dressed　in　dark　suits。　They　were　both　burly；　sipped　Coca…Colas　and　did　not　say　a　word　during　the　entire　meeting。　Toby　never　learned　their　names。　Toby　usually　had　his　dinner　after　the　first　show　and　was　ravenous　now；　but　Caruso　had　obviously　just　finished　eating；　and　Toby　did　not　want　to　appear　to　be　more　interested　in　food　than　in　his　meeting　with　the　great　man。　
　〃I'm　impressed　with　you；　kid；〃　Caruso　said。　〃Real　impressed。〃　And　he　beamed　at　Toby　with　those　mischievous　brown　eyes。　
　〃Thanks；　Mr。　Caruso；〃　Toby　said　happily。　〃That　means　a　lot　to　me。〃　
　〃Call　me　Al。〃　
　〃Yes；　sirAl。〃　
　〃You　got　a　future；　Toby。　I've　seen　'em　e　and　I've　seen　'em　go。　But　the　ones　with　talent　last　a　long　time。　You　got　talent。〃　
　Toby　could　feel　a　pleasant　warmth　suffusing　his　body。　He　fleetingly　debated　whether　to　tell　Al　Caruso　to　discuss　business　with　Clifton　Lawrence；　but　Toby　decided　it　might　be　better　if　he　made　the　deal　himself。　If　Caruso　is　this　excited　about　me；　Toby　thought；　I　can　make　a　better　deal　than　Cliff。　Toby　decided　he　would　let　Al　Caruso　make　the　first　offer　and　then　he　would　do　some　hard　bargaining。　
　〃I　almost　wet　my　pants；〃　Caruso　was　telling　him。　〃That　monkey　routine　of　yours　is　the　runniest　thing　I　ever　heard。〃　
　〃ing　from　you；　that's　a　real　pliment；〃　Toby　said　with　sincerity。　The　little　Santa　Claus　eyes　were　filled　with　tears　of　laughter。　He　took　out　a　white　silk　handkerchief　and　wiped　them　away。　He　turned　to　his　two　escorts。　〃Did　I　say　he's　a　funny　man？〃　The　two　men　nodded。　Al　Caruso　turned　back　to　Toby。　
　〃Tell　you　why　I　came　to　see　you；　Toby。〃　
　This　was　the　magical　moment；　his　entrance　into　the　big　time。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　off　in　Europe　somewhere；　making　deals　for　has…been　clients　when　he　should　have　been　here　making　this　deal。　Well；　Lawrence　would　have　a　real　surprise　in　store　for　him　when　he　returned。　Toby　leaned　forward　and　said；　smiling　engagingly；　
　〃I'm　listening；　Al。〃　
　〃Millie　loves　you。〃　　
　Toby　blinked；　sure　that　he　had　missed　something。　The　man　was　watching　him；　his　eyes　twinkling。　
　〃I　　I'm　sorry；〃　Toby　said；　in　confusion。　〃What　did　you　say？〃　
　Al　Caruso　smiled　warmly。　〃Millie　loves　you。　She　told　me〃。
　Millie？　Could　that　be　Caruso's　wife？　His　daughter？　Toby　started　to　speak；　but　Al　Caruso　interrupted。　
　〃She's　a　great　kid。　I　been　keepin'　her　for　three；　four　years。〃　He　turned　to　the　other　two　men。　〃Four　years？〃　They　nodded。　Al　Caruso　turned　back　to　Toby。　
　〃I　love　that　girl；　Toby。　really　crazy　about　her。〃　Toby　could　feel　the　blood　beginning　to　drain　from　his　face。　
　〃Mr。　Caruso〃　
　Al　Caruso　said；　〃Millie　and　me　got　a　deal。　I　don't　cheat　her　except　with　my　wife；　and　she　don't　cheat　on　me　unless　tells　me。〃　
　He　beamed　at　Toby；　and　this　time　Toby　saw　something　beyond　the　cherubic　smile　that　turned　his　blood　cold。　
　〃Mr。　C