sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第17部分

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y　he　was　born。　
　
　In　the　limousine；　the　man　in　the　front　seat　chuckled　and　said　admiringly；　〃I　sure　gotta　hand　it　to　you；　boss。　The　poor　bastard　never　knew　what　hit　him。〃　
　Caruso　smiled　benignly。　It　had　worked　out　well。　Ever　since　his　wife；　who　had　the　temper　of　a　virago；　had　found　out　about　his　affair　with　Millie；　Caruso　had　known　that　he　would　have　to　find　a　way　to　get　rid　of　the　blonde　showgirl。　
　〃Remind　me　to　see　that　he　treats　Millie　good；〃　Caruso　said　softly。　
　
　Toby　and　Millie　moved　into　a　small　home　in　Benedict　canyon。　In　the　beginning；　Toby　spent　hours　scheming　about　ways　to　get　out　of　his　marriage。　He　would　make　Millie　so　miserable　that　she　would　ask　for　a　divorce。　Or　he　would　frame　her　with　another　guy　and　then　demand　a　divorce。　Or　he　would　simply　leave　her　and　defy　Caruso　to　do　something　about　it。　But　he　changed　his　mind　after　a　talk　with　Dick　Landry；　the　rector。　They　were　having　lunch　at　the　Bel　Air　Hotel　a　few　weeks　after　the　wedding；　and　Landry　asked；　
　〃How　well　do　you　really　now　AI　Caruso？〃　
　Toby　looked　at　him。　〃Why　？　〃　
　〃Don't　get　mixed　up　with　him；　Toby。　He's　a　killer。　I'll　teII　you　something　I　know　for　a　fact。　Caruso's　kid　brother　married　a　nineteen…year…old　girl　fresh　out　of　a　convent。　A　month　later；　the　kid　caught　his　wife　in　bed　with　some　guy。　He　told　Al　about　it。〃　
　Toby　was　listening；　his　eyes　fastened　on　Landry。　〃What　happened？〃　
　〃Caruso's　goons　took　a　meat　cleaver　and　cut　off　the　guy's　cock。　They　soaked　it　in　gasoline　and　set　it　on　fire　while　the　he　watched。　Then　they　left　him　to　bleed　to　death。〃　
　Toby　remembered　Caruso　saying。　Open　up　his　pants；　and　the　hard　hands　fumbling　his　ripper；　and　Toby　broke　out　in　cold　sweat。　He　felt　suddenly　sick　to　his　stomach。　He　knew　with　an　awful　certainty　that　there　was　no　escape。　
　
　
　Josephine　found　an　escape　when　she　was　ten。　It　was　a　door　to　another　world　where　she　could　hide　from　her　mother's　maltreatment　and　the　constant　threat　of　Hell…fire　and　Damnation。　
　It　was　a　world　filled　with　magic　and　beauty。　She　would　sit　in　the　darkened　movie　house　hour　after　hour　and　watch　the　glamorous　people　on　the　screen。　They　all　lived　in　beautiful　houses　and　wore　lovely　clothes；　and　they　were　all　so　happy。　And　Josephine　thought；　I　will　go　to　Hollywood；　one　day　and　live　like　that。　She　hoped　that　her　mother　would　understand。　Her　mother　believed　that　movies　were　the　thoughts　of　the　Devil；　so　Josephine　had　to　sneak　away　to　the　theater；　using　money　she　earned　by　baby…sitting。　The　picture　that　was　playing　today　was　a　love　story；　and　Josephine　leaned　forward　in　joyous　anticipation　as　it　began。　The　credits　came　on　first。　They　read；　〃Produced　by　Sam　Winters〃。　　
　
　
　There　were　days　when　Sam　Winters　felt　as　though　he　were　running　a　lunatic　asylum　instead　of　a　motion…picture　studio；　and　that　all　the　inmates　were　out　to　get　him。　This　is　one　of　those　days；　for　the　crises　were　piled　a　foot　high。　Here　had　been　another　fire　at　the　studio　the　night　before　the　fourth；　the　sponsor　of　〃My　Man　Friday〃　had　been　insulted　by　the　star　of　the　series　and　wanted　to　cancel　the　show；　Bert　Firestone；　the　studio's　boy…genius　director；　had　shut　down　eduction　in　the　middle　of　a　five…million…dollar　picture；　and　Jessie　Brand　had　walked　out　on　a　picture　that　was　scheduled　start　shooting　in　a　few　days。　
　The　fire　marshal　and　the　studio　ptroller　were　in　Sam's　office。　
　〃How　bad　was　last　night's　fire？〃　Sam　asked。　
　The　ptroller　said；　〃The　sets　are　a　total　loss；　Mr。　Winters。　We're　going　to　have　to　rebuild　Stage　Fifteen　etely。　Sixteen　is　fixable；　but　it　will　take　us　three　months。〃　
　〃We　haven't　got　three　months；〃　Sam　snapped。　〃Get　on　the　phone　and　rent　some　space　at　Goldwyn。　Use　this　weekend　start　building　new　sets。　Get　everybody　moving。〃　
　He　turned　to　the　fire　marshal；　a　man　named　Reilly；　who　minded　Sam　of　George　Bancroft；　the　actor。　
　〃Somebody　sure　as　hell　don't　like　you；　Mr。　Winters；〃　Reilly　said。　〃Each　fire　has　been　a　dear　case　of　perrson。　Have　I　checked　on　grunts？〃　
　Grunts　were　disgruntled　employees　who　had　been　recently　fire　or　felt　they　had　a　grievance　against　their　employer。　
　〃We've　gone　through　all　the　personnel　files　twice；〃　Sam　replied。　〃We　haven't　e　up　with　a　thing。〃　〃Whoever　is　setting　these　babies　knows　exactly　what　he's　doing。　He's　using　a　tuning　device　attached　to　a　homemade　incendiary。　He　could　be　an　electrician　or　a　mechanic。〃　
　〃Thanks；〃　Sam　said。　〃I'll　pass　that　on。〃　
　〃Roger　Tapp　is　calling　from　Tahiti。〃　
　〃Put　him　on；〃　Sam　said。　
　Tapp　was　the　producer　of　〃My　Man　Friday〃；　the　television　series　being　shot　in　Tahiti；　starring　Tony　Fletcher。　
　〃What's　the　problem？〃　Sam　asked。　〃You　won't　fucking　believe　this；　Sam。　Philip　Heller；　the　chairman　of　the　board　of　the　pany　that's　sponsoring　the　show；　is　visiting　here　with　his　family。　They　walked　on　the　set　yesterday　afternoon；　and　Tony　Fletcher　was　in　the　middle　of　a　scene。　He　turned　to　them　and　insulted　them。〃　
　〃What　did　he　say？〃　
　〃He　told　them　to　get　off　his　island。〃　
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　
　〃That's　who　he　thinks　he　is。　Heller's　so　mad　he　wants　to　cancel　the　series。〃　
　〃Get　over　to　Heller　and　apologize。　Do　it　right　now。　Tell　him　Tony　Fletcher's　having　a　nervous　breakdown。　Send　Mrs。　Heller　flowers；　take　them　to　dinner。　I'll　talk　to　Tony　Fletcher　myself。〃　
　The　conversation　lasted　thirty　minutes。　It　began　with　Sam　saying；　〃Hear　this；　you　stupid　cock　sucker　。。。〃　and　ended　with；　〃I　love　you；　too；　baby。　I'll　fly　over　there　to　see　you　as　soon　as　I　can　get　away。　And　for　God's　sake；　Tony；　don't　lay　Mrs。　Heller！〃　
　The　next　problem　was　Bert　Firestone；　the　boy…genius　director　who　was　breaking　Pan…Pacific　Studios。　Firestone's　picture；　There's　Always　Tomorrow；　had　been　shooting　for　a　hundred　and　ten　days；　and　was　more　than　a　million　dollars　over　budget。　Now　Bert　Firestone　had　shut　the　production　down；　which　meant　that；　besides　the　stars；　there　were　a　hundred　and　fifty　extras　sitting　around　on　their　asses　doing　nothing。　Bert　Firestone。　A　thirty…year…old　whiz　kid　who　came　from　directing　prize…winning　television　shows　at　a　Chicago　station　to　directing　movies　in　Hollywood。　Firestone's　first　three　motion　pictures　had　been　mild　successes；　but　his　fourth　one　had　been　a　box…office　smash。　On　the　basis　of　that　moneymaker；　he　had　bee　a　hot　property。　Sam　remembered　his　first　meeting　with　him。　Firestone　looked　a　not…yestready…to…shave　fifteen。　He　was　a　pale；　shy　man　with　black　horned…rimmed　glasses　that　concealed　tiny；　myopic　pink　eyes。　Sam　had　felt　sorry　for　the　kid。　Firestone　had　not　known　anyone　in　Hollywood；　so　Sam　had　gone　out　of　his　way　to　have　him　to　dinner　and　to　see　that　he　was　invited　to　parties。　When　they　had　first　discussed　There's　Always　Tomorrow；　Firestone　was　very　respectful。　He　told　Sam　that　he　was　eager　to　learn。　He　hung　on　every　word　that　Sam　said。　He　could　not　have　agreed　more　with　Sam。　If　he　were　signed　for　this　picture；　he　told　Sam；　he　would　certainly　lean　heavily　on　Mr。　Winters's　expertise。　That　was　before　Firestone　signed　the　contract。　After　he　signed　it；　he　made　Adolf　Hitler　look　like　Albert　Schweitzer。　The　little　apple…cheeked　kid　turned　into　a　killer　overnight。　He　cut　off　all　munication。　He　pletely　ignored　Sam's　toasting　suggestions；　insisted　on　totally　rewriting　a　fine　script　that　Sam　had　approved；　and　he　changed　most　of　the　shooting　scenes　that　had　already　been　agreed　upon。　
　Sam　had　wanted　to　throw　him　off　the　picture；　but　the　New　York　office　had　told　him　to　be　patient。　Rudolph　Hergershorn；　the　president　of　pany；　was　hypnotized　by　the　enormous　grosses　on　his　last　movie。　So　Sam　had　been　forced　to　sit　tight　and　do　nothing。　It　seemed　to　him　that　Firestone's　arrogance　grown　day　by　day。　He　would　sit　quietly　through　a　production；　and　when　all　the　experienced　department　heads　had　speaking；　Firestone　would　begin　chopping　down。　Everyone　gritted　his　teeth　and　bore　it。　In　no　time　at　all。　
　Firestone　aquired　the　nickname　of　the　Emperor；　and　when　his　people　were　not　calling　him　that；　they　referred　to　him　as　Prick　from　Chicago。　Somebody　said　about　him；　〃He's　a　pervert。　He　would　probably　fuck　himself　and　give　birth　two…headed　monster。〃　
　And　then；　in　the　middle　of　shooting；　Firestone　had　closed　down　the　pany。　Sam　went　over　to　see　Devlin　Kelly；　the　head　of　the　art　department。　
　〃Give　it　to　me　fast；〃　Sam　said。　
　〃Right。　Kid　Prick　ordered　〃　
　〃Cut　that　out。　It's　Mr。　Firestone。〃　
　〃Sorry。　Mr。　Firestone　asked　me　to　build　a　castle　set　for　him。　He　drew　the　sketches　himself。　You　okayed　them。〃　
　〃They　were　good。　What　happened　？　〃　
　〃What　happened　was　that　we　built　him　exactly　what　the　little　　what　he　wanted；　and　when　he　took　a　look　at　it　yesterday；　he　decided　he　didn't　want　it　anymore。　A　half…million　bucks　down　the　〃　
　〃I'll　talk　to　him；〃　Sam　said。　
　Bert　Firestone　was　outside；　in　back　of　Stage　Twentythree；　playing　basketball　with　the　crew。　They　had　rigged　up　a　court　and　had　painted　in　boundary　lines　and　put　up　two　baskets。　Sam　stood　there；　watching　a　moment。　The　game　was　costing　the　studio　two　thousand　dollars　an　hour。　
　〃Bert！〃　
　Firestone　turned；　saw　Sam；　smiled　and　waved。　The　ball　came　to　him；　he　dribbled　it；　feinted；　and　sank　a　basket。　Then　he　strolled　over　to　Sam。　
　〃How　are　things？〃　
　As　though　nothing　were　wrong。　As　Sam　looked　at　the　boyish；　smiling　young　face；　it