sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第48部分

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him；　and　each　network　paid　tribute　to　him。　There　would　never　be　another　Toby　Temple。　
　The　inquest　was　held　at　the　Criminal　Court　Building　on　Grand　Avenue　in　downtown　Los　Angeles；　in　a　small；　pact　courtroom。　An　inquest　examiner　was　in　charge　of　the　hearings；　guiding　the　panel　of　six　jurors。　The　room　was　packed　to　overflowing。　When　Jill　arrived；　the　photographers　and　reporters　and　fans　mobbed　her。　She　was　dressed　in　a　simple　black　tailored　wool　suit。　She　wore　no　makeup　and　she　had　never　looked　more　beautiful。　In　the　few　days　that　had　elapsed　since　Toby's　death；　Jill　had　miraculously　bloomed　into　her　old　self　again。　For　the　first　time　in　months；　she　was　able　to　sleep　soundly　and　dreamlessly。　She　had　a　voracious　appetite　and　her　headaches　had　disappeared。　The　demon　that　had　been　draining　her　life　away　was　gone。　Jill　had　talked　to　David　every　day。　He　had　wanted　to　e　to　the　inquest；　but　Jill　insisted　that　he　stay　away。　They　would　have　enough　time　together　later。　〃The　rest　of　our　lives；〃　David　had　told　her。　
　There　were　six　witnesses　at　the　inquest。　Nurse　Gallagher；　Nurse　Gordon　and　Nurse　Johnson　testified　about　the　general　routine　of　their　patient；　and　his　condition。　Nurse　Gallagher　was　giving　her　testimony。　
　〃What　time　were　you　supposed　to　go　off　duty　on　the　morning　in　question？〃　the　inquest　examiner　asked。　
　〃At　ten。〃　
　〃What　time　did　you　actually　leave？〃　
　Hesitation。　〃Nine…thirty。〃　
　〃Was　it　your　custom；　Mrs。　Gallagher；　to　leave　your　patient　before　your　shift　was　up？〃　
　〃No；　sir。　That　was　the　first　time。〃　
　〃Would　you　explain　how　you　happened　to　leave　early　on　that　particular　day？〃　
　〃It　was　Mrs。　Temple's　suggestion。　She　wanted　to　be　alone　with　her　husband。〃　
　〃Thank　you。　That's　all。〃　
　Nurse　Gallagher　stepped　down　from　the　stand。　Of　course　Toby　Temple's　death　was　an　accident；　she　thought。　It's　a　pity　that　they　had　to　put　a　wonderful　woman　like　Jill　Temple　through　this　ordeal。　Nurse　Gallagher　looked　over　at　Jill　and　felt　a　quick　stab　of　guilt。　She　remembered　the　night　that　she　had　gone　into　Mrs。　Temple's　bedroom　and　found　her　asleep　in　a　chair。　Nurse　Gallagher　had　quietly　turned　out　the　lights　and　closed　the　door　so　that　Mrs。　Temple　would　not　be　disturbed。　In　the　dark　hallway　Nurse　Gallagher　had　brushed　against　a　vase　on　a　pedestal　and　it　had　fallen　and　broken。　She　had　meant　to　tell　Mrs。　Temple；　but　the　vase　had　looked　very　expensive；　and　so；　when　Mrs。　Temple　had　not　mentioned　it；　Nurse　Gallagher　decided　to　say　nothing　about　it。　
　The　physiotherapist　was　on　the　witness　stand。　
　〃You　usually　gave　Mr。　Temple　a　treatment　every　day？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃Did　this　treatment　take　place　in　the　swimming　pool？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　pool　was　heated　to　a　hundred　degrees；　and〃　
　〃Did　you　give　Mr。　Temple　a　treatment　on　the　date　in　question？〃　
　〃No；　sir。〃　
　〃Would　you　tell　us　why？〃　
　〃She　sent　me　away。〃　
　〃By　'she'；　you　mean　Mrs。　Temple？〃　
　〃Right。〃　
　〃Did　she　give　you　any　reason？〃　
　〃She　said　Dr。　Kaplan　didn't　want　him　to　have　no　more　treatments。〃　
　〃And　so　you　left　without　seeing　Mr。　Temple？〃　
　〃That's　correct。　Yeah。〃　
　
　Dr。　Kaplan　was　on　the　stand。　
　〃Mrs。　Temple　telephoned　you　after　the　accident；　Dr。　Kaplan。　Did　you　examine　the　deceased　as　soon　as　you　arrived　at　the　scene？〃　
　〃Yes。　The　police　had　pulled　the　body　out　of　the　swimming　pool。　It　was　still　strapped　into　the　wheelchair。　The　police　surgeon　and　I　examined　the　body　and　determined　that　it　was　too　late　for　any　attempt　at　resuscitation。　Both　lungs　were　filled　with　water。　We　could　detect　no　vital　signs。〃　
　〃What　did　you　do　then；　Dr。　Kaplan？〃　
　〃I　took　care　of　Mrs。　Temple。　She　was　in　a　state　of　acute　hysteria。　I　was　very　concerned　about　her。〃　
　〃Dr。　Kaplan；　did　you　have　a　previous　discussion　with　Mrs。　Temple　about　discontinuing　therapy　treatments？〃　
　〃I　did。　I　told　her　I　thought　they　were　a　waste　of　time。〃　
　〃What　was　Mrs。　Temple's　reaction　to　that？〃　
　Dr。　Kaplan　looked　over　at　Jill　Temple　and　said；　〃Her　reaction　was　very　unusual。　She　insisted　that　we　keep　trying。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Since　I　am　under　oath　and　since　this　inquest　jury　is　interested　in　hearing　the　truth；　I　feel　there　is　something　I　am　obliged　to　say。〃　
　A　plete　hush　had　fallen　over　the　room。　Jill　was　staring　at　him。　Dr。　Kaplan　turned　toward　the　jury　box。　
　〃I　would　like　to　say；　for　the　record；　that　Mrs。　Temple　is　probably　the　finest　and　bravest　woman　I　have　ever　had　the　honor　to　know。〃　Every　eye　in　the　courtroom　turned　toward　Jill。　〃The　first　time　her　husband　suffered　a　stroke；　none　of　us　thought　he　had　a　chance　of　recovery。　Well；　she　nursed　him　back　to　health　single…handedly。　She　did　for　him　what　no　doctor　I　know　could　have　done。　I　could　never　begin　to　describe　to　you　her　devotion　or　dedication　to　her　husband。〃　He　looked　over　to　where　Jill　was　sitting　and　said；　〃She　is　an　inspiration　to　all　of　us。〃　
　The　spectators　broke　out　into　applause。　
　〃That　will　be　all；　Doctor；〃　the　inquest　examiner　said。　〃I　would　like　to　call　Mrs。　Temple　to　the　stand。〃　
　They　watched　as　Jill　rose　and　slowly　walked　over　to　the　witness　stand　to　be　sworn　in。　
　〃I　know　what　an　ordeal　this　is　for　you；　Mrs。　Temple；　and　I　will　try　to　get　it　over　with　as　quickly　as　possible。〃　
　〃Thank　you。〃　Her　voice　was　low。　
　〃When　Dr。　Kaplan　said　he　wanted　to　discontinue　the　therapy　treatments；　why　did　you　want　to　go　ahead　with　them？〃　
　She　looked　up　at　him　and　he　could　see　the　steep　pain　in　her　eyes。　
　〃Because　I　wanted　my　husband　to　have　every　chance　to　get　well　again。　Toby　loved　life；　and　I　wanted　to　bring　him　back　to　it。　I　　〃　Her　voice　faltered；　but　she　went　on。。　〃I　had　to　help　him　myself。〃　
　〃On　the　day　of　your　husband's　death；　the　physiotherapist　came　to　the　house；　and　you　sent　him　away。〃　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃Yet；　earlier；　Mrs。　Temple；　you　said　you　wanted　those　treatments　to　continue。　Can　you　explain　your　action？〃　
　〃It's　very　simple。　I　felt　that　our　love　was　the　only　thing　strong　enough　to　heal　Toby。　It　had　healed　him　before。。。〃　She　broke　off；　unable　to　continue。　Then；　visibly　steeling　herself；　she　continued　in　a　harsh　voice；　〃I　had　to　let　him　know　how　much　I　loved　him；　how　much　I　wanted　him　to　get　well　again。〃　Everyone　in　the　courtroom　was　leaning　forward；　straining　to　hear　every　word。　　
　〃Would　you　tell　us　what　happened　on　the　morning　of　the　accident？〃　
　There　was　a　silence　that　lasted　for　a　full　minute　while　Jill　gathered　her　strength；　and　then　she　spoke。　
　〃I　went　into　Toby's　room。　He　seemed　so　glad　to　see　me。　I　told　him　that　I　was　going　to　take　him　to　the　pool　myself；　that　I　was　going　to　make　him　well　again。　I　put　on　a　bathing　suit　so　that　I　could　work　with　him　in　the　water。　When　I　started　to　lift　him　off　the　bed　into　his　wheelchair；　I　　I　became　faint。　I　suppose　I　should　have　realized　then　that　I　wasn't　physically　strong　enough　to　do　what　I　was　trying　to　do。　But　I　couldn't　stop。　Not　if　it　was　going　to　help　him。　I　put　him　in　the　wheelchair　and　talked　to　him　all　the　way　down　to　the　pool。　I　wheeled　him　to　the　edge。。。。〃　She　stopped；　and　there　was　a　breathless　hush　in　the　room。　The　only　sound　was　the　susurration　of　the　reporters'　pens　as　they　frantically　scribbled　on　their　shorthand　pads。　〃I　reached　down　to　undo　the　straps　that　held　Toby　in　the　wheelchair；　and　I　felt　faint　again　and　started　to　fall。　I　　I　must　have　accidentally　released　the　brake。　The　chair　started　to　roll　into　the　pool。　I　tried　to　grab　it；　but　itit　went　into　the　pool　with　　with　Toby　strapped　into　it。〃　Her　voice　was　choked。　〃I　jumped　into　the　pool　after　him　and　fought　to　free　him；　but　the　straps　were　too　tight。　I　tried　to　lift　the　chair　out　of　the　water；　but　it　was　　it　was　too　heavy。　…It。。。　was　。。。　just。。。　too。。。　heavy。〃　She　closed　her　eyes　a　moment　to　hide　her　deep　anguish。　Then；　almost　in　a　whisper；　〃I　tried　to　help　Toby；　and　I　killed　him。〃　
　It　took　the　inquest　jury　less　than　three　minutes　to　reach　a　verdict：　Toby　Temple　had　died　in　an　accident。　
　
　Clifton　Lawrence　sat　in　the　back　of　the　courtroom　and　listened　to　the　verdict。　He　was　certain　that　Jill　had　murdered　Toby。　But　there　was　no　way　to　prove　it。　She　had　gotten　away　with　it。　The　case　was　closed。　
　　
　The　funeral　was　standing　room　only。　It　was　held　at　Forest　Lawn　on　a　sunny　August　morning；　on　the　day　Toby　Temple　was　to　have　started　his　new　television　series。　There　were　thousands　of　people　milling　about　the　lovely；　rolling　grounds；　trying　to　get　a　look　at　all　the　celebrities　who　were　there　to　pay　their　last　respects。　Television　cameramen　photographed　the　funeral　services　in　long　shots　and　zoomed　in　for　close　ups　of　the　stars　and　producers　and　directors　who　were　at　the　graveside。　The　President　of　the　United　States　had　sent　an　emissary。　There　were　governors　present；　studio　heads；　presidents　of　large　corporations；　and　representatives　from　every　guild　that　Toby　had　belonged　to：　SAG　and　AFTRA　and　ASCAP　and　AGVA。　The　president　of　the　Beveriy　Hills　branch　of　the　Veterans　of　Foreign　Wars　was　there　in　full　uniform。　There　were　contingents　from　the　local　police　and　fire　departments。　And　the　little　people　were　there。　The　grips　and　prop　men　and　extras　and　stunt　men　who　had　worked　with　Toby　Temple。　The　wardrobe　mistresses　and　the　best　boys　and　the　goffers　and　the　gaffers　and　the　assistant　directors。　And　there　were　others；　and　all　of　them　had　e　to　pay　homage　to　a　gre