cb.coldheart canyon-第25部分

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car　parked　in　the　driveway；　twenty　yards　inside　the　gates；　its　trunk　open。　There　was　no　sign　of　anyone　loading　or　unloading。　She　watched　from　the　street　for　a　minute　or　two；　her　courage　alternately　rising　then　failing　her。　She　couldn't　just　go　up　to　the　gate　and　ring　the　bell。　What　would　she　say？　Hello；　I'm　Todd's　Number　One　Fan；　and　I　was　wondering　if　he　was　feeling　okay？　Ridiculous！　They'd　think　she　was　a　stalker　and　have　her　arrested。　In　fact　they　might　be　watching　her　right　now；　on　a　hidden　camera：　calling　the　police。
　 She　stood　there；　quietly　cursing　herself　for　not　having　thought　this　through　properly　before　she　came　up　here。　She　didn't　know　whether　to　stand　her　ground；　and　make　the　best　of　this　nightmarish　situation；　or　attempt　to　casually　slip　away。
　 Then　a　door　slammed；　somewhere　out　of　sight。　She　wanted　to　make　a　run　for　it；　but　she　too　far　from　the　car　to　make　a　quick　retreat。　All　she　could　do　was　stand　there　and　hope　to　God　there　was　nobody　looking　at　the　security　monitors　at　that　particular　moment。
　 Now　came　the　sound　of　somebody　whistling；　and　seconds　later　the　whistler　himself　stepped　into　view。　Tammy　recognized　him　instantly。　It　was　Marco　Caputo；　Todd's　assistant　and　bodyguard。　She'd　encountered　the　man　twice　before；　once　at　the　premiere　party　for　The　Burning　Year；　and　the　second　time　in　Las　Vegas；　when　Todd　had　been　named　Actor　of　the　Year　at　ShoWest。　She'd　very　politely　presented　her　credentials　as　the　President　of　the　Appreciation　Society；　and　politely　asked　Caputo　if　she　could　have　a　minute　to　talk　with　Todd。　On　both　occasions　he'd　been　rude　to　her。　The　second　time；　in　fact；　he'd　called　her　'a　crazy　bitch'；　which　she'd　plained　to　Maxine　Frizelle　about。　Maxine　had　apologized　in　a　halfhearted　way　and　said　it　would　never　happen　again；　but　Tammy　wasn't　about　to　put　Caputo's　temper　to　the　test　a　third　time；　especially　under　these　dubious　circumstances。
　 Before　he　could　look　up　and　see　her　she　backed　off　into　the　thicket　of　blackberry　bushes　that　grew　unchecked　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。　She　kept　her　eyes　on　him　at　all　times；　he　was　too　busy　with　his　present　labors　to　notice　her；　thank　God；　and　now；　hidden　in　the　bushes；　she　had　the　perfect　vantage　point　from　which　to　observe　him　as　he　went　back　and　forth　between　the　house　and　the　car。　He　was　loading　his　vehicle　up　with　an　odd　assortment　of　things：　including　several　awards　she　knew　belonged　to　Todd。　He　was　also　removing　some　other　items：　a　variety　of　fancy　ornaments；　a　marijuana　plant　in　a　pot；　some　framed　photographs。　All　this；　plus　nine　or　ten　sealed　cardboard　boxes；　carefully　placed　in　the　trunk　or　on　the　back　seat　of　his　car。　There　was　no　sign　of　Todd　through　the　process；　nor　did　she　hear　any　exchange　from　inside　the　house。　If　Todd　was　here；　he　was　not　engaged　in　conversation　with　Marco。　But　her　instincts　told　her　he　was　not　here。
　 For　fully　a　quarter　of　an　hour　she　watched　him　work　and　finally…putting　all　the　evidence　together…she　came　to　the　conclusion　that　she　was　witnessing　an　act　of　theft。　Of　course；　her　dislike　of　the　thief　factored　into　her　assessment；　but　there　was　no　doubt　that　Caputo　looked　furtive　as　he　went　about　his　labors。　Every　now　and　then　he'd　glance　up　as　if　he　was　afraid　he　was　being　watched　（perhaps　he　sensed　that　he　was）；　and　when　he　did　she　saw　that　his　face　was　ill…shaven；　and　his　eyes　heavy。　Sleep　wasn't　ing　too　easily　of　late。
　 She　had　already　decided　what　she　was　going　to　do　well　before　he'd　finished　with　his　felony。　She'd　follow　him　when　he　departed　and　find　out　where　he　was　dropping　off　all　his　booty。　Then　she'd　call　the　police　and　have　him　arrested。　Hopefully　that　would　improve　Maxine's　low　opinion　of　her。　She　might　even　find　herself　trusted　enough　to　be　invited　into　the　charmed　circle　around　Todd。　Well；　perhaps　that　was　a　little　too　much　to　hope　for。　But　at　the　very　least　she'd　be　stopping　Caputo　profiting　from　his　theft。
　 With　the　car　now　filled　to　capacity；　Caputo　slammed　the　trunk；　and　headed　back　to　the　house；　presumably　to　lock　up。　Once　he'd　gone　Tammy　disentangled　herself　from　the　blackberry　bushes　and　hurried　back　to　her　own　car。　It　was　getting　warm。　She　felt　sweat　running　from　beneath　her　breasts；　and　her　underwear　was　bunched　in　the　groove　of　her　butt。　She　turned　the　air…conditioning　to　its　coldest　setting；　then　drove　on　up　the　street　a　little　way　until　she　had　sufficient　room　to　turn　around；　and　came　back　down　in　time　to　see　Caputo's　black　Lexus　easing　out　of　the　driveway。　He　was　the　only　occupant　of　the　vehicle。
　 Keeping　her　distance；　she　followed　the　Lexus　down　through　the　maze　of　Bel　Air's　walls　and　cameras　to　Sunset　Boulevard。　She　almost　lost　her　quarry　at　the　lights；　but　luckily　the　eastbound　traffic　on　Sunset　was　heavy；　and　with　a　little　discourteous　driving　she　was　able　to　keep　him　in　sight；　finally　catching　up　with　him　again。　He　drove　with　ease　and　impatience；　slipping　lanes　to　overtake　tardy　drivers；　but　she　was　a　match　for　him。　Wherever　he　was　going；　she　was　going　to　be　on　his　thieving　tail。
　 She　had　no　time　to　consult　the　maps　she'd　picked　up；　she　was　too　busy　keeping　her　eyes　on　him。　So　when　he　suddenly　swung　a　left；　and　took　off　up　into　the　hills　again；　she　instantly　lost　all　sense　of　where　they　were　headed。　The　traffic　soon　grew　sparse；　the　streets　narrow　and　serpentine。
　 Once　he　halted　at　a　stop　sign　and　he　looked　back　over　his　shoulder。　She　was　certain　he'd　realized　he　was　being　followed；　and　prepared　herself　for　a　confrontation。　But　no；　something　he'd　laid　on　the　back　seat　had　moved；　it　seemed；　and　he　was　simply　leaning　over　to　reposition　it。　The　job　done　he　then　proceeded　on　his　way；　and　she　continued　to　follow；　at　a　discreet　distance。
　 The　road　wound　so　tightly　on　itself　as　it　ascended　that　she　let　him　slip　out　of　sight　several　times　rather　than　risk　his　realizing　he　was　being　pursued。　But　she　didn't　fear　losing　him。　Unlike　Bel　Air；　which　was　made　up　of　a　warren　of　small　streets；　the　Canyon　into　which　they　were　climbing　seemed　to　have　only　one　thoroughfare；　and　they　were　both　on　it。　What　little　sign　of　habitation　she　saw…a　wall；　and　occasionally　a　gate　in　a　wall…　suggested　this　was　not　particularly　well…fancied　real　estate；　which　was　surprising　given　its　location。　The　trees　had　been　allowed　to　grow　over　the　road；　in　some　places　intertwining　their　branches　to　form　a　leafy　vault　overhead。　In　one　spot；　where　a　number　of　tall　palm　trees　grew　close　to　the　road；　fallen　fronds　lay　in　a　brittle　carpet　on　the　pot…holed　tarmac。
　 She　began　to　get　just　a　little　anxious。　Although　she　reassured　herself　that　she　was　just　a　couple　of　minutes'　drive　away　from　Sunset；　this　felt　like　a　very　different　world；　a　backwater；　where　who　knew　what　went　on？　That　very　fact；　of　course；　supported　her　shadier　suspicions。　This　was　a　perfect　place　for　an　illegal　transaction：　there　didn't　appear　to　be　anybody　here　to　witness　Caputo's　dealing。　Except；　of　course；　herself。
　 The　black　Lexus　had　been　out　of　sight　for　quite　a　while　when；　as　she　turned　a　corner；　she　came　upon　it　parked　so　badly　that　she　might　have　ploughed　into　the　back　of　it　had　she　not　acted　quickly　to　avert　the　collision。　She　swung　wide　of　it；　glancing　back　to　see　Caputo　manually　opening　a　pair　of　immense　gates。　The　thief　started　to　look　round　at　her；　but　she　put　her　foot　on　the　accelerator　and　was　out　of　sight　before　he　could　fix　his　gaze。　She　drove　on　a　considerable　distance；　but　the　road　came　to　a　dead…end；　which　left　her　with　two　options。　One；　to　turn　round　and　make　a　conspicuous　retreat　past　the　gates；　so　that　he　was　certain　she'd　gone；　or　to　hope　that　the　urgency　of　his　mission　would　make　him　careless　about　her　presence；　and　by　the　time　she'd　trekked　back　to　his　thieves'　lair　she　would　have　been　forgotten。　She　decided　on　the　latter。　She'd　e　too　far　to　turn　and　run　off　now　with　her　tail　between　her　legs。
　
　 The　first　thing　she　noticed　when　she　got　out　of　her　car　was　the　deep　hush　of　the　canyon。　Though　the　Bel　Air　house　was　nicely　situated；　away　from　the　din　of　any　major　thoroughfare；　she'd　still　been　aware　that　she　was　in　the　middle　of　a　city。　But　here　the　only　sound　was　the　music　of　birds；　and　insects　in　the　grass。　She　was　careful　not　to　slam　the　door。　Leaving　the　key　in　the　car；　and　the　door　just　slightly　ajar　in　case　she　needed　to　make　a　fast　getaway；　she　headed　back　down　the　street　to　the　gate。
　 There　were　no　cameras　mounted　along　the　perimeter　this　time；　which　surprised　her；　but　then　perhaps　she　was　walking　into　a　nest　of　infamous　felons；　and　everyone　in　the　vicinity　knew　to　keep　their　distance。　If　so…if　the　people　Marco　was　doing　business　with　were　real　villains…then　she　was　in　trouble。　She　was　alone　up　here；　and　nobody　knew　where　she'd　gone。
　 This　is　insanity；　she　thought　to　herself　as　she　walked。　But　she　kept　on　walking。　The　prospect　of　ing　out　of　this　the　unlikely　heroine　was　simply　too　attractive　to　be　turned　down。　Yes；　there　was　a　risk。　But　then　perhaps　it　was　time　she　took　a　few；　instead　of　hiding　away　in　her　house　and　doting　on　her　picture　collection。　She　was　in　the　thick　of　things　now；　and　she　wasn't　going　to　allow　herself　to　turn　her　back　on　this　adventure。　If　she　did…if　she　got　in　her　car　and　drove　away…wouldn't　she　always　wonder　how　different　things　might　have　been　if　for　once　in　her　life　she'd　had　the　courage　of　her　instincts？
　 Arnie　had　always　called　her　a　dreamer；　and　maybe　he　was　right　about　that。　Maybe　she'd　been　living　in　a　dream　world　for　too　long；　with　her　little　museum　of　photographs　to　dote　on；　hoping…though　it　could　never　happen；　of　course…that　one　day；　when　she　flicked　through　the　pictures；　Todd　would　look　at　her　and　smile　at　her　and　invite　her　into　his　world；　to　stay。　It　was　a　silly　dream；　and　she　knew　it。　Whereas　being　here　now；　walking　on　the　hard　street　in　the　hot　sun；　with　an　old　cracked　wall　to　the　left　of　her…all　that　was　real；　perfectly　real。　So　perhaps　today　was　the　day　when　the　photographs　became　real　too；　the　day　when　she　finally　found　her　way　to　a　man　of　flesh　and　blood；　to　a　Todd　who　would　return　her　look；　finally；　see　her　and　smile　at　her。
　 The　thought　made　her　quicken　her　step；　and　she　arrived　at　the　gates　breathing　a　little　faster；　exhilarated　by　the　prospect　that　with　the　hazards　she　imagined　the　house　contained　there　was　one　possibility　she　could　not　properly　imagine　（though　Lord　knows　she'd　tried　to　conjure　it　over　and　over）：　the　image　of　her　idol；　appearing　before　her；　and　her　with　so　much　to　say　she　wouldn't　know　where　to　begin。
　
　
　TEN
　 She　scanned　the　area　around　the　gates　（the　bars　of　which　were　exquisitely　interwoven　with　both　wrought　iron　vines　and　the　living　variety）；　in　search　of　the　inevitable　security　cameras；　but　to　her　surprise　found　none。　They　were　either　extremely　well　concealed；　or　else　the　owners　of　this　house　were　so　certain　that　their　Canyon　was　safe　from　visitors　that　they　didn't　feel　the　need　of　them。　More　surprisingly　still；　the　gates　had　no　locks；　she　was　able　to　push　one　of　them　open　wide　enough　for　her　to　slip　through。
　 She　could　see　some　of　the　house　from　where　she　stood；　though　it　was　mostly　hidden　by　the　great　riot　of　shrubs　and　trees　that　lined　the　curving　driveway。　Caputo's　car　was　parked　close　to　the　front　door。　The　trunk　was　open；　and　he　was　now　unloading　his　loot。　She　wished　she'd　brought　a　camera；　then　she　could　have　simply　photograp