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uld have opened every door in Hollywood for her。 Now everyone knew that he was simply Toby Temple's stooge。
〃I have some good news for you。 Mr。 Temple wants you to join him for supper。〃 Jill lightly tousled her hair with her fingertips and said；
〃Tell him I'm tired。 I'm going to bed。〃 And she walked out。
Supper that evening was a misery。 Toby； Clifton Lawrence and Durkin； the director； were in La Rue's at a front booth。 Durkin had suggested inviting a couple of the showgirls； ｜but Toby had furiously rejected the idea。
The table captain was saying；
〃Are you ready to order； Mr。 Temple？〃
Toby pointed to Clifton and said； 〃Yeah。 Give the idiot here the order of tongue。〃
Clifton joined the laughter of the others at the table； pretending that Toby was simply being amusing。 Toby snapped；
〃I asked you to do a simple thing like inviting a girl to dinner。 Who told you to scare her off？〃
〃She was tired；〃 Clifton explained。 〃She said 〃
〃No broad is too tired to have dinner with me。 You must have said something that pissed her off。〃 Toby had raised his voice。 The people at the next booth had turned to stare。 Toby gave them his boyish smile and said； 〃This is a farewell dinner； folks。〃 He pointed at Clifton。 〃He's donated his brain to the zoo。〃 There was laughter from the other table。 Clifton； forced a grin； but under the table his hands were clenched。 〃Do you want to know how dumb he is？〃 Toby asked the people at the adjoining booth。 〃In Poland； they tell jokes about him。〃 The laughter increased。 Clifton wanted to get up and walk out； but he did not dare。 Durkin sat there embarrassed； too wise to say anything。 Toby now had the attention of several nearby booths。 He raised his voice again； giving them his charming smile。 〃Cliff Lawrence here gets his stupidity honestly。 When he was born； his parents had a big fight over him。 His mother claimed it wasn't her baby。〃
Mercifully； the evening finally came to an end。 But tomorrow Clifton Lawrence stories were going to be told all over town。 Clifton Lawrence lay in his bed that night； unable to sleep。 He asked himself why he allowed Toby to humiliate him。 The answer was simple： money。 The ine from Toby Temple brought him over a quarter of a million dollars a year。 Clifton lived expensively and generously； and he had not saved a cent。 With his other clients gone； he needed Toby。 That was the problem。 Toby knew it； and baiting Clifton had bee a blood sport。 Clifton had to get away before it was too late。
But he was aware that it was already too late。 He had been trapped into this situation because of his affection for Toby： he had really loved him。 He had watched Toby destroy otherswomen who had fallen in love with him； ics who had tried to pete with him； critics who had panned him。 But those were others。 Clifton had never believed that Toby would turn on him。 He and Toby were too close； Clifton had done too much for him。 He dreaded to think about what the future held。
Ordinarily； Toby would not have given Jill Castle more than a second glance。 But Toby was not used to being denied anything he wanted。 Jill's refusal only acted as a goad。 He invited her to dinner again。 When she declined； Toby shrugged it off as some kind of stupid game she was playing and decided to forget about her。 The irony was that if it had been a game； Jill would never have been able to deceive Toby； because Toby understood women too well。 No； he sensed that Jill really did not want to go out with him； and the thought galled him。 He was unable to get her out of his mind。 Casually； Toby mentioned to Eddie Berrigan that it might be a good idea to use Jill Castle on the show again。 Eddie telephoned her。 She told him she was busy doing a bit role in a Western。 When Eddie reported back to Toby； the edian was furious。
〃Tell her to cancel whatever she's doing；〃 he snapped。 〃We'll pay her more。 For Christ's sake； this is the number one show on the air。 What's the matter with that dizzy broad？〃
Eddie called Jill again and told her how Toby felt。 〃He really wants you back on the show； Jill。 Can you make it？〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Jill said。 〃I'm doing a part at Universal。 I can't get out of it。〃 Nor would she try。 An actress did not get ahead in Hollywood by walking out on a studio。 Toby Temple meant nothing to Jill except a day's work。
The following evening； the Great Man himself telephoned her。 His voice on the telejphone was warm and charming。
〃Jill？ This is your little old co…star； Toby。〃
〃Hello； Mr。 Temple。〃
〃Hey； e on！ What's with the 'mister' bit？〃
There was no response。
〃Do you like baseball？〃 Toby asked。 〃I've got box seats for 〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃Neither do I。〃 He laughed。 〃I was testing you。 Listen； how about having dinner with me Saturday night？ I stole my chef from Maxim's in Paris。 He 〃
〃I'm sorry。 I have a date； Mr。 Temple。〃 There was not even a flicker of interest in her voice。 Toby felt himself gripping the receiver more tightly。
〃When are you free？〃
〃I'm a hard…working girl。 I don't go out much。 But thank you for asking me。〃
And the line went dead。 The bitch had hung up on him a fucking bit player had hung up on Toby Temple！ There was not a woman Toby had met who would not give a year of her life to spend one night with him and this stupid cunt had turned him down！ He was in a violent rage； and he took it out on everyone around him。 Nothing was right。 The script stank； the director was an idiot； the music was terrible and the actors were lousy。 He summoned Eddie Berrigan； the casting director； to his dressing room。
〃What do you know about Jill Castle？〃 Toby demanded。
〃Nothing；〃 Eddie said instantly。 He was not a fool。 Like everyone else on the show； he knew exactly what was going on。 Whichever way it turned out； he had no intention of getting caught in the middle。
〃Does she sleep around？〃
〃No； sir；〃 Eddie said firmly。 〃If she did； I'd know about it。〃
〃I want you to check her out；〃 Toby ordered。 〃Find out if she's got a boyfriend； where she goes； what she does you know what I want。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Eddie said earnestly。 At three o'clock the next morning； Eddie was awakened by the telephone at his bedside。
〃What did you find out？〃 a voice asked。
Eddie sat up in bed； trying to blink himself awake。 〃Who the hell ？〃 He suddenly realized who was at the other end of the telephone。 〃I checked；〃 Eddie said hastily。 〃She's got a clean bill of health。〃
〃I didn't ask you for her fucking medical certificate；〃 Toby snapped。 〃Is she laying anybody？〃
〃No； sir。 Nobody。 I talked to my buddies around town。 They all like Jill and they use her because she's a fine actress。〃 He was talking faster now； anxious to convince the man at the other end of the phone。 If Toby Temple ever learned that Jill had slept with Eddie had chosen him over Toby Temple！ Eddie would never work in this town again。 He had talked to his casting…director friends； and they were all in the same position he was。 No one wanted to make an enemy of Toby Temple； so they had agreed on a conspiracy of silence。
〃She doesn't play around with anybody。〃
Toby's voice softened。 〃I see。 I guess she's just some kind of crazy kid； hu