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or to the outside of the house at the far end of the Casino； but she was out through it in a heartbeat （he saw her silhouette as she flitted away along a starlit path）； and by the time he reached the door she was gone； leaving the shrubs she'd brushed as she ran shaking。
He stepped over the threshold； and looked around； attempting to orient himself。 The path Katya had taken led up the hill； winding as it went。 Back to the guest…house； no doubt。 That was where the crazy…lady was in residence。 She'd made herself a nice little nest in the guest…house。 Well； that was easily fixed。 He'd just send Marco up there tomorrow to evict her。
〃Boss？〃
He walked back into the Casino and stared down at the expanse of floor where she'd had him picturing her making love。 He'd believed her； too； a little。 At least his dick had。
Marco was at the other end of the room。
〃What the hell's going on？〃 he said。
Todd was about to tell him there and then…about to send him up the hill to oust the trespasser…but Marco was bending down to gingerly pick something up from the ground。 It was Todd's discarded bandages。
〃You took 'em off；〃 he said。
〃Yeah。〃
The rage he'd felt started to seep out of him now； as he remembered the tender way she'd looked at him。 Not judging him； simply looking。
〃What happened； Boss？〃
〃I found another door；〃 he said rather lamely。
〃Was there somebody here？〃 Marco said。
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃Maybe。 I was just wandering around； and I came down here。。。〃
〃The door was open？〃
〃No； no；〃 Todd said。 He closed the door with a solid slam。 〃I just tried it and it was unlocked。〃
〃It needs a new lock then；〃 Marco said； his tone uncertain； as though he was suspicious of what he was being told； but playing along。
〃Yes； it needs a new lock。〃
〃Okay。〃
They stood for a moment at opposite ends of the room； in silence。
〃Are you all right？〃 Marco said after a pause。
〃Yeah。 I'm fine。〃
〃You know pills 'n' liquor'll be the death of you。〃
〃I'm hopin'；〃 Todd replied； his joviality as forced as Marco's。
〃Okay。 If you say you're okay； you're okay。〃
〃I'm okay。〃
Marco proffered the bandages。 〃What do you want me to do with these？〃
〃What do you think？〃 Todd said； getting back into the normal rhythm of their exchanges now。 The door was closed。 The woman and the path and the nodding shrubs were out of sight。 Whatever she'd said； he could forget； at least for tonight。 〃Burn them。 Where's that drink？ I'm going to celebrate。〃
〃What are you celebrating？〃
〃Me losing those damn bandages。 I looked like God knows what。〃
〃Burrows might want you to keep 'em on。〃
〃Fuck Burrows。 If I want to take the bandages off； it's my choice。〃
〃It's your face。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Todd said； staring again at the ground where the crazy woman had claimed she'd laid her body； imagining her there。 〃It's my face。〃
TWO
Maxine came up to the house the following afternoon to tell Todd about the Oscar festivities； reporting it all…the ceremony itself； then the parties…with a fine disregard for his tenderness。 Several times he almost stopped her and told her he didn't want to hear any more； but the dregs of curiosity silenced him。 He still wanted to know who'd won and who'd lost。
There'd been the usual upsets； of course； the usual grateful tears from the usual surprised ingenues； all but swooning away with gratitude。 This year； there'd even been fisticuffs： an argument had developed in the parking lot at Spago's between Quincy Martinaro； a young； fast…talking filmmaker who'd made two movies； been lionized； and turned into a legendary ego all in the space of fifteen months； and Vincent Dinny； a vicious writer for Vanity Fair who'd recently profiled Martinaro most unflatteringly。 Not that Dinny was a paragon himself。 He was a waspish； embittered man in his late sixties； who…having failed in his ascent of the Hollywood aristocracy…had turned to writing about the town's underbelly。 Nobody could have given a toss for his pieces had they not carried a certain sting of truth。 The piece on Martinaro； for instance； had mentioned a certain taste for heroin； which was indeed the man's vice of choice。
〃So who won？〃 Todd wanted to know。
〃Quincy broke two fingers when he fell against his car； and Dinny got a bloody nose。 So I don't know who won。 It's all so ridiculous。 Acting like children。〃
〃Did you actually see them fighting？〃
〃No； but I saw Dinny afterwards。 Blood all over his shirt。〃 There was a pause。 〃I think he knows something。〃
〃What？〃
〃He was quite civilized about it。 You know how he is。 Shriveled up little prick。 He just said to me： I hear Todd's had some medical problems； and now you've got him under lock and key。 And I just looked at him。 Said nothing。 But he knows。〃
〃This is so fucked。〃
〃I don't know how we deal with it； frankly。 Sooner or later； he's going to suggest a piece to Vanity Fair； and they're going to jump on it。〃
〃So fucked；〃 Todd said； more quietly。 〃What the hell did I do to deserve this？〃
Maxine let the question go。 Then she said。 〃Oh； by the way； do you remember Tammy Lauper？〃
〃No。〃
〃She runs the Fan Club。〃
〃Oh yeah。〃
〃Fat。〃
〃Is she fat？〃
〃She's practically obese。〃
〃Did she e to the office？〃
〃No； I got a call from the police in Sacramento； asking if we'd seen her。 She's gone missing。〃
〃And they think I might have absconded with her？〃
〃I don't know what they think。 The point is； you haven't seen her up here？〃
〃Nope。〃
〃Maybe over in Bel Air？〃
〃I haven't been over in Bel Air。 Ask Marco。〃
〃Yeah； well I said I'd ask you and I asked。〃
Todd went to the living…room window； and gazed out at the Bird of Paradise trees that grew close to the house。 They hadn't been trimmed in many years； and were top…heavy with flowers and rotted foliage； their immensity blocking his view of the opposite hill。 But it didn't take much
of an effort of imagination to bring the Canyon into his mind's eye。 The palm…trees that lined the opposite ridge； the pathways and the secret groves； the empty swimming pool； the empty koi pond； the statues； standing in the long grass。 He was suddenly seized by an overwhelming desire to be out there in the warm sunshine； away from Maxine and her brittle gossip。
〃I gotta go；〃 he said to Maxine。
〃Go where？〃
〃I just gotta go；〃 he said； heading for the door。
〃Wait；〃 Maxine said。 〃We haven't finished business。〃
〃Can't it wait？〃
〃No； I'm afraid this part can't。〃
Todd made an impatient sigh； and turned back to her。 〃What is it？〃
〃I've been doing some thinking over the last few days。 About our working relationship。〃
〃What about it？〃
〃Well； to put it bluntly； I think it's time we parted pany。〃
Todd didn't say anything。 He just looked at Maxine with an expression of utter inprehension on his face； as though she'd just spoken to him in a foreign language。 Then； after perhaps ten seconds； he returned his gaze to the Birds of Paradise。
〃You don't know how wearying it gets；〃 Maxine went on。 〃Waking up thinking about whether everything's okay with Todd； and going to sleep thinking the same damn thing。 Not havin