第27部分(第6/7 頁)

　face　as　it　streamed　through

the　windshield。　Hopefully；　by　the　time　he　found　an　Internet　caf？；　he？d　already　have　a　Vanessa

Abrams　original　in　his　inbox。　One　meant　for　his　eyes　only。

And　sure　to　make　its　way　into　the　public　realm？nudge；　nudge。

n　picks　up　another　girl

Nate　glanced　at　his　beat…up　platinum　Rolex　as　he　hopped　out　of　the　cab　and　into　the　blinding

morning　light。　He　shaded　his　eyes　from　the　sun　as　he　looked　up　at　the　street　signs；　trying　to　get　his

bearings。　？Thanks；　man。？　He　turned　to　the　cabbie　and　handed　him　forty　bucks。

？Sir；　you　overpay？？　The　driver　handed　back　one　of　the　twenties；　but　Nate　had　already　turned

away。

？It？s　all　yours；？　he　called　as　he　hurried　down　the　street。　He　checked　his　watch　again。　Nine

fifty…five。　Only　five　more　minutes。

He　started　to　run　now；　his　loafers　slapping　against　the　pavement　as　his　feet　made　contact　with　the

hot　asphalt。　A　few　paces　and　he　was　panting。　The　sweat　trickled　down　the　back　of　his　gray　T…shirt。

The　balls　of　his　feet　hurt　and　he　wished　he？d　worn　sneakers？and　maybe　eaten　some　breakfast。

Of　course　he？d　be　thinking　of　food　at　a　time　like　this。　His　phone　rang　and　buzzed　in　his　pocket。

He　pulled　it　out　and　looked　at　the　screen。　Blair。　Again。　He　silenced　the　phone　and　put　it　back　into

his　shorts。

Finally　he　rounded　a　corner　and　there　she　was；　the　sweet　girl　he？d　be　spending　the　next　year

with。

Who？

Nate　raced　down　the　Battery　Park　City　wharf？the　same　dock　he　and　Blair　had　sailed　into　ten　days

ago；　although　it　felt　like　much　longer。　It　was　as　if　the　moment　he？d　set　foot　on　dry　land；　his　days

had　turned　into　a　confusing　tangle　of　getting　stoned　and　hurting　the　people