第9部分(第4/7 頁)

Blair　answered；　keeping　her　eyes　glued　to　the　door。

All　week　long　her　mind　had　been　on　one　thing　only：　her　interview　with　Owen　Wells。　She　had

even　done　some　research　on　the　Internet　so　she　could　ask　him　pointed　questions　about　Wells；

Trachtman；　&　Rice；　the　law　firm　where　he　was　a　partner。　Now　it　was　finally　Thursday　night　and

she　was　sitting　alone　at　the　corner　table　in　Leneman？s　Bar　in　the　pton　Hotel；　waiting　for　him。

The　bar　was　crowded；　mostly　with　middle…aged　men　in　custom…tailored　suits；　discussing　business

deals　over　bourbon　on　the　rocks；　or　sitting　with　bleached…blond　women　who　were　very　definitely

not　their　wives。　With　its　golden　walls；　crisp　white　tablecloths；　and　forties　jazz　music；　the　bar　had

an　air　of　sexy　sophistication。

Blair　had　spent　almost　three　hours　getting　ready：　one　to　shower　and　blow　her　hair　out　into　a　neat；

preppy　coif　that　framed　her　face　in　an　innocent　yet　intellectual　manner；　one　to　dress　in　her　new

belted　Les　Best　jersey　dress；　which　she　had　paired　with　her　lucky　pair　of　three…inch　Ferragamo

heels；　to　give　her　an　extra　bit　of　confidence　and　height；　and　one　to　apply　natural…looking　makeup

for　the　fresh；　healthy　glow　of　someone　who　always　got　twelve　hours　of　sleep　because　she　never

went　out　and　never　went　near　a　cigarette　or　a　cocktail。

Right。

It　was　still　only　a　quarter　to　nine；　but　if　she　drank　any　more　Coke；　she？d　have　to　pee　so　badly

she？d　never　make　it　through　the　interview　without　wetting　herself。　What　Blair　really　wanted　was　a

shot　of　Stoli；　but　with　her　luck　Owen　Wells　would　stroll　through　the　door　just　as　she　was　knocking

back　the　shot；　confirming　his　worries　that　she　really　was　just　a　flaky　party　girl　w