小说园

第17部分（第1页）

her　head　opened　the　heavy　glass　door。　？Can　I　help　you？？　she　demanded　suspiciously。

？I？m　here　about　the　job；？　Vanessa　slurred。　？The　mom？s　daughter；？　she　paused　momentarily

fumbling　with　the　girl？s　name。　？Jasmine！　That？s　it。　She　told　me　to　e　and　see　her　mom　about　a

job。　So　I　did。？

The　maid　frowned。　？I　see。　e　in　then。　The　lady　of　the　house　will　meet　you　in　her　office。？

Vanessa　stomped　through　the　marble　foyer；　past　a　sweeping　staircase　illuminated　by　a　massive

crystal　chandelier；　and　into　a　mahogany…paneled　room　lined　with　bookcases　and　furnished　with

tasteful　antiques。　She　had　no　idea　what　the　job　in　question　was；　but　clearly　this　was　a　very

successful　business…woman。　She　was　probably　a　busy　executive　in　desperate　need　of　a　petent

personal　assistant。　It　was　sure　to　be　shit　work；　but　artists　always　had　to　suffer　for　their　art；　unless

they　wanted　to　make　mercial　shit　like　Ken　Mogul。

？Please　wait　here；？　the　maid　instructed。

Vanessa　perched　on　the　edge　of　an　ornate　Art　Deco　wood　chair。　The　room　was　ever…so…slightly

spinning；　and　she　gripped　the　seat　tightly。Just　don？t　throw　up　；　she　told　herself。

？You　my　new　friend？？

Vanessa　looked　up。　There　was　no　one　there。

Great；　I？m　so　trashed　I？m　hearing　voices。

？You　my　new　friend？？　asked　the　voice　again　before　dissolving　into　giggles。

？Wh…who？s　there？？　Vanessa　called　out　nervously。　The　last　thing　she　wanted　was　to　be　caught

talking　to　herself　in　front　of　her　new　boss。

？Are　you　a　girl？？　another　voice　asked。

？Why　don？t　you　have　any　hair？？　asked　the　first　voice。

Twovoices？　How　much　had　she　had　to　drink？

Vanessa　held　her　breath　and　listened。　She　stood　up。　Where　were　the　voices　ing　from？　She

knelt　and　pressed　her　cheek　to　the　cold；　perfectly　polished　wood　floor；　scanning　the　room　from

that　vantage。　It　worked：　under　the　gilded　wood　couch　she　could　make　out　the　figure　of　a　skinny

little　boy　with　taut　curly　hair。

？You　found　me！？　he　cried；　clambering　out　from　under　the　couch。

？Yeah；　hi；？Vanessa　said。？Is　your　mommy　home？？

？You　smell　like　wine；？　the　boy　announced；　frowning。　？I？m　four。　How　old　are　you？？

？Find　me　too！？　cried　the　other　voice。

What　could　she　do？

？Where　are　you？？　she　called　out；　propping　herself　up　on　her　hands　and　knees。　She　looked　under

the　other　furniture。

？Find　me；　find　me！？　the　voice　called。

She　followed　the　sound　of　the　voice　to　the　corner　of　the　library；　where　a　large　globe　stood　on　a

round　glass…topped　table。　She　lifted　the　tablecloth；　and　underneath　was　a　little　boy　who　looked；

and　was　dressed；　exactly　like　the　other　kid。

？You　found　me！？　the　boy　cried。　He　dashed　out　from　under　the　table　and　ran　over　to　the　couch；