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第23部分（第3页）

wig　in　fat　braids　on　either　side　of　her　head；　and　her　immense；　six…foot…plus　frame　was　cloaked　in

an　unusual　black　Japanese　geisha　robe　dotted　with　tiny　white　flowers　and　paired　with　tall；　black

suede　stiletto　boots？as　if　she　wasn？t　already　tall　enough。　Mystery　stood　at　her　side　looking　like　a

starved　ghost　in　a　tattered　plum…colored　wrap　dress　and　worn　brown　leather　boots。　Her　collarbone

stuck　out　from　her　skinny　frame　like　an　airplane　wing；　and　her　lips　were　so　chapped；　they　were

pletely　white。

Skeleton　princess　drifts　out　on　a　ray　of　dust。

？Hey；？　Dan　greeted　them　casually；　as　if　he　always　hung　out　at　the　Plaza　after　school。　Inside　his

white　Agn？s　B。　shirt　the　silver　gravity　pen　Mystery　had　given　him　beat　against　his　pale

chest。　？Thank　you　for　the　gifts。？

Rusty　swept　him　up　in　a　big　bear　hug；　suffocating　him　with　her　rank　oily…fish　perfume　and

smudging　his　cheek　with　orangey…pink　lipstick。　？Mystery　and　I　hadtoo　much　fun　shopping　for　you；

darling！　We　had　toforce　ourselves　to　stop。？

Mystery　ran　her　tongue　over　her　yellow　teeth。　？We？ve　been　drinking　martinis　and　deconstructing

Kafka　like　two　old　ninnies；？　she　croaked；　sounding　drunk　and　looking　like　she　hadn？t　slept　in

weeks。　She　blinked　her　sleepy　gray　eyes。　？Now　that　you？re　here　I　can　eat。　You　starve　me。？

Bones　draped　in　moth　wings　sewn　with　cobwebs。

？This　way；？　Rusty　chortled；　ignoring　Mystery？s　odd　pronouncement。　She　ushered　them　through

the　immense　lobby　and　into　a　large　tearoom　full　of　gilded　mirrors；　tinkling　crystal；　and　overly

perfumed　ladies　with　freshly　blown…out　hair。　The　round；　white…clothed　table　had　been　laid　with　a

silver　tea　service　and　a　three…tiered　silver　tray　covered　with　freshly　baked　scones；　pots　of

homemade　jam；　and　tiny　cucumber　sandwiches　with　the　crusts　cut　off。　Two　half…empty　martini

glasses　stood　on　the　table；　ready　to　be　polished　off。

？We？ve　been　having　a　little　party　to　celebrate　Mystery？s　debut；？　Rusty　explained　merrily。　She　sat

down　and　tossed　back　the　remains　of　her　drink。

The　queen　of　poesy　gives　a　tempting　tug。

Dan　sat　down　next　to　her　and　put　his　red　leather　book　on　the　table。　？What　debut？？

Rusty　grabbed　a　blueberry　scone　and　slathered　it　with　butter；　shoving　the　whole　thing　into　her

enormous　orangey…pink　mouth；　where　it　disappeared　instantly。　？Good；　you　brought　your

observations　book。　Have　you　been　writing　everything　down？　Remember；　nothing　is

inconsequential！？　She　winked　at　Mystery。　？Who　knows？　It　could　all　add　up　to　a　book！？

Mystery　giggled　and　glanced　at　Dan。　？I　finished　my　novel；？　she　confided　huskily。

House　on　fire！　House　on　fire！

Dan　rubbed　his　thumb　over　the　tines　of　his　fork；　as　he　absorbed　the　information。　Mystery　had

finished　writing　an　entire　novel　in　less　than　a　week　and　all　he？d　done　was　write　one　crappy

Valentine？s　Day　poem　for　Vanessa。　He　couldn？t　even　bear　to　read　Vanessa？s　response　after　he？d

sent　the　poem　to　her；　that　was　how　badly　it　sucked。

？But　I　thought　you？d　just　started　it；？　he　said；　feeling　weirdly　betrayed。