《4 breaking dawn破晓》第154章

vanished　and　his　lips　went　pale。　
〃Because　you　didn"t　ask！〃　Max　yelled　back；　panicked。　
There　was　another　pause　while　J　collected　himself。　
Beautiful　and　pale？J　asked；　a　tiny　bit　calmer。　
〃I　said　that；　didn"t　I？〃　
Beautiful　and　pale？　What　did　this　man　know　about　vampires？　Was　he　one　of　us　himself？　I　wasn"t　
prepared　for　
that　kind　of　confrontation。　I　gritted　my　teeth。　What　had　Alice　gotten　me　into？　
Max　waited　for　a　minute　through　another　volley　of　shouted　insults　and　instructions　and　then　glanced　at　
me　with　eyes　that　were　almost　frightened。　〃But　you　only　meet　downtown　clients　on　Thursdays—okay；　
okay！　On　it。"7He　slid　his　phone　shut。　
〃He　wants　to　see　me？〃　I　asked　brightly。　
Max　glowered。　〃You　could　have　told　me　you　were　a　priority　client；7　
〃I　didn"t　know　I　was。〃　
〃I　thought　you　might　be　a　cop；〃　he　admitted。　〃I　mean；　you　don"t　look　like　a　cop。　But　you　act　kind　of　
weird；　beautiful。〃　
I　shrugged。　
〃Drug　cartel？〃　he　guessed。　
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〃Who；　me？〃　I　asked。　
〃Yeah。　Or　your　boyfriend　or　whatever。〃　
〃Nope；　sorry。　I"m　not　really　a　fan　of　drugs；　and　neither　is　my　husband。　Just　say　no　and　all　that。〃　
Max　cussed　under　his　breath。　〃Married。　Can"t　catch　a　break。〃　
I　smiled。　
〃Mafia？〃　
〃Nope。〃　
〃Diamondsmuggling？〃　
〃Please！　Is　that　the　kind　of　people　you　usually　deal　with；　Max？　Maybe　you　need　a　new　job。〃　
I　had　to　admit；　I　was　enjoying　myself　a　little。　I　hadn"t　interacted　with　humans　much　besides　Charlie　and　
Sue。　It　was　entertaining　to　watch　him　flounder。　I　was　also　pleased　at　how　easy　it　was　not　to　kill　him。　
〃You"ve　got　to　be　involved　in　something　big。　And　bad；〃　he　mused。　
〃It"s　not　really　like　that。〃　
〃That"s　what　they　all　say。　But　who　else　needs　papers？　Or　can　afford　to　pay　J"s　prices　for　them；　I　should　
say。　None　of　my　business；　anyway；〃　he　said；　and　then　muttered　the　word　married　again。　
He　gave　me　an　entirely　new　address　with　basic　directions；　and　then　watched　me　drive　away　with　
suspicious；　regretful　eyes。　
At　this　point；　I　was　ready　for　almost　anything—some　kind　of　James　Bond　villain"s　hightech　lair　seemed　
appropriate。　So　I　thought　Max　must　have　given　me　the　wrong　address　as　a　test。　Or　maybe　the　lair　was　
subterranean；　underneath　this　very　monplace　strip　mall　nestled　up　against　a　wooded　hill　in　a　nice　
family　neighborhood。　
I　pulled　into　an　open　spot　and　looked　up　at　a　tastefully　subtle　sign　that　read　JASON　SCOTT；　
ATTORNEY　AT　LAW。　
The　office　inside　was　beige　with　celery　green　accents；　inoffensive　and　unremarkable。　There　was　no　scent　
of　vampire　here；　and　that　helped　me　relax。　Nothing　but　unfamiliar　human。　A　fish　tank　was　set　into　the　
wall；　and　a　blandly　
pretty　blond　receptionist　sat　behind　the　desk。　
〃Hello；〃　she　greeted　me。　〃How　can　I　help　you？〃　
〃I"m　here　to　see　Mr。　Scott。〃　
〃Do　you　have　an　appointment？〃　
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〃Not　exactly。〃　
She　smirked　a　little。　〃It　could　be　a　while；　then。　Why　don"t　you　have　a　seat　while　I—〃　
April！a　man"s　demanding　voice　squawked　from　the　phone　on　her　desk。　I"m　expecting　a　Ms。　Cullen　
shortly。　
I　smiled　and　pointed　to　myself。　
Send　her　in　immediately。　Do　you　understand？　I　don"t　care　what　it"s　interrupting。　
I　could　hear　something　else　in　his　voice　besides　impatience。　Stress。　Nerves。　
〃She"s　just　arrived；〃　April　said　as　soon　as　she　could　speak。　
What？　Send　her　in！　What　are　you　waiting　for？　
〃Right　away；　Mr。　Scott！〃　She　got　to　her　feet；　fluttering　her　hands　as　she　led　the　way　down　a　short　
hallway；　offering　me　coffee　or　tea　or　anything　else　I　might　have　wanted。　
〃Here　you　are；〃　she　said　as　she　ushered　me　through　the　door　into　a　power　office；　plete　with　heavy　
wooden　desk　and　vanity　wall。　
〃Close　the　door　behind　you；〃　a　raspy　tenor　voice　ordered。　
I　examined　the　man　behind　the　desk　while　April　made　a　hasty　retreat。　He　was　short　and　balding；　
probably　around　fiftyfive；　with　a　paunch。　He　wore　a　red　silk　tie　with　a　blueandwhitestriped　shirt；　and　
his　navy　blazer　hung　over　the　back　of　his　chair。　He　was　also　trembling；　blanched　to　a　sickly　paste　color；　
with　sweat　beading　on　his　forehead；　I　imagined　an　ulcer　churning　away　under　the　spare　tire。　
J　recovered　himself　and　rose　unsteadily　from　his　chair。　He　reached　his　hand　across　the　desk。　
〃Ms。　Cullen。　What　an　absolute　delight。〃　
I　crossed　to　him　and　shook　his　hand　quickly　once。　He　cringed　slightly　at　my　cold　skin　but　did　not　seem　
particularly　surprised　by　it。　
〃Mr。　Jenks。　Or　do　you　prefer　Scott？〃　
He　winced　again。　〃Whatever　you　wish；　of　course。〃　
〃How　about　you　call　me　Bella；　and　HI　call　you　J？〃　
〃Like　old　friends；〃　he　agreed；　mopping　a　silk　handkerchief　across　his　forehead。　He　gestured　for　me　to　
have　a　seat　and　took　his　own。　〃I　must　ask；　am　I　finally　meeting　Mr。　Jasper"s　lovely　wife？〃　
I　weighed　that　for　a　second。　So　this　man　knew　Jasper；　not　Alice。　Knew　him；　and　seemed　afraid　of　him；　
too。　〃His　sisterinlaw；　actually。〃　
He　pursed　his　lips；　as　if　he　were　grasping　for　meanings　just　as　desperately　as　I　was。　
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〃I　trust　Mr。　Jasper　is　in　good　health？〃　he　asked　carefully。　
〃I"m　sure　he　is　in　excellent　health。　He"s　on　an　extended　vacation　at　the　moment。〃　
This　seemed　to　clear　up　some　of　J"s　confusion。　He　nodded　to　himself　and　templed　his　fingers。　〃Just　so。　
You　should　have　e　to　the　main　office。　My　assistants　there　would　have　put　you　straight　through　to　me　
—no　need　to　go　through　less　hospitable　channels。〃　
I　just　nodded。　I　wasn"t　sure　why　Alice　had　given　me　the　ghetto　address。　
〃Ah；　well；　you"re　here　now。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　
Tapers；〃　I　said；　trying　to　make　my　voice　sound　like　I　knew　what　I　was　talking　about。　
〃Certainly；〃　J　agreed　at　once。　〃Are　we　talking　birth　certificates；　death　certificates；　drivers"　licenses；　
passports；　social　security　cards。。。　？〃　
I　took　a　deep　breath　and　smiled。　I　owed　Max　big　time。　
And　then　my　smile　faded。　Alice　had　sent　me　here　for　a　reason；　and　I　was