《1 twilight暮色》第99章

over　the　desk；　gripping　the　edge　with　two　hands。　
〃Alice？〃　
She　didn"t　react　when　I　called　her　name；　but　her　head　was　slowly　rocking　
side　to　side；　and　I　saw　her　face。　Her　eyes　were　blank；　dazed…　My　thoughts　
flew　to　my　mother。　Was　I　already　too　late？　
I　hurried　to　her　side；　reaching　out　automatically　to　touch　her　hand。　
〃Alice！〃　Jasper"s　voice　whipped；　and　then　he　was　right　behind　her；　his　
hands　curling　over　hers；　loosening　them　from　their　grip　on　the　table。　
Across　the　room；　the　door　swung　shut　with　a　low　click。　
〃What　is　it？〃　he　demanded。　
She　turned　her　face　away　from　me；　into　his　chest。　〃Bella；〃　she　said。　
〃I"m　right　here；〃　I　replied。　
Her　head　twisted　around；　her　eyes　locking　on　mine；　their　expression　still　
strangely　blank。　I　realized　at　once　that　she　hadn"t　been　speaking　to　me；　
she"d　been　answering　Jasper"s　question。　
〃What　did　you　see？〃　I　said　—　and　there　was　no　question　in　my　flat；　
uncaring　voice。　
Jasper　looked　at　me　sharply。　I　kept　my　expression　vacant　and　waited。　His　
eyes　were　confused　as　they　flickered　swiftly　between　Alice"s　face　and　
mine；　feeling　the　chaos…　for　I　could　guess　what　Alice　had　seen　now。　
I　felt　a　tranquil　atmosphere　settle　around　me。　I　weled　it；　using　it　to　
keep　my　emotions　disciplined；　under　control。　
Alice；　too；　recovered　herself。　
〃Nothing；　really；〃　she　answered　finally；　her　voice　remarkably　calm　and　
convincing。　〃Just　the　same　room　as　before。〃　
She　finally　looked　at　me；　her　expression　smooth　and　withdrawn。　〃Did　you　
want　breakfast？〃　
〃No；　I"ll　eat　at　the　airport。〃　I　was　very　calm；　too。　I　went　to　the　
bathroom　to　shower。　Almost　as　if　I　were　borrowing　Jasper"s　strange　extra　
sense；　I　could　feel　Alice"s　wild　—　though　wellconcealed　—　desperation　to　
have　me　out　of　the　room；　to　be　alone　with　Jasper。　So　she　could　tell　him　
that　they　were　doing　something　wrong；　that　they　were　going　to　fail…　
I　got　ready　methodically；　concentrating　on　each　little　task。　I　left　my　
hair　down；　swirling　around　me；　covering　my　face。　The　peaceful　mood　Jasper　
created　worked　its　way　through　me　and　helped　me　think　clearly。　Helped　me　
plan。　I　dug　through　my　bag　until　I　found　my　sock　full　of　money。　I　emptied　
it　into　my　pocket。　
I　was　anxious　to　get　to　the　airport；　and　glad　when　we　left　by　seven。　I　
sat　alone　this　time　in　the　back　of　the　dark　car。　Alice　leaned　against　the　
door；　her　face　toward　Jasper　but；　behind　her　sunglasses；　shooting　glances　
in　my　direction　every　few　seconds。　
〃Alice？〃　I　asked　indifferently。　
She　was　wary。　〃Yes？〃　
〃How　does　it　work？　The　things　that　you　see？〃　I　stared　out　the　side　
window；　and　my　voice　sounded　bored。　〃Edward　said　it　wasn"t　definite…　that　
things　change？〃　It　was　harder　than　I　would　have　thought　to　say　his　name。　
That　must　have　been　what　alerted　Jasper；　why　a　fresh　wave　of　serenity　
filled　the　car。　
〃Yes；　things　change…〃　she　murmured　—　hopefully；　I　thought。　〃Some　things　
are　more　certain　than　others…　like　the　weather。　People　are　harder。　I　only　
see　the　course　they"re　on　while　they"re　on　it。　Once　they　change　their　
minds　—　make　a　new　decision；　no　matter　how　small　—　the　whole　future　
shifts。〃　
I　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃So　you　couldn"t　see　James　in　Phoenix　until　he　
decided　to　e　here。〃　
〃Yes；〃　she　agreed；　wary　again。　
And　she　hadn"t　seen　me　in　the　mirror　room　with　James　until　I"d　made　the　
decision　to　meet　him　there。　I　tried　not　to　think　about　what　else　she　
might　have　seen。　I　didn"t　want　my　panic　to　make　Jasper　more　suspicious。　
They　would　be　watching　me　twice　as　carefully　now；　anyway；　after　Alice"s　
vision。　This　was　going　to　be　impossible。　
We　got　to　the　airport。　Luck　was　with　me；　or　maybe　it　was　just　good　odds。　
Edward"s　plane　was　landing　in　terminal　four；　the　largest　terminal；　where　
most　flights　landed　—　so　it　wasn"t　surprising　that　his　was。　But　it　was　
the　terminal　I　needed：　the　biggest；　the　most　confusing。　And　there　was　a　
door　on　level　three　that　might　be　the　only　chance。　
We　parked　on　the　fourth　floor　of　the　huge　garage。　I　led　the　way；　for　once　
more　knowledgeable　about　my　surroundings　than　they　were。　We　took　the　
elevator　down　to　level　three；　where　the　passengers　unloaded。　Alice　and　
Jasper　spent　a　long　time　looking　at　the　departing　flights　board。　I　could　
hear　them　discussing　the　pros　and　cons　of　New　York；　Atlanta；　Chicago。　
Places　I"d　never　seen。　And　would　never　see。　
I　waited　for　my　opportunity；　impatient；　unable　to　stop　my　toe　from　
tapping。　We　sat　in　the　long　rows　of　chairs　by　the　metal　detectors；　Jasper　
and　Alice　pretending　to　peoplewatch　but　really　watching　me。　Every　inch　I　
shifted　in　my　seat　was　followed　by　a　quick　glance　out　of　the　corner　of　
their　eyes。　It　was　hopeless。　Should　I　run？　Would　they　dare　to　stop　me　
physically　in　this　public　place？　Or　would　they　simply　follow？　
I　pulled　the　unmarked　envelope　out　of　my　pocket　and　set　it　on　top　of　
Alice"s　black　leather　bag。　She　looked　at　me。　
〃My　letter；〃　I　said。　She　nodded；　tucking　it　under　the　top　flap。　He　would　
find　it　soon　enough。　
The　minutes　passed　and　Edward"s　arrival　grew　closer。　It　was　amazing　how　
every　cell　in　my　body　seemed　to　know　he　was　ing；　to　long　for　his　
ing。　That　made　it　very　hard。　I　found　myself　trying　to　think　of　excuses　
to　stay；　to　see　him　first　and　then　make　my　escape。　But　I　knew　that　was　
impossible　if　I　was　going　to　have　any　chance　to　get　away。　
Several　times　Alice　offered　to　go　get　breakfast　with　me。　Later；　I　told　
her；　not　yet。　
I　stared　at　the　arrival　board；　watching　as　flight　after　flight　arrived　on　
time。　The　flight　from　Seattle　crept　closer　to　the　top　of　the　board。　
And　then；　when　I　had　only　thirty　minutes　to　make　my　escape；　the　numbers　
changed。　His　plane　was　ten　minutes　early。　I　had　no　more　time。　
〃I　think　I"ll　eat　now；〃　I　said　quickly。　
Alice　stood。　〃I"ll　e　with　you。〃　
〃Do　you　mind　if　Jasper　es　instead？〃　I　asked。　〃I"m　feeling　a　little…〃　I　
didn"t　finish　the　sentence。　My　eyes　were　wild　enough　to　convey　what　I　
didn"t　say。　
Jasper　stood　up。　Alice"s　eyes　were　confused；　but　—　I　saw　to　my　relief—　
not　suspicious。　She　must　be　attributing　the　change　in　her　vision　to　some　
maneuver　of　the　tracker"s　rather　than