Drop Shot (1996) (34 page)

"Hiding the truth isn't working," Myron said.

"It would if you'd let it lie."

"Someone was murdered. That's not something you can just let lie."

Duane put the Walkman's headphones back on his ears. "Maybe it should be," he said.

Silence.

The two men stared dares. Myron could hear the faint din coming from the Walkman. Then he said to Duane, "You were there the night Alexander Cross was murdered. You were at the club with Yeller and Swade."

The stares continued. Behind them, Thomas Craig lined up by the door. He carried several tennis rackets and what looked like an overnight bag. Security was there too with walkie-talkies and earplugs. They nodded toward Duane. "Show time, Mr. Richwood."

Duane stood. "Excuse me," he said to Myron. "I have a match to play."

He walked behind Thomas Craig. Thomas Craig smiled politely. Duane did likewise. Very civil, tennis. Myron watched them leave. He sat there for a few minutes in the abandoned locker room. In the distance he heard the cheers as both men entered the court.

Show time.

Myron found his way to his seat. It was during the match in the fourth set actually when he finally figured out who murdered Valerie Simpson.

Chapter
44

Stadium Court was packed by the time Myron sat down. Duane and Thomas Craig were still warming up, each taking turns lofting easy lobs for the other to slam way. The fans floated and mingled and socialized and made sure they were seen. The usual celebs were there: Johnny Carson, Alan King, David Dinkins, Renee Richards, Barbra Streisand, Ivana Trump.

Jake and his son Gerard came down to the box.

"I see you got the tickets okay," Myron said.

Jake nodded. "Great seats."

"Nothing's too good for my friends."

"No," Jake said, "I meant yours."

Ever the wiseass.

Jake and Gerard chatted a moment with Jessica before moving up to their seats, which were by any stretch of me imagination excellently situated. Myron scanned the crowd. A lot of familiar faces. Senator Bradley Cross was there with his entourage, including his son's old chum Gregory Caufield. Frank Ache had shown up wearing the same sweat suit Myron had seen him in yesterday. Frank nodded toward Myron. Myron did not nod back. Kenneth and Helen Van Slyke were there too surprise, surprise. They were sitting a few boxes over. Myron tried to catch Helen's eye, but she was trying very hard to pretend she didn't see him. Ned Tunwell and Friends (not to be confused with Barney and Friends, though the confusion would be understandable) were in their usual box. Ned too was doing his utmost not to see Myron. He seemed less animated today.

"I'll be right back," Jessica said.

Myron sat. Henry Hobman was already in game mode. Myron said, "Hi, Henry."

"Stop messing with his head," Henry said. "Your job is to keep him happy."

Myron didn't bother responding.

Win finally showed up. He wore a pink shirt from some golf club, bright green pants, white bucks, and a yellow sweater tied around his neck. "Hello," Win said.

Myron shook his head. "Who dresses you?"

"It's the latest in sophisticated wear."

"You clash with the world."

"Pardon moi, Monsieur Saint Laurent." Win sat down. "Did you talk to Duane?"

"Just a little pep talk."

Jessica returned. She greeted Win with a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

Win said nothing.

They stood for the national anthem. When it was over, the English-accented voice on the loudspeaker asked everyone to lower their heads for a moment of silence to remember the great Pavel Menansi. Heads lowered. The crowd hushed. Someone sniffled. Win rolled his eyes. Two minutes later the match began.

The play was incredible. Both men were power hitters, but no one expected anything like this. The pace was like something from another planet. A far faster planet. The IBM serve speedometer drew constant "Ooo"s from the crowd. Rallies didn't last very long. Mistakes were made, but so were incredible shots. This was serve and volley in the old tradition taken to the tenth power. Duane was unconscious. He whacked at the ball with uncommon fury, as though the ball had personally offended him. Myron had never seen either man play better.

Win leaned over and whispered, "Must have been some pep talk."

"Wanda left him."

"Ah," Win said with a nod. "That explains it. The shackles are off."

"I don't think that's it, Win."

"If you say so."

Myron didn't bother. It was like talking colors with a blind man.

Duane won the first set 6-2. The second set went into a tie-breaker, which Thomas Craig won. As the third set opened, Win said, "What have you learned?"

Myron filled him in, trying to keep his voice down. At one point, Ivana Trump shushed him. Win waved a hand in her direction. "She digs me. Big-time."

"Get real," Myron said.

During a change of sides in the third set, Win said, "So first we believed that Valerie was eliminated because she knew something harmful about Pavel Menansi. Now we believe that she was eliminated because she saw something the night Alexander Cross was killed."

"A possibility," Myron said.

During the next change of sides, Myron felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked down way down and was surprised. "Dr. Abramson," he said.

"Hello, Myron."

"Nice to see you, Doc."

"Nice to see you too," she said. "Your client is playing very well. You must be pleased."

"I'm sorry," Myron said. "I can neither confirm nor deny that Duane Richwood is a client of mine."

She didn't smile. "Was that supposed to be funny?"

"Guess not," Myron said "I didn't know you were a tennis fan."

"I come every year." She spotted Win. "Hello, Mr. Lockwood."

Win nodded. "Dr. Abramson."

"This is my friend Jessica Culver," Myron said.

The two women shook hands and exchanged polite smiles. "A pleasure," Dr. Abramson said. "Well, I don't want to keep you. I just wanted to say a quick hello."

"Can we talk a little later?" Myron asked.

"No, I don't think so. Good-bye."

"Did you know that Kenneth and Helen Van Slyke are here?"

"Yes. And I also know they just stepped out for a moment."

Myron looked toward their seats. Empty. He smiled. "You crafty shrink. Coming over to say hello when they weren't looking."

"And to say good-bye," she said, returning the smile. She turned away and left. The match started up again. During the next change of sides, the Van Slykes returned. Myron leaned over to Win. "How do you know Dr. Abramson?"

"I visited Valerie," he said.

"Often?"

Win didn't answer. He might have shrugged, might not Either way it told Myron to mind his own business. Myron looked at Jessica. She shrugged too.

On the court Duane was growing more erratic, but he was still hitting enough winners to maintain the edge. He won the third set 7-5. He was up two sets to one one set away from the U. S. Open finals. The Nike box was animated. Hands were slapping Ned's back. Even Ned seemed to be perking up now. Hard to keep a good man down.

Senator Cross watched in silence. No one talked to him, and he talked to no one. Not even during breaks. He had met Myron's eyes only once. He stared for a long time, but did not move. Helen and Kenneth Van Slyke spoke to the people around them, but they both looked uncomfortable. Frank Ache adjusted his crotch and jabbered with Roy O'Connor, the president of TruPro. Frank looked comfortable. Roy looked like he wanted to puke. Ivana Trump glanced about her surroundings. Every time she looked near Win, he blew her kisses.

It was during a serve in the third set when Myron finally began to see it. It started small, a statement made by Jimmy Blaine that did not compute. Something about the foot chase in Philadelphia. The rest sort of tumbled into place. When the final piece clicked, he sat up.

Win and Jessica traded glances. Myron stared off.

"What is it?" Jessica asked.

Myron turned to Win. "I need to talk to Gregory Caufield."

"When?"

"Right away, next break. Can you get him alone?"

Win nodded. "Done."

Chapter
45

In the tournament's first few rounds it was not uncommon for fifteen or more matches to be going on at the same time. The biggest names usually stayed on Stadium Court or the Grandstand, while other matches took place in smaller venues, some with no seating. Today those courts were so barren, Myron half expected a tumbleweed to blow through. He waited by court sixteen, a semimajor court. It had the most seating next to the Stadium and Grandstand, though less than most high school gyms.

He sat on an aluminum bench in the front row. The sun had gained strength and was now at its most potent. Every once in a while he heard cheers erupt from the Stadium's crowd a hundred yards or so away. Sometimes tennis fans sounded like they were having an orgasm during particularly brilliant points. It sort of built up slowly with a low oh-oh-oh, and then increased Oh-Oh, and finally the big OH-OH-OH, followed by a loud sigh and clapping.

Weird thought.

Distracting thought too.

He heard Gregory Caufield well before he saw him. That same creepy, money accent that Win possessed said, "Windsor, where on earth are we going?"

"Just over here, Gregory."

"Are you sure this couldn't wait, old boy?"

Old boy. Neither one of them was thirty-five yet and he was using term old boy.

"No, Gregory, it can't"

They rounded the corner. Gregory's eyes widened a bit when be saw Myron, but he recovered fast. He smiled and stuck out his hand. "Hello, Myron."

"Hi, Greg."

His face flinched for a second. He was Gregory, not Greg.

"What's this all about, Windsor? I thought you had something private to tell me."

Win shrugged. "I lied," he said. "Myron needs to speak with you. He needs your cooperation."

Gregory turned to Myron and waited.

"I want to talk to you about the night Alexander Cross was murdered."

"I know nothing about it," Gregory said.

"You know plenty about it, but I just have one question for you."

"I'm sorry," Gregory said. "I must be getting back now." He turned to leave. Win blocked his path. Gregory looked puzzled.

"Just one question," Myron said.

Gregory ignored him. "Please move out of my way, Windsor."

Win said, "No."

Gregory could not believe what he was hearing. He half-smiled and put a hand through his unruly hair. "Are you prepared to use force to keep me here?"

"Yes."

"Please, Windsor, this is no longer amusing."

"Myron needs your cooperation."

"And I am not prepared to give it to him. Now I insist you move."

Win did not move. "Are you telling me you will not cooperate, Gregory?"

"That is precisely what I am telling you."

Win's palm shot out and hit the solar plexus. The wind gushed from Gregory. He collapsed to one knee, his face pale and shocked. Myron shook his head at Win, but he understood what he was doing. To people like Gregory actually, to most people violence is abstract. They read about it. They see it in movies and in the newspapers. But it never really touches them. It simply doesn't exist in their world. Win had shown Gregory how quickly that can change. Gregory had now experienced physical pain from the hands of a fellow human being. He would be different now. Not just here, not just today.

Gregory held his chest. He was on the verge of tears.

"Do not make me strike you again," Win said.

Myron stepped toward him but did not help him up. "Gregory, we know all about that night," he said. "I have just one question. I don't care what you were doing out there. I don't care if you were snorting or shooting illegal substances. That doesn't interest me in the least. What you say will in no way incriminate you unless you lie to me."

Gregory looked up at him. His face was completely void of any color.

"They weren't robbing the club, were they?" Myron asked.

Gregory did not answer.

"Errol Swade and Curtis Yeller hadn't broken into the club to rob it," Myron said. "And they weren't there selling drugs either. Am I right? If I am, just nod."

Gregory looked at Win, then back to Myron. He nodded.

"Tell me what they were doing," Myron said.

Gregory didn't say anything.

"Just say it," Myron continued. "I already know the answer. I just need you to say it. What were they doing there that night?"

Gregory's breathing was returning to normal now. He reached out his hand. Myron took it. He stood up and looked Myron straight in the eye.