Chapter One

Bethany reached for a low forehand in the back corner of the court and didn't get the ball back, but she was putting on a good show. The other woman had more skill and Bethany was forced to do most of the running, but she tried her hardest on every point, and by the third game she was sweating profusely. Her teammates were playing their matches on adjacent courts, and they were all wearing light blue T-shirts that had their individual names on the backs. Meanwhile, Bethany's ample front side was revealing itself impressively as she raced around the court and stretched into awkward positions to try to return shots.

It was 8:30 Monday night, ten hours since Christian had had to drown the guy.

"You look like you're into this match," someone said.

Christian looked up. A woman in a fancy sweatsuit and was smiling at him. "It does get the hooks into you," he said. "Especially this angle through the glass back wall."

"So I take it you don't play then, yourself," she said. "How come?" She was petite, early 30's, no mistaking her enthusiasm.

"Why should I? I'm fine just watching my friend."

"Which one?"

"The one waiting for the serve."

"Bethany. She's great. Not at squash so much, but a lot of fun to talk to around the club."

"You work here then, or what?"

"Sort of. I give beginner clinics, run some round robins. As an independent contractor."

"That what you're doing tonight?"

"About to be, yes."

Christian stood up. "I'm Chris, by the way . . . Would you want to, get a coffee or something, on the late side?" Bethany was real red in the face now, and looked increasingly frustrated. She appeared to be losing most of the points.

"Golly. Could we be a little more forward, how about?" Hard to read, but at least seeming amused.

Christian said, "So what time?"

"Well, I'm finished at eleven. It's up to you if you'd like to check back, but I'm thinking probably not. It's Kim, though." She handed him a card.

Soon Bethany and her opponent were shaking hands, and they opened the door and came out of the court. Bethany walked past Christian without saying a word and returned fifteen minutes later, showered and changed.

"You're more of a battler than I realized," he said. "You have a temper."

"I'm not a great sport," she said. "It's something I need to work on. But thank you so much for coming and watching my whole match."

He said, "I'm a doe-doe bird sitting here, but I saw something you can do to improve."

"No, Chris. With all due respect, I take lessons sometimes. I don't need you telling me how to play."

Christian said, "What you do, you hit the ball higher up on the front wall. So it travels further back into the corners. That's what she was doing to you."

"Dammit, Chris, I mean it. I'm not in the mood."

"Your ball was landing short, where that line is across the floor? Right in her wheelhouse."

"Will you shut up!"

Bethany's teammates Phyllis and Jeff, from the dinner at her house, were nearby. Phyllis said, "Nice to see you again Chris. How do you like our little sport?"

"I think it's terrific," he said. "Tennis's better half, for sure." Bethany had moved to another court to watch the end of Gloria's match.

Jeff said, "B was upset about her result?"

"That, and me trying to give her advice, that's what put her over the edge," Christian said.

"Don't worry about it," Jeff said. "She's a terrible loser. Always takes her about an hour, and then she's back to normal the rest of the night."

"Competition works in funny ways," Phyllis said. "You see a side of someone you never imagined."

#####

They went to the Big Horn on Sansome Street, Bethany's team plus him, which he figured was how it would work. Christian thought the place was only so-so, the menu a cross between New Jersey-diner and California-fusion, and pricey.

He sipped his beer, glad to be in a social situation, but fighting hard not to replay the incident in his head. The backpack was sitting in the trunk, too much to deal with after the morning but needing to be addressed, the guy liable to wash up somewhere at any time.

The team was discussing the matches, and Bethany was coming around, laughing at certain things. Jeff and Gloria and Steve were doing most of the talking, with Phyllis and John chiming in.

"I had my guy 9-6 in the fifth," Steve said. "Then I don't know what happened."

"What happened was you hit the tin four times in the last five points," Jeff said. "If you'd just kept your poise there, we would have won the overall match."

"Hold on Jeff," John said. "You lost three-zip to your guy. Let's not be too critical."

"Okay, but I was playing number one," Jeff said. "I wouldn't have let that guy off the hook two points away, is all I'm saying."

Gloria said, "Chris, we're sounding foolish here. How have you been?"

"Fine, but the shop talk doesn't bother me a bit. Makes me wish I had something as exciting going on."

"Well, you certainly look fit," Gloria said. "What do you do?"

"Mostly just run, which is boring. When I lived in Santa Barbara I enjoyed playing tennis, until my partner got mad at me."

"What happened?" Phyllis said.

"Oh, I got in his business where I probably shouldn't have. He beat me five sets in a row one day and I thought he was making bad line calls on top of it. I said you were beating me straight up, why'd you need to make shaky calls?"

Steve said, "So you got in his business by questioning his on-court character?"

"No, I got in his business by adding in my opinon of his personal life. He had a really nice, devoted girlfriend who would come to the courts sometimes. He was cheating on her with his ex-wife." Christian noticed Bethany and Jeff shifting around.

"How did you know that?" Phyllis said.

"He'd bring it up, brag about it. Though he put it on the ex-wife, that she couldn't get past him."

"What a son of a bitch," Gloria said.

"Yeah, that's a crock of horseshit," John said. "It's not like someone was putting a gun to his head, making him participate."

Phyllis said, "So what did you tell him?"

"That if he wasn't going to stop doing it, then stop talking about it. Evidently that hit a nerve, because the guy never spoke to me again."

"Well good for you," Gloria said. "That is scum of the earth behavior. He should be shot, and the ex-wife too for that matter."

"I agree," Phyllis said. "But just find another partner then."

"Oh, I still play once in a while. But the other day I was watching some hackers, and it was embarrassing. I realized that's how I look too. On the other hand, you guys all look good out there."

"That's very kind of you, "Gloria said. "But really?"

"Absolutely. You're giving it your all, running around like chickens with your heads cut off. What can I say, you look like athletes."

"Gosh, just hearing it put like that is amazing," Phyllis said.

"Totally," Steve said. "That's over the top, Chris, but we'll take it."

"We will," Bethany said, glaring at Christian.

"So where do you like to run?" John said.

"The waterfront usually, down to the point and back." Christian said. "The scenery helps."

"And that's what you did today?" Gloria said.

"Yeah . . . Although today I actually repeated it twice. I was looking for a little extra."

"How far?" John said.

"I'd say maybe eleven, twelve total. I'm feeling it now, that's for sure."

Bethany said, "Jesus Christ, Chris. Do you really think you should be out there trying to run eleven miles?"

Jeff said, "B, take it easy, what's the big deal?"

"Exactly," Phyllis said. "Why not?"

Bethany said, "It's just . . . I don't know, increasing your intensity like that, without building up to it . . . it seems unwise."

"I'll keep it in mind next time," Christian said.

#####

They were at their cars, and Bethany had said goodnight to everyone, including Jeff. She said, "Chris, what got into you? You certainly know to humiliate someone."

"What do you mean? The only one who might have raised an eyebrow was Jeff. My educated guess is he's the only teammate you're schtupping."

"My God, do you have to be so crude."

"While we're on the subject, it work out any better with him?"

"Jeff? . . . No."

"So, one more time--it's not me, my prognosis, whatever else."

"It isn't . . . In fact, since we're being so honest here, Jeff wants to go to Arizona and have a talk with Kyle."

Christian was digesting this.

Bethany said, "What?"

"No, I was trying to visualize how that'd go. I wouldn't mind being on hand to find out."

"Believe me, it couldn't go well. Jeff might get hurt, and I'd probably lose him as a friend."

"Kyle a tough guy then?"

"I already told you. Scary."

"He have a new wife, kids, anything?"

"A girlfriend, and I think she's expecting."

"Kyle ever ask you for an official divorce?"

"No. . . Can we please change the subject? You're welcome to come over, if you'd like."

Christian was thinking he might check back with Kim, what could it hurt.

"Tell you the truth I'm pretty worn out. That eleven miles you scolded me for, it's starting to kick in."

"All right, then."

"I were you, I'd tell Jeff to sit tight. Little baby coming into the picture, Kyle could get his priorities straight. Wouldn't surprise me if you didn't hear much from him going forward."

"Chris," Bethany said, "you have no idea what you're talking about."