The Black Knight Squash Fiction League Match

The Quill Shots CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Bethany?” blurted Bethany.

“Hey, that’s – ow” An elbow dug into Julian’s side. “…my mother’s, uh, friend’s, um, dog’s name.” Julian didn’t dare look at Bethany.

Detective Chen nodded, clicked open a ballpoint pen and wrote something in a notebook. Julian quickly glanced at Bethany. Her face was whiter than the wall of a squash court, and her mouth was open a little, as if about to ask a question. But it was the detective who spoke first.

“Mind if I look around?” Chen asked Julian, slipping the notebook into his coat pocket. 

“Not at all.” Julian reached for the door. “I can show you whatever you like.”

“No need,” Chen said. “I’ll show myself.” He handed each of them his card. “Let me know if you hear anything, Miss….”

Bethany stared at him for a second. “Oh, Miss Davis. Sure, yes, of course.”

***
“Miss Davis?” Julian stared at her when they were alone again. “What the hell, Bethany?”

“Shhhhh!” Bethany quickly peeked out the office door and then closed it half way. When she looked back at Julian, he was glaring at her now, his hands on his hips.

“What are doing, Bethany? You can’t lie to a cop!”

“I’m not lying. Davis is my maiden name. I’m just buying a bit of time.”

“Time for what?”

“Time to make a phone call.” She picked up her purse from under the desk and pulled out her phone.

“Who do you need to call?”

Bethany tapped the screen on her phone a few times. “Kyle’s baby momma, to see where he is.”

Julian looked momentarily confused. “Why not just call Kyle?”

“Because I have,” Bethany snapped. “He’s not returning my calls.” She took a breath. “The last time I heard from him was a few days ago. He was staying in town and wanted to meet me. I left him a note to meet me here. It wasn’t a very nice note. And he didn’t show up. So if Kyle isn’t home, I’m in trouble . . . big trouble.”

“What trouble?” Sadie stood in the open door.

***
Nick zipped up and took a slow stroll around the locker room before heading out. He hadn’t been around much in the daytime and now he took it all in—floor to ceiling wood-paneled lockers, upholstered benches, gleaming glass-tiled showers, a huge steam room and separate sauna. He whistled softly. Julian must have some dólares. 

He walked out of the locker room just as a short Asian guy was pushing open the side door to the alley. A scruffy orange cat zoomed in under the guy’s legs. It headed straight for the philodendron, jumped in the planter, and squatted on its haunches, looking up at Nick with its slanted cat eyes. 

“What’s your problem?” said Nick. “Don’t have a big enough potty outside?” But then his own eyes widened. He was the one with the problem, if this cat was about to do what most cats do after taking a piss. Dig.

A racquet was leaning up against the wall of the nearest squash court. Two guys were killing themselves inside, ricocheting off the walls, but no one else was around, and the Asian guy had disappeared into the alley. Nick grabbed the racquet, waved it at the cat, then stuck the butt end into the planter and wiggled it around in the earth. Eau de kitty hit his nose and he winced at the acrid smell, but then he felt the racquet handle hit something hard. He yanked the racquet out, wedged a few fingers in the hole, and pulled out the plastic bag. Dirt clung to the damp plastic, but what was inside was obvious. He had to get it out of here. Looking quickly around, he grabbed a backpack someone had left by a bench. He quickly dumped the bag inside, and swung the pack over his shoulder. No one had seen him. He was outta there.

***
From the shadows of the janitor’s closet, Christian watched as his backpack walked off on Nick’s shoulders. He was just about to steal out and follow, when Sadie ran out of the office.

“No, I won’t be quiet, Mom! If Dad’s dead, then you don’t deserve his money!” Her voice was almost a sob.

Julian appeared at the doorway. “Sadie, we don’t know for sure.”

Sadie whipped around. “Shut up, Julian. You don’t know anything. But I know my dad wasn’t lending you money any more. And I know you’re now getting it from my mom. And I know that’s not all you’re getting from her.”

“Sadie!” Bethany stood next to Julian now, staring at her daughter. 

“Don’t Sadie me, Mom.” She looked quickly around. “Where’d the detective go? I’m telling him everything I know.” 

The sound of metal clicking reverberated across the room. Sadie jerked her head toward the noise and Julian and Bethany looked over as the glass and metal door to court one opened and the two guys strode out, talking loudly.

One of them glanced over and waved, and the other picked up the racquet that Nick had left on the floor by the planter.

“This your racquet, Julian?” he called. “Looks like yours.” He gave a sniff. “Doesn’t smell too good, though. You been gardening with it?”

Sadie’s gaze tracked from the racquet to the planter. Some dirt was sprinkled next to it. When Cheeto came galloping toward her, Sadie ran for the front door, the cat on her heels.

***
The man in the car took a sip of his diet coke. It was getting warm. He should’ve asked for more ice. As usual, Chen was taking too long. And in that time, only one person—one of the older Smash Court kids, from the looks of him—had left the club. The kid had done a quick scan of the parking lot, as if looking for someone, and then dug through his backpack, fishing out a set of keys. A gray Honda winked its lights and the kid shot over to it and climbed in.

The Honda’s tail lights came on just as Smash Club’s front door swung open and a girl came running out. Bethany’s daughter, the man noted, the one with the name that always reminded him of that old Spinners’ song he liked. She wasn’t on his list, but she looked upset. She glanced around as well, and the kid in the Honda must have noticed because the car bucked into reverse and roared back to where she was standing. In less than a second, she’d gotten in, too.

And then the club’s doors opened again. This time the man put his coke back in the holder, because these people were on his list. First Julian and Bethany ran out. Julian headed for his BMW and Bethany for her Bentley. Then Christian slipped out, gaped for a moment, and then ran into some hedges by the door. Just as the man was about to pick up his radio, Chen barreled out, followed by an orange blur of fur. He ran to the passenger side of the unmarked squad car and jumped in.

“Follow them!” Chen barked.

“Which ones?” asked Jeff.