Since I lost, I avoid the reporters. My phone is buzzing, so I turn it off. Partner and I go to a dark bar to lick our wounds. I knock back almost an entire pint of ale before either of us speaks. He starts with “Say, Boss, how close did you come to bribing Suarez?”
“I thought about it.”
“I know you did. I could tell.”
“But something wasn’t right. Plus, Mancini was playing it straight, not cheating. When the good guys start cheating, then I have no choice. But Mancini didn’t have to. We tried a clean case, which is unusual.”
I finish the pint and order another. Partner has had two sips of his. Miss Luella frowns on drinking and will say something if she smells it.
“What happens to Miguel?” he asks.
“Looks like he’ll be spending time with his brother.”
“You gonna defend him?”
“Hell no. I’m sick of the Zapate boys.”
“You think he’ll sing about Link’s thugs?”
“I doubt it. He’s in enough trouble as it is. A couple of murders won’t help him much.”
We order a basket of fries and call it dinner.
After we leave the bar, I keep the van and drop Partner off at his apartment. It’s Monday and Naomi is busy grading tests. “Make sure Starcher gets an A,” I tell her. “Always,” she says. I need to be loved but she can’t play tonight. I finally go home, and the place feels cold and lonely. I change into jeans and walk down to The Rack, where I drink beer, smoke a cigar, and shoot eight ball for two hours, all alone. At ten I check my phone. Every Zapate in town is looking for me: mother, an aunt, a sister, and Tadeo and Miguel from jail. Seems they need me now. I’m fed up with these people, but I know they’re not going away.
Two reporters are calling. Mancini wants to have a drink. Why, I have no idea.
And there is a voice mail from Arch Swanger. Condolences on the big loss. How in hell?
I need to leave town. At midnight, I load the van with some clothes, the golf clubs, and half a case of small-batch bourbon. I flip a coin, head north, and last for two hours before I almost fall asleep. I stop at a budget motel and pay forty bucks for one night. I’ll be on a golf course, somewhere, by noon, all alone.
This time I’m not sure I’m going back.
