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Authors: Mary Ellen Hughes
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suddenly and pulled at Maggie's hand,
her face eager. "Come on - let's go. Let's set you up for a lesson,
then we can work out how you're going to pump him."
Maggie laughed, and let Dyna pull her
towards the hotel, her blonde friend's ponytail - what remained of
it - bouncing with each step. Maggie felt more subdued than Dyna,
but she now had fewer qualms. She knew she would have gone ahead on
her own if Dyna had refused to get involved. But it was so much
better knowing someone would be there with you. Even if that
someone was an animal-rights-activistic-psychic-studying witch.
Once again Maggie walked the shaded pathway
to the tennis courts alone, this time in fresh navy shorts and a
white, McHenry High School T-shirt. She and Dyna had decided to
arrive separately.
"I get there a few minutes before your
lesson - it's at two, right? - and just grab a basket of balls and
an empty court and start practicing."
"Right. Now if we
synchronize our watches....” Maggie grinned as Dyna looked at her
watch. "Just kidding. No need to get too serious about this. After
all, it'll probably lead nowhere.” Maggie wondered, though, if she
were trying to convince Dyna or herself. Deep down, she knew things
might get very serious. Her brother Joe's face popped in her head and she
winced, knowing just how he would react to this. `What are
you doing, Maggie! I told you to get out of there.' Yes, he told her that, and she would,
soon. As soon as she found out a few things, that is.
Her thoughts went back to yesterday, shortly
after the police had taken charge of the murder scene. She
remembered watching Rob, as he lingered nearby, remembered noticing
the intensity of his interest in all that was happening, an
interest that somehow seemed detached and unemotional. She hoped to
find out what that strong interest meant, among other things.
Maggie reached the path surrounding the
courts and began to pass the court where Dyna stood with an orange
basket of balls, studiously ignoring Maggie as she went through the
motions of practicing her toss and serve. Most balls flew wild, her
thoughts apparently not on what she was doing. Suddenly there came
the sounds of loud, angry shouting. Both women's heads snapped in
the direction of the sports shop. The voice was Rob Clayton's.
"You jerk. You stupid....” They were spared
the rest by the sound of a door slamming loudly. Muffled shouts
still carried through, but were unintelligible. Something crashed
against a wall.
Maggie looked over at Dyna through the
fence, and her face looked startled and bewildered. She shook her
head and shrugged, indicating to Maggie she had no idea what was
going on.
Maggie hesitated. She thought of getting
closer to the sports shop to hear better, but then the shouting
ended. She waited a moment, wondering what would happen next, if
Rob would still show up for her lesson, and decided all she could
do was go to her court and wait. She signaled to Dyna, pointing
toward it - it was two courts farther down - and walked on. No
other courts were occupied, and Maggie was doubly glad that Dyna
would be lingering nearby.
She had uncovered her racquet and was trying
some practice swings when she caught sight of Rob walking rapidly
from the sports center. This could be a grim tennis lesson, Maggie
thought, and worse, a very uncommunicative one. As he drew near,
though, she was surprised to see a calm expression on the tennis
pro's face.
"Ready to attack that backhand?" he called
as he looked up and saw her watching him.
"Sure am," she called back lightly, but she
wondered if someone else with Rob Clayton's voice was back in the
center, shouting and throwing things, or if Rob had the most
amazing ability to switch emotions she had ever encountered. If he
did, it was great from the cooling-down side. What was he like in
the flaring-up mode though? Did he lose control as quickly as he
seemed to gain it, become violent in a moment, perhaps enough to
kill?
Maggie didn't have
her face eager. "Come on - let's go. Let's set you up for a lesson,
then we can work out how you're going to pump him."
Maggie laughed, and let Dyna pull her
towards the hotel, her blonde friend's ponytail - what remained of
it - bouncing with each step. Maggie felt more subdued than Dyna,
but she now had fewer qualms. She knew she would have gone ahead on
her own if Dyna had refused to get involved. But it was so much
better knowing someone would be there with you. Even if that
someone was an animal-rights-activistic-psychic-studying witch.
Once again Maggie walked the shaded pathway
to the tennis courts alone, this time in fresh navy shorts and a
white, McHenry High School T-shirt. She and Dyna had decided to
arrive separately.
"I get there a few minutes before your
lesson - it's at two, right? - and just grab a basket of balls and
an empty court and start practicing."
"Right. Now if we
synchronize our watches....” Maggie grinned as Dyna looked at her
watch. "Just kidding. No need to get too serious about this. After
all, it'll probably lead nowhere.” Maggie wondered, though, if she
were trying to convince Dyna or herself. Deep down, she knew things
might get very serious. Her brother Joe's face popped in her head and she
winced, knowing just how he would react to this. `What are
you doing, Maggie! I told you to get out of there.' Yes, he told her that, and she would,
soon. As soon as she found out a few things, that is.
Her thoughts went back to yesterday, shortly
after the police had taken charge of the murder scene. She
remembered watching Rob, as he lingered nearby, remembered noticing
the intensity of his interest in all that was happening, an
interest that somehow seemed detached and unemotional. She hoped to
find out what that strong interest meant, among other things.
Maggie reached the path surrounding the
courts and began to pass the court where Dyna stood with an orange
basket of balls, studiously ignoring Maggie as she went through the
motions of practicing her toss and serve. Most balls flew wild, her
thoughts apparently not on what she was doing. Suddenly there came
the sounds of loud, angry shouting. Both women's heads snapped in
the direction of the sports shop. The voice was Rob Clayton's.
"You jerk. You stupid....” They were spared
the rest by the sound of a door slamming loudly. Muffled shouts
still carried through, but were unintelligible. Something crashed
against a wall.
Maggie looked over at Dyna through the
fence, and her face looked startled and bewildered. She shook her
head and shrugged, indicating to Maggie she had no idea what was
going on.
Maggie hesitated. She thought of getting
closer to the sports shop to hear better, but then the shouting
ended. She waited a moment, wondering what would happen next, if
Rob would still show up for her lesson, and decided all she could
do was go to her court and wait. She signaled to Dyna, pointing
toward it - it was two courts farther down - and walked on. No
other courts were occupied, and Maggie was doubly glad that Dyna
would be lingering nearby.
She had uncovered her racquet and was trying
some practice swings when she caught sight of Rob walking rapidly
from the sports center. This could be a grim tennis lesson, Maggie
thought, and worse, a very uncommunicative one. As he drew near,
though, she was surprised to see a calm expression on the tennis
pro's face.
"Ready to attack that backhand?" he called
as he looked up and saw her watching him.
"Sure am," she called back lightly, but she
wondered if someone else with Rob Clayton's voice was back in the
center, shouting and throwing things, or if Rob had the most
amazing ability to switch emotions she had ever encountered. If he
did, it was great from the cooling-down side. What was he like in
the flaring-up mode though? Did he lose control as quickly as he
seemed to gain it, become violent in a moment, perhaps enough to
kill?
Maggie didn't have
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