FOLLOW THE LEADER - Chapter 51

 Chapter 51

That night Terry and I discussed watching Dorothy Latham’s house. Was she still living there? What did she look like? The only thing we had was an address. 

“I’ve got to talk to her, and the sooner the better,” I said.

We were half watching a Giant’s game in Pac Bell Park. They were two runs behind the Padres, but Rich Aurelia was at the plate. Lurking behind him was Bonds, limbering up.

Aurilia hit one over the left field fence. Foul. By three feet.

“He’s dialed in,” I said.

“Why isn’t he walking back to the dugout?” he asked.

“Because he’s not out.”

“That was three strikes,” he said. “He’s out.”

“Not if he connects. He’s still alive.”

“This game makes no fuckin’ sense!”

“It sort of does.” 

Teaching him the infield fly rule-ever- is out of the question, I thought.

Aureilia took the next pitch. A strike.

“He’s got a cute butt,” Terry said.

“He’s married,” I said.

By then he knew that I knew he was gay, but we had never discussed it.  I figured whatever he did late at night when I was asleep was none of my damned business. Unless it was burglarizing homes. We did discuss that.

My phone rang.

Amy.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“You told me to call you if I remembered something.”

“And…?”

I signaled Terry to turn off the game.

He did.

“Do you remember asking me about the sounds I heard during the big dust storm?”

“I do.”

“Well, at one point there was a loud metallic click. Like a lock closing.”

“What kind of lock?”

“A big lock. Not like a car lock.”

“Be specific for me. What kind of vehicle?”

“It was a van, I think. Their locks make a louder click, don’t they?”

I nodded, forgetting that she couldn’t see me.

“They do, indeed,” I said.

“It sounded like someone opening a sliding door that clicked into place.”

“Good! Anything else?”

“Shortly after that I heard voices. Adults’. Maybe two women. But I couldn’t make out any words. Then, right after that, the door sliding shut. Followed by a softer click. I know that sound. It had to be a van.”

I waited.

“Is that it, then?”

“Yeah. I know it’s not much but…”

“Don’t say that. This could be very helpful. By the way, did you see me coming up the street when you were running?”

Silence.

“When was this?”

“The other day. You and Mr. Rollins were ending a run. Or a jog. Whatever it was.”

“No.”

She ended the call.

I wondered for the first time if she was interested in Michael Rollins. And vice versa. 

Amy was attractive and scary at the same time. She could throw a man to the ground.

Then again, some men liked that.

Not your type, said a little voice.

But what about Michael Rollins?