Free The Closer by Alan Mindell Page B

his attention was diverted by a large group of men in the middle of a block, huddled around a bonfire, obviously for warmth.
    "When I was pitching," Rick continued, "arm troubles weren't my only problem."
    "Drugs?" Terry guessed.
    "Pain killers for my arm. Whatever I couldn't get from our team doctor."
    "They sell pain killers down here?"
    "They sell everything down here," Rick declared.
    "Were they illegal?"
    "No. Only thing illegal was I didn't have a prescription."
    Terry shook his head, no doubt again more from his own ignorance than the information Rick had just imparted.
    "I remember someone once bragging," Rick chuckled. "A famous movie actor or director, I think… That he could score whatever he needed in any U.S. city in forty-five minutes. I could do it in thirty."
    Terry shook his head again.
    "So," Rick went on, lowering his voice, "if Murdoch's got some problem, I'd like to help."
    "Speaking of Murdoch," Terry said after a brief pause, "aren't you following him too close?"
    Rick apparently hadn't noticed that he'd driven within a few yards of the back of Murdoch's car. He slowed down, letting another vehicle enter their lane, between their car and Murdoch's. Then he allowed Murdoch to gradually pull well ahead of them.
    "Heard you're sponsoring a kid for Little League," Rick remarked a few minutes later.
    "I helped get him on a team," Terry answered. "Saw him play the other day."
    "Heard he's pretty good."
    "Tossed a shutout."
    "Bring him out to the stadium before one of our games," Rick suggested. "Like to see him pitch."
    "You sure it's all right? Not against league rules?"
    "I won't tell if you won't tell," Rick grinned. "Anyway...with brass so concerned about PR..."
    They both laughed.
    "Seriously," Rick continued. "Your involvement can make a big difference for a kid."
    "Not just for the kid," Terry replied.
    "Reminds me when I was young," Rick said a little sadly. "My dad used to play catch with me. When he came home every night, that's the first thing we did. I'd wait by the door..."
    Terry didn't answer because he was thinking of his own father. And the impact his father had had on him.
    "Forty years ago," Rick added, shaking his head, "and I still remember."
    They were both silent several minutes while Murdoch continued leading them up and down streets of deteriorated Boston neighborhoods, with no apparent direction or destination. When again they came upon the same group of men surrounding the bonfire, it became evident he was even doubling back into areas he'd already covered. Eventually, he returned to their hotel parking lot.
    "Better give him a few minutes," Terry suggested after Rick parked the car. "Before we go inside."
    "Sure," Rick replied, removing the key from the ignition.
    They waited ten minutes. As they walked from the parking lot to the hotel lobby, Terry couldn't avoid the irony of the last hour or so. They had set out to discover what Murdoch was doing late at night. The only discoveries Terry made, however, pertained to Rick.
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    "You guys out cruisin' tonight?" Murdoch asked Terry and Rick the instant they entered the lobby.
    There was no one else present, except a lone desk clerk stationed on the other side of the huge room. Terry could see by his scowl that Murdoch, no longer wearing his disguise, wasn't happy. Neither he nor Rick replied to Murdoch's question. He hoped the expression on his own face didn't look as foolish as the one on Rick's.
    "Or were you guys tailin' me?" Murdoch accused. "I doubled back on purpose...you were still there."
    Again no reply, but Terry promptly remembered passing the bonfire twice.
    "Can't claim you were there by accident. Neither you guys look the type to be chasin' what guys chase in that neighborhood..."
    "Just seein' we could help," Rick mumbled, his foolish expression still present.
    "Oh...I get it," Murdoch answered sarcastically. "Case I'm in some kind of trouble."
    "Yeah," Rick muttered. "Case you're in some kind of trouble."
    "Did