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Some man behind the fence near the bench was chatting with him, but Matty did not appear interested. |
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In the visitors' grandstand Terry spotted Betty Gorawlski. Her son was a backup pitcher for the Cardinals, sitting on the opposite bench waiting for the fourth-inning shift. Beside him were the other Bully BoysMikey Rizzo and Jackie Stoneburner. And snuffling up to them were the wannabes. Occasionally they would leer at Matty and make jokes. The little shits. |
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Halfway through the second inning, she spotted Beverly Otis hustling across the parking lot. Beverly was a short, squat woman of sixty, but she moved through the rows of cars as if motorized. Hanging from a shoulder strap was a fat briefcase that struck Terry as odd baggage for a Little League game. When she reached the field, she stopped to survey the grandstands, then spotted Terry and Calvin and jostled over. Calvin made a motion to get some drinks but Terry pulled him back. |
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Beverly's face glowed from exertion. "Thought you'd be here," she panted, and flopped beside them. She pressed against Terry. "I just got off the phone with Claire Manning. She's been trying to get hold of you all afternoon." |
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There were two messages on Terry's machine but she hadn't called back. "We've been out." |
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She pressed her head close to both of them. "You're not going to believe it." She put her hand on Terry's arm and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper so people around them couldn't hear. "They bumped it another hundred." |
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"They upped the offer to seven hundred thousand." |
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"That's ridiculous," Terry said. "I'm starting to get suspicious something else is going on." |
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Beverly shook her head. "What can I say?" Beverly said. "They're nuts about itI think it's the woods. But they want an answer, like right now." |
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"There are other places on Magog," Terry said. |
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"But not for sale," Beverly said. She pressed a card in Terry's hand. An out-of-town number was penned on the back. "She's waiting. I've got a phone in the car. I'll call, and while you're enjoying |
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