Back Spin (Myron Bolitar 4)

Her words were spilling out fast now. “Jack Coldren destroyed my entire family. He ruined my father and killed my mother. And for what? My father did nothing wrong.”

“Yes,” Myron said, “he did.”

“He pulled the wrong club out of a golf bag, if you believe Jack Coldren. He made a mistake. An accident. Should it have cost him so much?”

Myron said nothing. It was no mistake, no accident. And Myron had no idea what it should have cost.

41

The police cleaned up. Corbett had questions, but Myron was not in the mood. He left as soon as the detective was distracted. He sped to the police station where Linda Coldren was about to be released. He took the cement steps three or four at a clip, looking like a spastic Olympian timing the triple jump.

Victoria Wilson almost—the key word being almost—smiled at him. “Linda will be out in a few minutes.”

“Do you have that tape I asked you to get?”

“The phone call between Jack and the kidnapper?”

“Yes.”

“I have it,” she said. “But why—”

“Please give it to me,” Myron said.

She heard something in his tone. Without argument, she reached into her handbag and pulled it out. Myron took it. “Do you mind if I drive Linda home?” he said.

Victoria Wilson regarded him. “I think maybe that would be a good idea.”

A policeman came out. “She’s ready to leave,” he said.

Victoria was about to turn away, when Myron said, “I guess you were wrong about digging into the past. The past ended up saving our client.”

Victoria held his eye. “It’s like I said before,” she began. “You never know what you will find.”

They both waited for the other to break the eye contact. Neither did until the door behind them opened.

Linda was back in civilian clothes. She stepped out tentatively, like she’d been in a dark room and wasn’t sure her eyes could handle the sudden light. Her face broke into a wide smile when she saw Victoria. They hugged. Linda dug her face into Victoria’s shoulder and rocked in her arms. When they released, Linda turned and hugged Myron. Myron closed his eyes and felt his muscles unbunch. He smelled her hair and felt the wondrous skin of her cheek against his neck. They embraced for a long time, almost like a slow dance, neither wanting to let go, both perhaps a little bit afraid.

Victoria coughed into her fist and made her excuses. With the police leading the way, Myron and Linda made it to the car with a minimum of press fuss. They strapped on their seat belts in silence.

“Thank you,” she said.

Myron said nothing. He started the car. For a while neither of them spoke. Myron switched on the air-conditioning.

“We have something here, don’t we?”

“I don’t know,” Myron said. “You were worried about your son. Maybe that’s all it was.”

Her face said that she was not buying. “How about you?” Linda asked. “Did you feel anything?”

“I think so,” he said. “But part of that might be fear, too.”

“Fear of what?”

“Of Jessica.”

She gave a weary grin. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those guys who fears commitment.”

“Just the opposite. I fear how much I love her. I fear how much I want to commit.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Jessica left me once before. I don’t want to be exposed like that again.”

Linda nodded. “So you think that’s what it was? Fear of abandonment?”

“I don’t know.”

“I felt something,” she said. “For the first time in a very long time. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had affairs. Like with Tad. But that’s not the same thing.” She looked at him. “It felt nice.”

Myron said nothing.

“You’re not making this very easy,” Linda said.

“We have other things to talk about.”

“Like what?”

“Victoria filled you in on Esme Fong?”

“Yes.”

“If you remember, she had a solid alibi for Jack’s murder.”

“A night clerk at a big hotel like the Omni? I doubt that will hold up on scrutiny.”

“Don’t be so sure,” Myron said.

“Why do you say that?”

Myron did not answer. He turned right and said, “You know what always bothered me, Linda?”

“No, what?”

“The ransom calls.”

“What about them?” she asked.

“The first one was made on the morning of the kidnapping. You answered. The kidnappers told you that they had your son. But they made no demands. I always found that odd, didn’t you?”

She thought about it. “I guess so.”

“Now I understand why they did that. But back then, we didn’t know what the real motive for the kidnapping was.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Esme Fong kidnapped Chad because she wanted revenge on Jack. She wanted to make him lose the tournament. How? Well, I’d thought that she’d kidnapped Chad to fluster Jack. Make him lose his focus. But that was too abstract. She wanted to make sure Jack lost. That was her ransom demand right from the beginning. But you see, the ransom call came in a little late. Jack was already at the course. You answered the phone.”

Linda nodded. “I think I see what you’re saying. She had to reach Jack directly.”

“She or Tito, but you’re right. That’s why she called Jack at Merion. Remember the second call, the one Jack got after he finished the round?”

“Of course.”

“That was when the ransom demand was made,” Myron said. “The kidnapper told Jack plain and simple—you start losing or your son dies.”

“Hold up a second,” Linda said. “Jack said they didn’t make any demands. They told him to get some money ready and they’d call back.”

“Jack lied.”

“But …?” She stopped, and then said, “Why?”

“He didn’t want us—or more specifically, you—to know the truth.”

Linda shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

Myron took out the cassette Victoria had given him. “Maybe this will help explain.” He pushed the tape into the cassette player. There were several seconds of silence and then he heard Jack’s voice like something from beyond the grave: