Fade Away

Chapter 13

On the ride to practice, Myron placed a call from the car phone.

“Higgins,” a voice answered.

“Fred? It’s Myron Bolitar.”

“Hey, long time, no speak. How you doing, Myron?”

“Can’t complain. You?”

“A thrill a minute here at the Treasury Department.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

“How’s Win?” Higgins asked.

“The same,” Myron said.

“The guy scares the piss out of me, you know what I mean?”

“Yes,” Myron said, “I do.”

“You two miss working for the feds?”

“I don’t,” Myron said. “I don’t think Win does either. It got too restrictive for him.”

“I hear you. Hey, I read in the papers you’re playing ball again.”

“Yep.”

“At your age and with that knee? How come?”

“Long story, Fred.”

“Say no more. Hey, you guys are coming down to play the Bullets next week. Can you get me tickets?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Great, thanks. So what do you need, Myron?”

“The wheres and whys of about ten grand in hundred-dollar bills. Sequentially wrapped. Serial number B028856011A.”

“How fast you need it?”

“Soon as you can get it.”

“I’ll do my best. You take care, Myron.”

“You too, Fred.”

Myron held nothing back at practice. He let it all hang out. The feeling was awesome and overpowering. He entered his own zone. When he shot, it was like an invisible hand carried the ball to the cylinder. When he dribbled, the ball became part of his hand. His senses were heightened like a wolf’s in the wilderness. He felt like he’d fallen into some black hole and emerged ten years earlier at the NCAA finals. Even his knee felt great.

Most of practice consisted of a scrimmage between the starting five players and the five who saw the most bench time. Myron played his best ball. His jumper was popping. He came off screens strong and ready to shoot. He even drove straight down the lane twice—into the teeth of the big men’s domain—and came away the victor both times.

There were moments he completely forgot about Greg Downing and Carla/Sally/Roberta’s mangled corpse and the blood in the basement and the goons who jumped him and yes, even Jessica. An exhilarating rush like no other flooded his veins—the rush of an athlete at his peak. People talked about a runner’s high, a euphoria from a gland secretion when your body was pressed to its limit. Myron couldn’t relate to that, but he understood the incredible highs and plunging depths of being an athlete. If you played well, your whole body tingled and tears of pure joy came to your eyes. The tingles lasted well into the night when you lay in bed with no chance of sleep and replayed your finest moments, often in slow motion, like an overzealous sportscaster with his finger on the replay button. When you played poorly, you were surly and depressed and stayed that way for hours and even days. Both extremes were way out of proportion with the relevant importance of jamming a ball through a metallic circle or swatting a ball with a stick or throwing a sphere with great velocity. When you played poorly, you tried to remind yourself how stupid it was to get so caught up in something so meaningless. When you hit that rare high, you kept your internal big mouth shut.

As Myron dashed back and forth in the wave of basketball action, a thought sneaked in through the back door of his brain. The thought stayed on the fringes, hiding behind a couch, popping into view every once in a while before ducking back down again. You can do this, the thought taunted. You can play with them.

Myron’s lucky streak continued when it came to his defensive assignment: Leon White, Greg’s roomie-on-the-road and best friend. Myron and Leon bonded a bit while playing, the way teammates and even opponents often do. Whispering quick jokes in one another’s ear while lined up chest-to-chest for an inbounds pass. Patting the other guy on the back when he made a nice play. Leon was a classy guy on the floor. No trash talk. Even when Myron burned his butt on a fade-away eighteen-footer, Leon offered only words of encouragement.

Coach Donny Walsh blew the whistle. “That’s it, fellas. Take twenty foul shots and go home.”

Leon and Myron exchanged a half-handshake, half-high-five the way only children and professional athletes can. Myron had always loved this part of the game, the almost soldierlike camaraderie; he hadn’t had that in years. It felt good. The players partnered themselves up in groups of two—one guy to shoot, one to rebound—and went off to different baskets. Myron lucked out again and hooked up with Leon White. They each snatched a towel and a water bottle and strolled past the bleachers. Several reporters were perched up there for the practice. Audrey was there, of course. She looked at him with an amused smile. He resisted the temptation to stick his tongue out at her. Or his ass. Calvin Johnson had been watching practice too. He wore a suit and leaned against the wall like he was posing for a candid picture. Myron tried to gauge his reaction during the scrimmage, but of course Calvin’s expression remained unreadable.

Myron shot first. He stood at the foul line, feet spread shoulder length, his eyes on the front rim. The ball back-spun through the hoop.

“I guess we’re going to be roommates,” Myron said.

“That’s what I heard,” Leon said.

“Probably won’t be for very long.” Myron took another shot. Swish. “When do you think Greg will be back?”

In one motion Leon grabbed the bouncing ball and swooped it back to Myron. “I don’t know.”

“How’s Greg feeling? The ankle doing okay?”

“I don’t know,” he said again.

Myron took another foul shot. Another swish. His shirt, heavy with sweat, felt right. He grabbed the towel and wiped his face again. “Have you talked to him at all?”

“No.”

“That’s funny.”

Leon passed the ball to Myron. “What’s funny?”

Myron shrugged, took four dribbles. “I heard you two were tight,” he said.

Leon gave a half-smile. “Where did you hear that?”

Myron released the ball. Another swish. “Around, I guess. In the newspapers and stuff.”

“Don’t believe everything you read,” Leon said.

“Why’s that?”

He bounce-passed the ball to Myron. “The press loves to build up a friendship between a white player and a black player. They’re always looking for that Gale Sayers–Brian Piccolo slant.”

“You two aren’t close?”

“Well, we’ve known each other a long time. I’ll say that.”

“But you’re not tight?”

Leon looked at him funny. “Why you so interested?”

“I’m just making conversation. Greg is my only real connection to this team.”

“Connection?”

Myron started dribbling again. “He and I used to be rivals.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So now we’re going to be teammates. It’ll be weird.”

Leon looked at Myron. Myron stopped dribbling. “You think Greg still cares about some old college rivalry?” There was disbelief in his voice.

Myron realized how lame he was sounding. “It was a pretty intense thing,” he said. “At the time, I mean.” Extra lame. Myron didn’t look at Leon. He just lined up the shot.

“I hope this don’t hurt your feelings or nothing,” Leon said, “but I’ve been rooming with Greg for eight years now. I’ve never heard him mention your name. Even when we talk about college and stuff.”

Myron stopped right before releasing the ball. He looked over at Leon, fighting to keep his face neutral. Funny thing was—much as Myron didn’t want to admit it—that did hurt his feelings.

“Shoot already,” Leon said. “I want to get out of here.”

TC lumbered toward them. He palmed a basketball in each hand with the ease most adults palm grapefruits. He dropped one of the balls and did a handshaking/slapping ritual with Leon. Then he looked over at Myron. His face broke into a big smile.

“I know, I know,” Myron said. “Thumped, right?”

TC nodded.

“What exactly is thumped?”

“Tonight,” TC said. “Party at my house. All will be revealed then.”