Close Out by Todd Strasser Page A

at him. “You are a mysterious dude, Kai. But I’m past the point where I’d ever think of betting against you.”
    They reached the parking lot and headed for the hearse. Suddenly Bean stopped and muttered, “Shit.”

Fifteen
    A ll four tires on the hearse had been slashed and were completely flat.
    â€œCrap, crap, crap,” Bean growled as he and Kai walked around the car, inspecting the damage.
    Kai felt awful. “It’s my fault, dude. If I hadn’t gotten you involved in this, it never would have happened.”
    Bean didn’t argue. He unlocked the car door and got out his cell phone. “Good thing I’ve got Triple-A. They’ll tow it to the nearest station for free.”
    â€œBet they don’t replace the tires for free,” Kai said.
    Bean shook his head.
    Kai waited with Bean until the flatbed truck came. They couldn’t use a tow truck to tow a car with four flat tires. Kai had no idea what car tires cost, only that they couldn’t be cheap because nothing on a car was cheap. He and Bean watched as the driver winched the hearse onto the back of the truck.
    â€œKnow what’s weird?” Bean said. “I’m pissed, but I’m not sorry. I know we did the right thing.”
    â€œI’ll make it up to you,” Kai said.
    â€œThanks, dude, I appreciate the thought. Catch you later.”
    Bean got into the truck with the driver. Kai watched them pull out of the parking lot, then he walked over to Teddy’s. Behind her workshop he rinsed himself off with a garden hose, then stood in the sunlight and let the rays dry him. He let himself into the workshop. The lights were off. “Teddy?”
    No one answered. That was unusual. Teddy was almost always in the shop by that time of the morning.
    Kai crossed the yard to Teddy’s house, stepped up on the porch, and rang the bell. He waited, listening to the wind chimes clink. No one answered, but Kai had a feeling she washome. Of course, she didn’t have to answer her door if she didn’t want to, but it made Kai uncomfortable. Teddy lived alone, and there was always a chance, no matter how slim, that she’d fallen and hurt herself or otherwise needed help for some reason.
    He stepped off the porch and walked around the house, peeking in the windows. He found Teddy in her kitchen, sitting at the table with a cup and a cigarette.
    â€œHey,” he said through the window.
    Teddy looked up. While there were no tears visible, her glassy eyes were puffy and red rimmed. That could have been either from lack of sleep or crying. Maybe it didn’t matter.
    â€œGo away,” she said.
    â€œI didn’t know you smoked,” Kai said.
    â€œI don’t.” Her words hung in the air like the smoke drifting up from the embers of the cigarette.
    â€œHow come you’re not in the shop?”
    â€œI said, go away.”
    â€œCome on, Teddy.”
    She took a drag on the cigarette, then exhaled a cloud. “Fucking Buzzy did it. He cut me off.”
    â€œHe got a new shaper?”
    â€œA guy over in Fairport.”
    â€œAny good?”
    Teddy made a face. “Do you really think Buzzy cares? As long as he makes his money he could give a crap.”
    â€œMaybe you could work for one of the other shops,” Kai said. “Like Fairport Surf.”
    Teddy smirked. “Pack Petersen would be lucky to sell one custom board a month.”
    â€œWhat about opening your own place?” Kai asked.
    Teddy’s eyebrows dipped for a moment. “Oh, right, you and me as partners against Buzzy Frank. How could I forget?”
    â€œWe don’t have to be partners.”
    â€œThat’s for damn sure.”
    â€œCome on, Teddy.” Kai braced himself for some sharp rebuke, so he was surprised when she turned away from him. He heard her sniff and saw her shoulders tremble.
    In a cracking voice she said, “For the love of God, Kai, go