QB1 by Pete Bowen Page A

defensive coaches
and they started out telling Tony to mind his own business, just
run the offense, but he kept doing it and after awhile they just
left him alone because it was a positive influence. It was on me,
anyway. Here was this rookie QB telling me what to do, but I could
see that he was right most of the time. So, I listened to him.
During games, he’d speak to me a few times with pointers and
encouragement. I got so I needed to hear what he had to say. That
is a unique relationship because half the time I know the coaches
are full of shit.”
    “We worked out together after the season
ended when I was around. I couldn’t believe it when he told me you
guys had split up, Elizabeth. I asked what happened but he didn’t
have much to say. Then the contract negotiations soured and he
stopped coming around the training facility. I didn’t see him for a
few weeks and then one night he came over for a beer and said he
was pissed off, life sucked and he wanted to get away.”
    “Do you know where he went?” I asked.
    Benson said slowly, “Yea, I do…he went to
Mexico.”
    “There is no record of him leaving the
country.”
    “Didn’t need one. He took my boat. He didn’t
have a passport. Sailed down Baja.” I looked around at Roger and
Liz. We were stunned.
    “Why haven’t you said anything, Matt?
Everyone’s been trying to figure out where he’s been for the last
month. It could be important in the investigation.”
    “Well, for one thing, no one asked me and I
didn’t know they were looking for him. It gets me involved in this
and I don’t know much more than he left and then he came back. I
didn’t have any contact with him during that time.”
    “I didn’t know Tony could sail a boat,” said
Liz.
    “Yea, he sailed Lasers in the Bay when he was
a kid. I teamed him with a guy who knows the boat and Mexico. Tony
was crew. I’m sure he learned how to sail if he was on it for a
month. This is a 48 foot boat. I used to live on it when I was
visiting my parents in San Diego. You could sail this thing around
the world. You should find Jose and ask him what they were up to
for the last month.”
    “Can’t you just call him,” I asked.
    “He’s elusive. I get in touch with him
through the Marina. He’s in and out. I don’t even know if he’s
legal. That’s how he makes a living. Moving boats around for
people, crewing on boats. Great guy!”
    “I need to get a hold of him,” I said.
    “I can talk to the guys at the Marina, let
them know you want to speak to him.”
    “I want to speak to him now.”
    “He’s not going to want to talk to the
cops.”
    “Do me a favor, call the guys at the Marina
and tell them you need to find Jose and you got some cash for him
to talk to me. Did the Marina guys see Tony coming and going?”
    “I don’t know, maybe, depends on what time of
day it was. You can get in just knowing the combination. I don’t
know if anyone is working at night. There is probably some security
people.”
    I looked at Liz and Roger. “I guess we’re
going sailing.”
     
    Chapter 17
     
    When we got back in the car. Roger got up on
his knees and whispered something in Liz’s ear.
    “It’s a secret,” she said aloud. Roger again
whispered in her ear for a long time. When he was done, he sat
looking at her with pleading eyes. She leaned over and whispered in
his ear.
    “Lydia Isackson?” Roger said aloud. Liz hit
him on the shoulder.
    “You said you wouldn’t tell!” she said.
    “You can’t trust him, he’s a liar,” I said.
“Lydia Isackson?”
    “Now, I know, you are a little rat,
Roger.”
    “Why her?” I said.
    Liz sat staring ahead with a frown on her
face. “I haven’t got a good reason, just that she’s a sociopath and
always gets her way. I don’t think Miami was her way. And I think
she might have been having an affair with Tony.” She then started
to cry.
    Roger and I looked at each other. “This is
going to get messy,” I said. “What do you