under way. Juan was partnered with a woman I thought was Martina Navratilova. Playing opposite them were John McEnroe and Rita Fiore. I noted Rita’s white tennis costume, a fitted low-cut top and short pleated skirt, which showed off her spectacular legs. A little man sat atop the umpire’s chair while a man in a tan uniform flipped big plastic numbers.
Slide had been pressed into service as one of the ball boys. He ran back and forth across the rear of the court, his face a mask of concentration. A young girl in pigtails worked the other side of the court.
“I had no idea Rita played tennis,” Susan said.
“She’s a woman of many talents,” I said as I watched her smash a serve into the opposite court. Juan could only watch it go by.
“Forty love,” the umpire called. Rita and John were winning. It didn’t seem to be much of a contest.
WE FINISHED OUR MEAL and returned to our seats in the stands as the doubles were wrapping up. Rita and John had beaten Juan and Martina, though it had gone to a tiebreaker.
“I think now would be a good time to console Juan on his loss,” I said to Susan. “Keep my seat warm.”
Susan nodded. The crowd was loud and enthusiastic. I made my way through the throng to Juan. “Sorry about the match, but you put up a good fight,” I said.
Juan smiled. “Playing with Martina is honor enough.”
“You must be proud of Carmen for putting this all together. It’s quite a party.”
“She’s really something, don’t you think?” Juan said.
There was a tone of longing, perhaps, in his voice. As if he knew that he had lost her and he knew why and now his prize possession was soon to leave him. It didn’t matter that he was the one to send her away permanently. Maybe he even loved her.
Pity me that the heart is slow to learn what the swift mind beholds at every turn.
On my way back to my seat I went over to one of the dark-skinned men who were watching the match. “You Martita’s brother?” I said.
He shook his head and pointed down the way to the next man standing guard. I walked over to him and stuck my hand out. “I’m Spenser. I took Martita and her baby to the health clinic last week, remember?”
The tall, heavyset man grinned at me, showing a lot of gold.
“Muchas gracias, señor.”
“Sorry, I only speak a little Spanish.”
“I’m Marco. What can I do for you?” He kept his gaze on the tennis match while he was talking.
“I just wanted to say hello. Carmen tells me you’re the security guard here. That’s a pretty big responsibility, protecting all these people.”
Marco grinned. “I am but one of many. Mr. Alvarez has . . .” He stopped to count. “He has ten guards here.”
“But that’s because it’s a big event today, right?”
Marco shook his head. “No, we are ten to twelve most of the time. Three shifts of four men. Sometimes more, sometimes less when Mr. Alvarez travels. But mostly ten to twelve.”
“Good to know,” I said. “I’m sure you are well trained.”
“Sí,”
he said, and his grin broadened. “And we are well armed.”
“Did Carmen tell you I’m a private detective? I use a Beretta. Easy to handle, gets the job done.”
“Smith and Wesson’s a good weapon for close range. We have a snub-nose .38 special every time. Or for the ankle, a .25 Beretta.” Marco was enthusiastic.
“Rifles?”
“For hunting. Not much for our work.”
A burst of static sounded from Marco’s right ear. I hadn’t noticed his earpiece. Marco listened, then leaned into a microphone at his shoulder and said, “
Sí.
On my way.
“I have to go now,” he said. “Nice speaking with you, Spenser. Thank you for helping Martita.”
I went back to where Susan was sitting just in time to see Carmen and Kim take the court.
The umpire stepped forward for the coin toss to determine the first serve. Kim won the toss, and she and Carmen took their places.
Kim bounced in place at the baseline. She looked across the net at Carmen
Slide had been pressed into service as one of the ball boys. He ran back and forth across the rear of the court, his face a mask of concentration. A young girl in pigtails worked the other side of the court.
“I had no idea Rita played tennis,” Susan said.
“She’s a woman of many talents,” I said as I watched her smash a serve into the opposite court. Juan could only watch it go by.
“Forty love,” the umpire called. Rita and John were winning. It didn’t seem to be much of a contest.
WE FINISHED OUR MEAL and returned to our seats in the stands as the doubles were wrapping up. Rita and John had beaten Juan and Martina, though it had gone to a tiebreaker.
“I think now would be a good time to console Juan on his loss,” I said to Susan. “Keep my seat warm.”
Susan nodded. The crowd was loud and enthusiastic. I made my way through the throng to Juan. “Sorry about the match, but you put up a good fight,” I said.
Juan smiled. “Playing with Martina is honor enough.”
“You must be proud of Carmen for putting this all together. It’s quite a party.”
“She’s really something, don’t you think?” Juan said.
There was a tone of longing, perhaps, in his voice. As if he knew that he had lost her and he knew why and now his prize possession was soon to leave him. It didn’t matter that he was the one to send her away permanently. Maybe he even loved her.
Pity me that the heart is slow to learn what the swift mind beholds at every turn.
On my way back to my seat I went over to one of the dark-skinned men who were watching the match. “You Martita’s brother?” I said.
He shook his head and pointed down the way to the next man standing guard. I walked over to him and stuck my hand out. “I’m Spenser. I took Martita and her baby to the health clinic last week, remember?”
The tall, heavyset man grinned at me, showing a lot of gold.
“Muchas gracias, señor.”
“Sorry, I only speak a little Spanish.”
“I’m Marco. What can I do for you?” He kept his gaze on the tennis match while he was talking.
“I just wanted to say hello. Carmen tells me you’re the security guard here. That’s a pretty big responsibility, protecting all these people.”
Marco grinned. “I am but one of many. Mr. Alvarez has . . .” He stopped to count. “He has ten guards here.”
“But that’s because it’s a big event today, right?”
Marco shook his head. “No, we are ten to twelve most of the time. Three shifts of four men. Sometimes more, sometimes less when Mr. Alvarez travels. But mostly ten to twelve.”
“Good to know,” I said. “I’m sure you are well trained.”
“Sí,”
he said, and his grin broadened. “And we are well armed.”
“Did Carmen tell you I’m a private detective? I use a Beretta. Easy to handle, gets the job done.”
“Smith and Wesson’s a good weapon for close range. We have a snub-nose .38 special every time. Or for the ankle, a .25 Beretta.” Marco was enthusiastic.
“Rifles?”
“For hunting. Not much for our work.”
A burst of static sounded from Marco’s right ear. I hadn’t noticed his earpiece. Marco listened, then leaned into a microphone at his shoulder and said, “
Sí.
On my way.
“I have to go now,” he said. “Nice speaking with you, Spenser. Thank you for helping Martita.”
I went back to where Susan was sitting just in time to see Carmen and Kim take the court.
The umpire stepped forward for the coin toss to determine the first serve. Kim won the toss, and she and Carmen took their places.
Kim bounced in place at the baseline. She looked across the net at Carmen
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