The Closer by Alan Mindell Read Free Book Online Page A

years of very little happening in his life, all this was a bit unnerving.
    It was another cool night, plainly one more thing to get accustomed to. As he began walking around his new neighborhood, a dog howled in the distance. Actually, it sounded like a wolf, reminding him of his days in the country, as a boy, growing up in Indiana.
    He thought of his father. How nice it would have been if his dad were still alive to see him pitch that last inning in Seattle. Either in person or on television. How nice it would have been to send him the tape of the game. Possibly even watch it simultaneously, each on their own VCR, Terry in California, his dad in Indiana two thousand miles away, connected by telephone.
    His father would have loved the idea Terry was now a big league closer. No matter how long it lasted. And Terry would have loved to tell him that after all these years, his advice—sticking to the task, not giving up—had finally paid off.
    As he crossed a street at an intersection, his thoughts were interrupted by a commotion just ahead. Tires screeching, car doors slamming, loud angry voices. His initial instinct was to turn and head back to his place. No sense looking for trouble this late at night. But then he heard a thud, as if someone were being shoved against a car. And he was able to decipher the words of one of the angry voices.
    "Hey, Mr. Ten Million, use some a that big money, buy a bodyguard...new disguises."
    Because maybe something seemed familiar, Terry edged closer. He could barely make out two cars in the street, one parked at an angle in front of the other, as though it had cut it off. Then he saw someone large, surrounded by four men. Another thud ensued, and this time he was sure it was from the large man being shoved against a car, the one that had been cut off.
    "Why you nosin' 'round our territory?" the same angry voice shouted.
    Terry moved closer yet, within fifteen or twenty yards. Although he still couldn't see that well, he suddenly realized who the large man was. It was Elston Murdoch. No question, it was Elston Murdoch.
    What should he do now? It certainly wasn't his quarrel. And yet Murdoch was his teammate. Murdoch had made the terrific catch for him in Seattle. And Murdoch was now in trouble, being attacked by four men.
    Terry noticed that the other car, the one not being used to shove Murdoch against, was still running. He rushed to it and scrambled inside. He gunned the engine and, to the shouts of Murdoch's attackers, sped off.
    In the rearview mirror, he saw the four men jump into the other car and begin to follow. It was the start of a high speed chase. Not exactly what he had in mind when he strolled out of his bungalow a little while ago.
    Fortunately, the chase lasted no more than about thirty seconds. A police car, probably summoned to the scene because of all the commotion, entered an intersection just before he did, and he nearly broadsided it, swerving and stopping just in time. The police car also stopped.
    Would the four men stop too? His question was quickly answered when they whizzed by, barely missing the police car themselves. He saw them turn left at an ensuing intersection and felt, at least momentarily, slightly relieved. Not that they couldn't easily turn around and come back.
    He didn't know what to do next, so he did nothing except stay in the car. Two policemen got out of their vehicle and came toward him. Just then Murdoch, breathing heavily, clothing awry, trotted onto the scene.
    "My car," he panted to the officers. "Been stolen."
    "This car?" one of the officers asked him, pointing to the one Terry was in.
    "No. Bunch of guys roughed me up. Drove off in it."
    "He one of them?" the officer inquired, motioning toward Terry.
    Murdoch shook his head.
    "You know him?"
    Murdoch nodded.
    "Want to give us a description of your car?"
    Murdoch nodded again.
    While Terry remained in the car, Murdoch accompanied the officers to their vehicle. Terry watched as the three