This story is a sequel to my stories , Fast Break and Footsteps (Ghost Towning) . You may want to read the preceding stories before reading this one. Fast Break and Footsteps (Ghost Towning) can be found on my on my website – mickeyminner.com
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Second half – Tulsa 63 – Cougars 86
The ball hit the back of the rim then bounced away from the basket and three players jumped to capture the rebound.
Val stretched her arm upward. Her fingers touched the ball first and she flipped it back over her head toward the top of the key.
Grabbing the loose ball, Terry spun around and fired it toward the opposite end of the court.
Racing across mid-court, Pete and Sherry charged to the empty end of the floor. Sherry diverted her steps to chase down the ball while Pete headed for their unguarded basket.
Catching up to the bouncing ball, Sherry controlled it then dribbled for two steps before sending a bounce pass into the key.
Angling through the key, Pete grabbed the pass. She took one long step then leaped up to put the ball against the backboard.
The home crowd rose to their feet as the ball dropped though the hoop. When the Tulsa coach screamed for a time out the cheering increased to a level that was almost painful to the ears.
“Aren't you going to talk to them?” Kelley shouted over the crowd to her head coach who had remained sitting casually on the bench.
“What for?” Pat responded looking at the five players huddled together a few feet away giving each other encouragement. “They seem to be doing just fine,” she added with a relaxed smile.
“Terry looks winded,” Kelley noted.
“Send Dimchek in.”
“I have a better idea.”
In a corner of the arena, a chant had started and was gaining strength as it rolled through the sell-out crowd. “Kodak, Kodak, Kodak.”
“They paid to see you, Coach,” Kelley told the local college hero.
“Dimchek needs the game time.” As the chant grew louder, Pat looked down the length of the bench to see that her players were watching her expectedly—all but one of the players, Jackson was slumped back on her chair with eyes half closed and a look of disinterest on her face.
“Go on, Coach... give them what they came to see,” Kelley encouraged.
Pat glanced at the five players standing on the court.
“Come on,” Sherry mouthed the words.
“Go!” Kelley demanded.
Pat stood; the crowd exploding in renewed enthusiastic cheers as she trotted to the scorers' table.
Terry remained on the court until Pat joined them. “Give ‘em a show, Coach,” she said grinning.
“We're not here to put on a show,” Pat grumbled.
“Ah, Coach,” Pete protested, “we've got a twenty point lead with less than a minute to play. Let's have some fun.”
“You go, girls,” Terry exclaimed then trotted for the Cougar bench.
“Alright,” Pat told the other four players. “No fouling… let's get this game over quick. We have a championship to prepare for.”
#
Standing at the end line, the official handed the ball to a Tulsa player as soon as play resumed. The ball was passed to an unguarded teammate who easily dribbled toward the other end of the floor.
Pat, Sherry, Pete, Val, and Jade were loosely positioned around the key allowing Tulsa to approach their basket without much interference.
The Tulsa guard passed to a teammate standing just outside the three point arc on the left side of the key.
Catching the pass, the Tulsa post player sent up a three point attempt.
The ball dropped cleanly through the net.
Pete snatched the ball out of the air as she ran over the endline. She spun around and fired a pass to Jade.
Jade fired the ball to Val.
Val sent the ball back to Pete now racing across mid-court.
Pat and Sherry were racing for the Cougar basket.
Pete bounce passed to Sherry who tapped the ball over to Pat.
Pat dribbled down the left side of the court.
A Tulsa player had managed to beat the Cougars down the floor and had taken up a position six feet from the basket and directly in Pat's path.
Pat didn't hesitate as she ran straight for Tulsa's sole defender.
Sherry was racing down the right side of the floor a few steps behind Pat.
Pat shifted her dribble from her right hand to her left. With inches to spare, she veered to her left whipping the ball behind her back and over to Sherry.
The Tulsa defender quickly moved to guard Sherry.
Sherry faked a jump shot.
Buying the fake, the Tulsa player leaped up to block the attempt.
Sherry cut left then bounced the ball through the key.
Running along the baseline, Pat caught the pass and crossed under the basket. She leaped up, tucking her legs under her and sweeping her right arm up over her head to execute a reverse layup— the ball dropping through the net as the buzzer sounded the end of the game.
#
Impatient to join the celebration she knew was taking place in the Cougar locker room, Pat suffered through a post game interview with the game's announcers.
“The Cougars looked to be working on all cylinders tonight, Coach,” Chad stated.
“We played well,” Pat acknowledged.
“Will you be able to maintain that for the championship?” the announcer asked.
“I think so.”
“Los Angeles has vowed to claim the trophy this year,” Nancy, the other announcer, spoke before Chad could. “In fact, Coach Buttram has guaranteed it. Any comment?”
“No,” Pat stated curtly.
“LA has been playing tough,” Chad took back the questioning. “They've demolished their opponents during the past few weeks… even the Cougars struggled in your last game against them. Any fears about having to take them on one more time... especially playing for the championship?”
Pat smiled humorlessly. “You can't go very far in this league being afraid of your opponents. We're ready for Los Angeles. I think a better question would be—Is LA ready for the Cougars? Now, if you'll excuse me… I'd like to join my team,” she said then turned away from the pair.
“Of course, Coach,” Nancy said as Pat trotted off the court. Turning to face the camera, she continued, “Congratulations to the Missoula Cougars on a great season. It definitely looks like we'll be in for a battle next week as they take on Los Angeles for the championship.”
“Thanks for joining us,” Chad said to the camera. “We hope you'll join us next week in Toledo.”
#
Before Pat reached the locker room door, she could hear the boisterous celebration going on inside. She nodded to the pair of security guards on either side of the door then pushed it open to find her players dancing to extremely loud raucous music. Grinning, she made her way around the room stopping to thank each player for their contribution to the season. She noted the absence of one player before walking to the front of the locker room. Leaning against the wall, she was content to wait for the players to quiet on their own time.
After several minutes, the music was silenced by some unseen hand and the players began to settle.
“It's been a good season,” Pat addressed her players. “Long… some bumps on the way… but, overall, it was good.”
“Damn right,” Val declared loudly.
Pat smiled. “But it's not over… yet,” she continued. “One more game—”
“Piece of cake,” Pete exclaimed then high fived Terry.
“Los Angeles will be gunning for us,” Pat ignored the interruption. “Buttram has guaranteed a win.”
Shouts of derision and protest filled the locker room.
“It ain't gonna happen,” Jade grumbled in disdain.
“Not if we concentrate on what we have to do,” Pat said. “ And we forget about what Los Angeles thinks they're going to do to us.”
“Exactly!” Wendy shouted from the back of the room where she had her healing leg stretched out in front of her.
“Okay… celebrate but don't overdo it. Tomorrow, we start preparing for LA. I don't want anyone dragging butt… got it?”
“GOT IT, COACH,” came back the reply shouted in unison.
Pat grinned. “Great job, ladies.”
#
Following the head coach, Sherry and Kelley walked out of the locker room. After passing into the offices, Kelley pulled the inner door close behind them.
“Where's Jackson?” Pat demanded as soon as the women entered her office.
“She changed clothes then took off like she had a match lit to her ass,” Kelley replied.
“Too good to join her teammates,” Pat muttered disgustedly.
“Damn, I'll be glad when this season is finally over so we can cut her loose,” Kelley declared.
“No shit,” Sherry agreed.
“Let's forget about her for now,” Pat told her assistants as she pulled a sheet of paper from her desk drawer. “Have the pleasantries been issued to Tulsa?” she asked.
Kelley nodded. “They should be on their bus by now.”
“Alright, here's our schedule for the week… We fly to Toledo on Thursday. The game is Saturday night so that gives us Friday for a full practice and Saturday morning for a light workout.”
“Are we having full practices here all week?” Sherry asked.
“Five days to push hard and work on the game plan.”
“Are we changing things up?” Kelley asked.
Leaning back in her chair, Pat grinned. “That's what Buttram will expect.”
“She can kiss my butt,” Sherry blurted out.
“No she can't,” Pat immediately countered, “not unless she wants me to rip her lips off.” She laughed at the look of surprise on her lover's face.
“Did you just cross the line?” Sherry asked giggling.
“Yep, I sure did.”
“You're in a damn good mood, Coach,” Kelley stated, “considering LA is looking to chew us up and spit us out.”
“As if,” Sherry said.
“So what is our game plan?” Kelley asked.
“Just like Chad said tonight… we're clicking on all cylinders. Why change anything?”
“Won't that make it easy for LA?”
“If I know Buttram, she's going to spend this week coming up with all kinds of new defenses for what she thinks I'm going to do.”
“But we stick to what we know and what works,” Sherry said.
“Exactly.”
“And Buttram will spend the week worrying about what we're doing.”
Pat nodded. “We spend the week fine tuning. Let Buttram spend the week running her players ragged with new stuff to learn.”
“Oh, you are a sneaky one, Coach,” Kelley said with a laugh.
“Let's hope I'm not so sneaky that we outsmart ourselves. I'm depending on Buttram's dislike of me to make this work.”
“Shall we go send the ladies home?” Sherry asked. “I could use a nice long soak in the hot tub tonight.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Pat agreed.
Kelley stood up. “I'll take care of them,” she said. “I'll see you two in the morning.”
“Good night, Kelley,” Pat told her assistant then watched her walk out of the office. “Any news from Mac?” she asked Sherry when they were alone.
Sherry shook her head. “Nothing. You don't suppose she can't find anything?”
Pat sighed then stood up. “Only thing I know,” she said walking around her desk to Sherry, “is if there is anything to find… Mac will find it. Come on, let's go home.”
#
Driving slowly down a quiet residential street, Jackson smiled when she spotted her target. She continued to the end of the block, turned at the corner and parked in the first available spot. It was late and most of the homes around her were dark, their occupants probably already in bed. Switching off the engine, she pushed open the car door. Snatching the envelope on the passenger seat, she exited the car pausing to look around. Satisfied she had not drawn any unwanted attention she shut the door then turned to walk back to the street she had just left. Walking quickly, her sneakers barely made a sound on the concrete. Reaching her target, she moved up the driveway to the front porch. The home's windows were dark and she doubted her presence had been detected. It took only a moment to tape the envelope to the front door. With a final look at her handy work, she smiled, rang the doorbell then took off at a full run back to her car.
#
Leaning against the arm draped over her shoulders, Sherry stared up into the cloudless sky. “The stars are beautiful.”
“So are you,” Pat murmured into the ear she was nibbling.
“You are so sweet,” Sherry said tilting her head to look at her lover.
Pat continued her nibbling. “So are you.”
“I think it's time for bed.”
Pat didn't budge from her spot. “Probably.”
“Honey—”
The doorbell ringing interrupted Sherry's comment.
Pat sat up, water sloshing around and over the edge of the hot tub. “Who the hell is ringing the bell at this time?” She asked no one in particular. “If it's Pete, I'll ring her bell,” she stated bluntly.
Sherry laughed then stood. “I doubt even Pete would be that dumb… unless it's some kind of emergency,” she added worriedly.
“Only one way to find out,” Pat said stepping out of the hot tub. She grabbed a towel hung over the back of one of the deck chairs and held it out for her lover. When Sherry took the towel from her hand, she reached for the second towel and wrapped it around her naked body.
“Pat, it's really late.”
“Your point?”
“Should we be opening the door at this hour?”
“Is there another way to find out who rang the bell?”
“We could call the police.”
“Come on,” Pat said moving to the sliding door. She slid it open then waited for Sherry to enter their house before shutting and locking it. “You stay here and I'll go see who's at the door.”
“You're naked!”
“I'm not going to get dressed first,” Pat declared.
“I'm getting a phone,” Sherry said then set off for the kitchen as her lover walked across the front room.
Reaching the door, Pat paused to look through the peep hole. “I don't see anybody,” she said reaching for the light switch. “No one,” she confirmed when the porch was bathed in bright light. She reached for the door knob. Turning the knob, she yanked the door open then stepped out onto the porch.
“Honey, where are you going?”
Pat's eyes searched the yard and driveway for any sign of movement. “There's nobody out here.”
“The doorbell didn't ring itself,” Sherry stated edging out of the house cautiously.
“Maybe it did… cuz there's nobody out here,” Pat said then turned around to return inside. “What's that?” she asked spotting the envelope taped to the front of the door.
Sherry turned to look where Pat indicated. “Someone left us a note?” she asked suspiciously. “At this hour?”
Pat ripped the envelope off the door. “Let's get inside,” she said urging Sherry ahead of her.
“What's in it?” Sherry asked once the door was shut and locked.
Pat opened the envelope and removed its contents. “Thanks for the memories,” she read after unfolding a single sheet of paper.
“What?”
Without further comment, Pat handed the paper to Sherry.
“What the hell?!”
“Exactly,” Pat said retrieving the page. She studied the picture under the lettering. It showed two women wrapped in each other arms on some unnamed beach at sunset. One woman appeared to be herself but the other woman was facing away from the camera and was unidentifiable. She carried the page into the kitchen and flipped on the light then held the paper up close to her face to get a better view of the photo. “Clearly, this photo has been manipulated. Look,” she said holding it for Sherry to see. “You can see that my head doesn't match up with the neck of whoever that is. Any idea who mystery lady two might be?”
Sherry studied the photo then shook her head. “I thought Jackson was trying to prove she and I had a past. Why are you in the picture?”
“Maybe she's switching gears since her original ploy didn't work.”
“That bitch,” Sherry spat out. “Does she really think I'd fall for this? Hell, I can tell that's not your body even if the quality of the pic sucks.”
Pat grinned. “You can, can you?”
“Yes, that bitch is way too skinny.”
“Anything seem familiar about that woman?” Pat asked after taking another long look at the photo.
“No… does she look familiar to you?”
“I don't know… there's just something… but it's hard to tell with my head staring back at me from that body.”
“Creepy.”
“You can say that again,” Pat said folding the paper to place it back into the envelope.
“What do you plan to do with that?” Sherry asked when Pat moved over to the sink.
Opening a drawer, Pat removed a box of matches. She took out a single match and lit it. “This,” she said holding the match to the envelope.
“Shouldn't we keep that?”
“What for?”
Sherry shrugged. “I don't know… evidence?”
“I don't need this to know Jackson is a nut case,” Pat said holding the burning paper over the kitchen sink. “Tomorrow, I'm telling Mac to cut her loose.
#