Out of Bounds (7 page)

Before she could make her dash, though, Nancy felt a hand grip her arm, slowly tightening its grasp. She turned to meet Pete's icy eyes boring into hers.

When he spoke, Pete's voice was menacing and cold. “I think you've got some explaining to do, Nancy Edwards,” he said. “What were you doing spying on me just now?”

S
PYING ON YOU
?” Nancy managed to say, giggling like a young schoolgirl. “I was just coming back from the ladies' room.”

“Oh, really?” Pete grunted. Nancy held her breath and watched him decide whether or not he believed her. Finally he relented. “Well, get back to work,” he said gruffly. “And don't let me catch you near my office again.”

With that, he strode toward the restaurant. Nancy's heart pounded wildly as she followed him out of the corridor.

As she slid back behind the counter, Nancy overheard Pete talking to Mark by the far register, where Mark was going over receipts.

“I want you to take over for today, Mark,” Pete was saying. “I've got to go somewhere.”

“You're going?” Mark repeated in amazement. “But you just got here!”

“Just take care of things,” Pete snapped, grabbing his coat before barreling out of the restaurant.

Nancy looked out a side window as Pete hurried across the parking lot to his white car with its gold and blue Bedford Bear bumper sticker. If only she could find out where he was going in the middle of a workday, she thought, frustrated. She was sure his leaving had something to do with the note he'd just read, but how could she follow him to prove it? She was just beginning her shift and couldn't walk out. Or could she?

Looking over at Mark, she quickly improvised a plan.

“Um, Mark? Could I talk to you a minute?” Nancy asked anxiously. If she was going to follow Pete, she didn't have a moment to lose.

“Sure, Nancy,” Mark said, giving her a wide grin. “What's up?”

“Oh, Mark,” Nancy lamented breathlessly. “I know this is terrible, but I just called home, and my dad reminded me that I was supposed to pick up my aunt and uncle at the airport today. I said I'd do it before I got the job here, and they're
really
depending on me.” Nancy made sure to
emphasize her speech with heavy sighs and guilty, uncomfortable looks.

“Can't your dad pick them up, Nancy?” Mark asked reasonably.

“Well, he would, but he can't drive,” Nancy said, thinking fast. “He broke his ankle a couple of weeks ago on a fishing trip.”

Through the front windows, Nancy saw Pete's car pull out of the parking lot, then turn left onto Bedford Avenue. Nancy nibbled a finger nervously. “I know I should have told you before, but I completely forgot about it,” she added helplessly.

The assistant manager let out a sigh. “Go,” he said simply. “But try to be back as soon as possible, okay?”

“Thanks a million, Mark,” Nancy said jubilantly. “You're a doll!” Whipping off her jersey and hanging it on its hook, she raced out of the restaurant and made for her car. If only it wasn't too late!

As she pulled out into traffic, she didn't see Pete's car anywhere. She did know the direction he'd gone on Bedford Avenue, so she headed that way. At every intersection, she slowed and searched both side streets. Cars honked behind her, and she waved them past her.

Frustrated that she was wasting precious time, Nancy did keep going on Bedford Avenue, though.

Just as she was about to give up, she spotted
Pete's white Toyota parked in the lot beside a huge old building. The sign outside said McCann's Gym & Bodybuilding Center. Why had Pete left the restaurant to work out so close to the dinner rush? It seemed completely bizarre.

Nancy parked half a block away and pulled a pair of aviator sunglasses and a lilac-printed scarf out of her glove compartment. It wasn't much of a disguise, but it would have to do. At least the scarf would hide her distinctive reddish gold hair.

She hurried to the building and pulled open the old-fashioned door. A red and gray sign pointed to a glass door on the first floor.

McCann's Gym was sleek and modern. A quick glance at the reception area told Nancy the gym was designed primarily for men. Through the glass doors, Nancy could see nothing much but punching bags, tackling blocks, and free weights. Scattered throughout, men were straining to lift heavy weights free-form. Pete's burly form and distinctive red hair were nowhere to be seen. Nancy stepped inside.

A good-looking, dark-haired guy wearing a form-fitting red T-shirt with a McCann's logo stepped up to the maroon and black reception counter.

“Can I help you?” he asked. “Looking for someone?”

“Hi,” said Nancy, lifting her sunglasses to the
top of her scarf-covered head, “Um, actually, I was thinking of joining McCann's.”

The guy behind the counter shot her a grin. “We don't have many female members. In fact, we don't have any.”

“Really? Why not?”

“Well, this is what some people call a rockhead gym,” he said. “It's not for everybody.”

“I'm not sure I understand,” said Nancy, confused. She'd never heard the term before. “What's a rockhead?”

The guy behind the counter smiled and explained, “A rockhead is a body fanatic. Somebody who pumps iron for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We say they're built like rocks with brains to match.”

Nancy laughed at the joke. “Are you including yourself in that description?” she asked.

“Me? Oh, no. Actually, I'm the house intellectual,” he countered with a grin and a wink.

“Well, could I at least see some literature?” she asked.

“Sure. I know we keep brochures around here somewhere. There's a lounge around this corner, if you want to wait there.”

With that, he sauntered off, disappearing behind a door marked Employees Only. Alone, Nancy glanced around again.

As far as she could tell, Pete wasn't in the gym. If he was in the locker room or shower, she'd
have no chance of finding him. Still, the receptionist might know something about Pete. Nancy decided to wait in the lounge until he came back with the brochures.

Before Nancy could make her way to the lounge, though, she heard voices moving toward her. One of them was Pete's! Perfect.

Backing off, she looked for cover. The only place she could find was the counter by the reception area. She crouched down behind it and listened.

“You've got to help me out, Doc,” Pete was saying in a whisper. “I'm in real trouble this time.”

“Doc,” whoever he was, answered Pete in calm, reassuring tones as he dropped something metallic—a key? Nancy wondered—on the counter above her head. “Don't worry, Pete,” he said. “It'll work itself out. Besides, you've handled it up to this point.”

Handled what? Nancy wondered. What kind of trouble was Pete in?

“Yeah, but now it's getting out of hand,” Pete complained. “How long can I keep this up? I'm telling you, I'm at the end of my rope!”

“You're all upset about nothing. If you have to spend a little money, well, that's life,” Doc advised.

“What about you? I thought we were in this together?” Pete said, his anger barely in check.

“Pete,” said Doc, an edge of steel creeping into his mellow voice, “I
can't
help you. Think of my reputation.”

“But, Doc—” Pete protested.

“You're just going to have to handle this yourself,” Doc interrupted coldly. “You'd better not screw up anymore, either, Pete. One person knows already, and as far as I'm concerned, that's one person too many.”

“I told you, there was nothing I could do about it,” Pete complained.

“And I'm telling
you
that it's your problem,” Doc responded, his voice hard as steel now. “You take care of it. Now, if this keeps up, it's all over. And not just for your boys—for you, too, my friend.”

I
WON'T MESS UP
, D
OC
,” Pete promised, sounding like a scared kid.

“I know you won't,” Doc told Pete. “That's why we do business together—because I can count on you.” The man's voice was no longer cruel and cold, but it had regained its calm warmth. “Look, let's go soak in the whirlpool. You look like you need to relax a little.”

Without another word, Pete and Doc walked away from the desk. Peeking out from behind the counter, Nancy caught a brief glance of Doc from the rear: graying, well-groomed hair, big broad shoulders, and upright carriage. He was wearing a gray T-shirt, running shorts, and gray sneakers.
What Nancy wouldn't have given for a look at his face!

Nancy saw them opening the gym's interior door. When she was sure it had closed shut again, she slowly stood up from her hiding place.

“Well, hello, there,” came the voice behind her. Nancy straightened all the way up to find the receptionist, brochures in hand, staring at her behind the counter.

“I was leaning over the counter and I dropped a bracelet,” said Nancy, covering for herself.

“Did you find it?”

“Luckily, yes,” Nancy replied, jiggling her left arm to show her bracelet. “I've got to get the clasp fixed.” She came out from behind the counter.

The receptionist raised his eyebrows doubtfully, but obviously he decided to go along with her story. “Well, I found the brochures,” he said. “Here's one about McCann's and another on our personal fitness program. And, of course, this one about our specialized bodybuilding courses. What would life be without them, huh?”

“Thanks,” said Nancy, smiling as she reached out to take a few.

“Maybe we could talk about it over dinner? I'm off in half an hour,” he said, standing close as he handed the papers to her.

“Er, no thanks,” Nancy demurred. “I really have to get going. I'm working tonight.”

“Maybe some other time? If you give me your phone number—”

“Well, I guess I could take yours,” she countered.

“Sure,” he said, writing it down on a slip of paper and handing it to her. “Name's Jake, Jake Deaver. And you're?”

“Nancy,” she answered quickly, pocketing the paper. “Nice talking to you, Jake.” With that, she stepped quickly to the exit. She didn't want Pete coming out of the gym and spotting her there. Besides, she had promised Mark to hurry back.

• • •

“He said, ‘If this keeps up, it's all over for you.' ” It was ten-thirty at night, and Nancy was filling Bess and George in on what she had learned that day.

“Sounds heavy,” murmured Bess, who was sprawled in an oversize chair, her brow furrowed.

“What could he mean?” George asked from the sofa, where she sat with her long legs tucked under her. “If what keeps up?”

“That's what I'm trying to figure out,” Nancy said softly as she paced the room.

“Maybe he meant the stealing?” Bess suggested.

“What would a doctor have to do with the thefts at Touchdown?” Nancy asked, flopping down next to George and staring up at the ceiling.

“Just a thought,” said Bess, tugging on a blond curl.

“I just thought of something,” Nancy said, jumping up and pacing again. “Doc said it would be all over for Pete's ‘boys,' too. We know Pete's a sports agent on the side, so maybe his ‘boys' are his clients.”

“Good idea, but how do we find out?” George asked.

“There's something I need to ask you two,” Nancy said, resettling herself in an armchair. “Have you heard anything unusual about Lonnie or Bill or Rob—actually, about any of the guys on the team?”

“You already know that Bill's been getting more and more calls from college scouts,” said Bess. “Now he's super nervous about the next two games. In fact, that's all he ever talks about anymore.”

“How about Lonnie?” Nancy asked George. “Have you seen anything of him?”