Buzz hesitated for only a second before he put his arm on Dave’s shoulder. “Congratulations, Dave, you deserved to win. Ken would be awfully proud of you.”
“Thanks, Buzz. It could have gone either way. I’ll tell you some day about how much was riding on this match.”
“There are some things I need to tell you,” Buzz thought.
It was a strange celebration. The club members congratulated Dave and Buzz on a great match, but wanted to know more about the shooting. There was a collective gasp when the players showed off their wounds.
“Order us some drinks while we get cleaned up,” Buzz told the bartender. “I’m buying.”
“No he isn’t, the drinks are on me,” Bradford announced.
“Buzz, there’s a doctor waiting in the men’s locker room to check your wound,” Chris interrupted. “Dave, you’re next, but there is someone waiting for you in the women’s locker room; someone that says she loves you very much.”
“Mary is here?” Bradford asked, more for his own benefit. He didn’t wait for an answer as he raced for the women’s locker room and barged in without thinking to knock. Mary was there with Ginny, who congratulated Dave, before tactfully leaving her friends alone.
They hugged for 30 seconds before Dave finally asked if she was okay.
“I’m fine Dave, and I’m so proud of you. I can’t wait to hear about it.”
“That can wait, Mary. First, I want to repeat a promise I made on the 10th hole when I prayed you would return to me safe and sound. I promised never to let another day go by without telling you how much I love you and what you mean to me.”
“That’s beautiful,” she said before they embraced again. “Me too.”
Dave grimaced as Mary touched his wounded arm. “I’m sorry,” Mary said as she backed away.
“It’s okay, but I’d better get the doctor to look at it. Let’s see if he is done with Buzz. I’ll make sure that everyone is decent.”
Buzz was buttoning his shirt back on when he saw Mary. “Mary, I’m glad to see you’re all right. I can tell you that Dave here was plenty worried. What happened? Who was it?” Buzz asked, before pausing for a breath.
Mary gave a quick recap of her experience while the doctor treated Dave’s shoulder. “Two men kidnapped me in the parking lot when I was on my way to pick up the kids. They drugged me with chloroform or something. When I woke up I was tied to a bed in some apartment with a man named Jesus. He took some pictures and then left the room. There might have been other men outside.”
“Yeah, I saw them,” Bradford interrupted. “He must have given the pictures to the two men who kidnapped you. They were the same men that threatened me in the men’s room when we made the turn.”
“You don’t need to worry about them anymore,” Chris added. “We have them in custody. Go on with your story.”
“Jesus came back and made it clear he was going to rape me. I kicked him a couple of times, but he was too strong. He began ripping off my clothes when another Spanish man came in. The guy was grotesque looking, but he saved my life. They apparently knew each other, because Jesus called him Diego and they talked about old times. Suddenly, Diego knocked him down and dragged him into another room and apparently tortured him to death. The screams finally stopped and Diego came back and cut me free.”
“Did he say anything to you?” Dave asked.
“He wished you well in the tournament and said he didn’t like the man you were playing against. Do you know him?” Mary asked.
“I don’t think I know either man,” Bradford replied. “I’m just glad you are all right.”
“I know them,” Buzz replied softly. “Come on, Chris, we need to talk.”
“I can’t, Buzz. I need to stay with Dave. That guy that tried to shoot him is still out there.”
“Chris, he wasn’t shooting at Dave. He was shooting at me, and I think I know who’s next. We need to call Hector Armas right away.”
Chapter 2
Mario Concedes