Chapter Twenty-One
Danny
THE SCORE REMAINED tied. With only a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, the din was deafening. Danny had to rely on instinct to perform his maneuvers. Like a wolf guarding his territory, he defended the basket.
So far, he’d contributed ten rebounds and forty points. They meant nothing if the team lost. The Crows refused to go down. With every Amstaff basket, a Crow racked up as many points. Both teams were ravenous for the meat of victory.
Though his head was sweat-soaked and his eyes stung, Danny focused on the ball. The clock ticked in his head, reminding him they had to pull ahead or all would be lost. At times like this, he wondered why he was a player.
With thirty seconds left, he wove back and forth, searching for a break. The Crows were wise to his tricks. They pushed and pressed, leaving no room to pass.
Miraculously, he found an outside chance, though he’d have to backdoor it. Ransome had the ball. No one looked clear, yet the Crows’ guards veered to the left. Danny took two quick steps to the right toward Ransome, then stopped and broke for the basket.
Ransome caught on and threw the pass. The ball flew into the air, Danny grabbed it, jumped up and dunked, only to crash straight onto the Crow’s guard, Paul Charles.
The referee called the foul against Danny, though it wasn’t his fault. The basket didn’t count. Biting back an obscenity, he lined up with the other players. Charles missed the first, but easily made the second, placing the Crows ahead by a single point.
With eight seconds left, Danny felt the game slipping away. He wouldn’t let go. Winning was the most important thing in the world, almost an affirmation of his existence. He’d sacrificed a lot for basketball’s sake. It must not be in vain.
Danny pictured Cathy in their bedroom watching TV as she held Sean. This win would be for them.
Everything led up to this moment. He wouldn’t blow it.
Hoping a pass could get to him, Danny positioned himself a few steps past the free throw line. The Crow players swarmed around him like gnats. Trying to confuse them, he ducked back, then to the side.
Out of nowhere it came. The ball whizzed from the center line straight to the far end in a desperation pass. Danny jumped up and grabbed for it. Magically it landed in his fingers. He pivoted, then arced the ball as the whistle blew. The crowd grew silent, watching the descent.
It slid in. Pandemonium broke lose. They’d done it! The Amstaffs had won the championship!
Voices chanted “Danny, Danny,” as his teammates hoisted him on their backs and carried him around the court. Missiles glanced off him, but he didn’t care. It was all part of a marvelous moment he’d never forget.
He was on top of the world. What more could he ask for? He had a beautiful wife, a newborn son, more money than he could dream of, and the championship to boot. He might look stupid with this wide grin on his face, but somehow he couldn’t wipe it off. He had so much to be thankful for.
Yes, he’d had some rough times on and off the court, but they’d all been worth it. They made today’s happiness that much sweeter. God forbid, but if anything happened right now and he couldn’t play again, he’d always have this one shining moment to remember.
When they reached the locker room, his teammates finally set him down, only to turn champagne bottles onto him, squirting the icy liquid onto his sweaty head. He ducked, but not too hard. The cold felt good.
He finally was able to dart away and pat his buddy, Ransome, on the back.
“Hey, we did it,” Ransome said, looking as stunned as Danny.
Ronnie White ran over to slap Danny’s hand.
The place was a madhouse, with everyone screaming and yelling. Over the din, reporters jostled around the players with their microphones. Danny answered whoever caught up with him, but knew he wouldn’t remember anything he said. How could he? He was in shock.
The fans cheered and chanted, demanding another glimpse of the players. It was only right to go out.
Danny yelled above the din, “One time around, okay?”
Against common sense, the team ran out and flashed “V” signs. The security guards frowned as they ran alongside trying to protect them.
On the sidelines, fans climbed on top of each other, attempting to swipe the hoops off the baskets. With all the pushing and shoving, the hoops got twisted and tangled. Danny saw one guy fall to the floor and stumble up just seconds before getting trampled. No one wanted to leave. The world had gone completely bonkers for one glorious reason—the Amstaffs had won the championship!
Policemen preserved one section of the court inviolate. There Danny stepped out to accept his MVP award. His heart burst with happiness as he held the glinting trophy high. Cameras zoomed, lights flashed. His future was as shiny as the bright lights surrounding him.
Cathy had to be watching, along with what might be the family’s future basketball player.
When Danny again stumbled through the crowd and into the locker room, the reporters stuck more mikes into his face. With his mind already flying ahead, he quickly answered their questions.
He wanted badly to break away and share the victory with Cathy. He hadn’t seen Sean in over a day, but he could still picture his child’s tiny, perfect face. It was amazing how he already missed the baby, not to mention his mother. Cathy had to be impressed. Now she’d understand why he’d sacrificed so much.
Dora might also be there. Maybe she’d seen the ending basket. Maybe she’d transferred some of her excitement to her sister.
Radio newscaster, Terry Torrence, stepped up to Danny with a mike.
“How does it feel to win the championship and the MVP award?” he asked.
“Better than you’ll ever know.”
Danny politely answered other questions, then looking straight into the lens, said, “Cathy, I love you. And tell Sean that Daddy loves him, too. I’ll be home real soon.”
It wasn’t easy, but Danny finally managed to break free from the revelers, get to his locker and open it. He reached into his duffel bag for his cell phone and punched the quick dial, but only got a click. He wiped his hands on his wet, sweaty jersey, then dialed the long way, with the same results.
Strange. He’d never had trouble with his phone before. Well, tons of calls had to be going out. That must be the problem.
Sighing, he went in search of a land line. He vaguely remembered seeing a phone on the wall of the locker room.
The trouble was Ronnie White was already there with five other guys clustered around.
With each passing moment, he felt an increasing urgency to reach Cathy. It was almost as if he didn’t speak to her right now, he never would.
A fine time to get superstitious. Most people acted that way before a game. When he got home, he and Cathy would have a good laugh over that. Also Dora.
At the thought of her, his heart quickened. More than her sister, Dora would appreciate what the championship meant. Not only was she an avid sports fan, but she understood the sacrifices necessary to earn something important. She’d studied long and hard to ace her bar exams and was making great strides as a competent attorney.
Too bad the rest of the clan was still gone. Ted and Nancy were in Ireland. Tony, Ritchie and their broods were fishing in Canada. They’d made reservations months before anyone could guess the Amstaffs would make it to the playoffs.
Tony, good buddy he was, had offered to stay home, but Danny had insisted he go. His friend worked hard and could use a vacation.
He broke off his thoughts to check the line by the telephone. Hell, it was getting longer. Instead of wasting time standing around and thinking, he should have gone up there. There had to be another phone around somewhere.
As he dodged through his partying teammates, a soggy towel stung his face. Fighting back an unreasonable irritation, Danny returned the volley. Everyone was having a great time. Why was he so uptight? By letting a minor inconvenience upset him, he was missing o
ut on all the fun. He might never experience anything like this again.
The noise echoed down the hallway as he checked the small rooms bordering it to no avail. He was becoming obsessed. All he could think of was finding the precious phone. There had to be one.
A door to the right stood partially ajar. He flicked on the light and discovered a long vinyl table with Crows paraphernalia propped against the wall. Several folding chairs were stacked against it. His trained eyes spied the black phone at the end of the table.
Letting out a sigh of relief, he reached over and shut the door. His search had paid off. Now he could speak to Cathy without everyone listening. He punched in the numbers. The phone clicked.
He swallowed hard in disappointment. The worries he’d kept at bay leaked out. Was something wrong? Were Cathy and the baby all right? Where was Dora?
He had to get a grip on himself. Probably a squirrel had bitten the telephone wire. Damn, why had it happened today of all days?
Still you’d think Cathy or Dora could have called him on the cell phone to congratulate him and let him know everything was all right. They had to realize he’d want to reach them.
Maybe they couldn’t get through either. Cathy didn’t believe in cell phones, but Dora had one. Maybe they’d used hers and he hadn’t heard the ring over the racket. He punched the Caller ID button, but no numbers were listed. No new messages appeared.
Wait a minute. He’d programmed Dora’s number onto his phone when Cathy got pregnant. He scrolled, then punched Dora’s number. It rang, then switched to voice mail.
Where was everybody? And what about those guards? Weren’t they supposed to report to him? Hell, he was paying them good money. Some security.
With growing uneasiness, he made his way back to the locker room and stepped into the shower. As the accumulated grime from the exhausting game fell off him, his skin tingled, reviving him.
When he emerged, he felt refreshed and optimistic. His team had won the championship. Nothing could go wrong. Instead of staying over tonight, he’d hop an early jet, get home and celebrate with his family.
He’d just managed to slip into his street clothes when two uniformed men appeared in the locker room doorway. The shorter one was yelling something, trying to communicate over the din.
Ronnie must have heard because he shouted, “Danny, he’s asking for you.”
Now what? Not another delay. At this point, all he wanted to do was get away. He had to loosen up. This stuff was all part of winning. These guys were probably here to escort him out. The fans had to be hysterical by now, ready to kiss or kill.
Plastering a smile on his face, he approached the policemen. “I’m Danny Callaway. I hear you’ve been looking for me. Are you my protection?”
The policemen exchanged a silent look. Neither one cracked a smile. Apparently they had a lousy sense of humor. It was just his luck to get two deadbeats. Maybe they were Crows fans. That would explain their grim expressions.
He wouldn’t let them rain on his parade. “Hey, don’t look so down. Next year the Crows’ll get another chance. Of course, I can’t guarantee we won’t beat them again.”
One of them blinked. Danny glimpsed a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. A quiver shot down his spine.
The taller one asked, “Mr. Callaway, is there somewhere we can speak in private?”
The other glanced around the crowded room, as if he’d rather stick around and celebrate.
Danny’s mind blanked. His heart pounded madly. He couldn’t think, much less remember the layout. He was afraid, deathly afraid. Any second the boom would fall. He didn’t want it to happen.
Not today, please, not when everything was going right. Please don’t let it be Cathy, Sean, Dora or anyone else he cared about.
The three of them strode out of the locker room, then down the hallway. Danny found the small room where he’d tried to reach Cathy. With shaky fingers, he reached for the switch. The fluorescent fixtures cast off a garish glow. His mind spun back to when the porch light had shone on his sister’s prone body. Would this be as bad?
Danny glanced at the short policeman, who quickly looked away, then made a show of pulling out three folding chairs and opening them. That done, the officer said, “Well, why don’t we sit down and talk.”
With a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, his partner said, “That’s a good idea, Hank.”
After they were seated, the short one cleared his throat. “Mr. Callaway, I’m Officer John Harding and this is my partner, Hank Donnelly.”
It was taking too long. What did they want? Why didn’t they get it over with? “Okay, what can I do for you, gentlemen? What’s so important you had to drag me out of the locker room at the height of a championship celebration?”
He smiled uncertainly. Maybe if he pretended nothing was wrong, nothing would be. The other possibility was too frightening.
“Mr. Callaway,” John Harding continued, as if Danny hadn’t spoken. “Do you have friends or family in L.A.?”
“No,” Danny answered. “My wife and sister-in-law are at home with my newborn son. The rest are on vacation.”
What difference did it make? What was the man getting at?
Harding took a deep breath and sighed. “Well then, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. Apparently there was an explosion in your home.”
The news hit him with a wallop, sucking his breath away. He’d been braced for the worse, but was still unprepared. A sick feeling spiraled through his throat and down into his gut. “Cathy?” he croaked through parched lips.
“I’m sorry, sir. Your wife perished.”
No. That couldn’t be. He’d talked to her right before the game. She couldn’t be gone.
Another thought hit him. “The baby?” he whispered.
“We don’t know yet, sir. So far, we can’t find any evidence of the child. Perhaps the boy was dropped off somewhere.”
“Cathy wouldn’t allow that. The baby’s less than a week old. Sean had to be with her.”
There must be a mistake. It was a different house, not his. He had a security system and guards. Cathy and Sean had to be safe.
And Dora? What about her? She was supposed to have gone over there after the graduation party. Not her, too, please, no. He had to ask. “Was anyone else found?”
“Yes, another adult.”
His heart skipped a beat. He squeezed his lids shut. Oh, God, not Dora, too. Flowing dark hair and golden, knowing eyes flashed through his mind. He’d ignored Cathy’s sister too often out of self-preservation, knowing in his heart that he felt more for her than he should. Now he could never make it up to her.
Gone was that magnificent, independent spirit. Dora had had so much to live for. She’d been going places in a man’s world, but now would go nowhere. It was such a waste. She could have given so much.
A familiar roiling sensation hit him. He remembered this feeling—one he’d never wanted to feel again.
Trying to take his mind off the pain, he glanced around the small room. His eyes rested on the Crows’ pennants and banners. They were a melancholy sight. All the lost hopes of so many people. For every winner, there was a loser.
In the background, the revelers carried on. His eyes filled with tears. Everyone was so happy. Everyone but him. Once again, he was alone. This was too much. He couldn’t stand it.
He pushed back his chair and headed for the wall. He pounded his fist harder and harder into it, hitting the painted bricks, not feeling the pain, not hearing the officers ordering him to stop. He was in hell. The rest of the world didn’t exist.
“No, no, it’s not true,” he repeated like a mantra.
Officer Donnelly ran out, then reappeared with the team physician.
“Can you give him something? He’s injuring himself.”
Dr. Halman nodded and reached into his bag. “All right, Danny, stop that.”
Danny turned in the direction of the new voice.
“Th
is should help.”
He barely noticed the prick of the needle as it sank into his arm. Through a fog, he heard the doctor ask the officers what had happened.
Donnelly said, “His wife and baby were killed. Their house exploded.”
Dr. Halman shook his head. “That’s a terrible shame. And what a time for this to happen.”
Doctors had to be accustomed to death, but Danny knew this one cared more than others for his patients.
Still, he didn’t want anyone’s sympathy. Right now, it didn’t matter if he lived or died. All he wanted was to sink into the beckoning blackness and disappear.
As the drug flowed through his veins, a numb lassitude took over, carrying with it a strange calmness. That was good. He never wanted to feel again. Feeling only brought pain.
“Danny, where are you staying tonight?” Dr. Halman asked.
“I just want to go home.”
“I’m sorry. That’s not possible. You have no home to go to.”
“I can’t stay here. I’m going back to Illinois.”
The officers exchanged a look. Donnelly addressed his partner, as if Danny weren’t standing next to them. “Is that wise? Do you think he can manage?”
“Look at me. I’m right here,” Danny said. “I’m a responsible adult. I can get by. Besides, I don’t know anyone in this city.”
Dr. Halman pursed his lips. “You’ve got a point. Give me the name of someone to call and I’ll make sure you’re picked up at the airport. The team will be leaving in the morning anyway.”
Danny fumbled in his shirt pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Furrowing his brows, he tried to get his clumsy fingers to scroll through the list. Everything looked blurry. What did it matter? Wasn’t everyone who was important to him either dead or on vacation? Who was left?
Out of frustration, he tried last number redial. The display showed Dora’s number. Pain shot through him. Dora was gone. God, it hurt so badly. Now he could never tell her he loved her.
Dr. Halman looked across at the display. “Do you want to call, ah, Dora McGuire?”
“We can’t,” Danny said in a whisper. “She died, too. She was at the house.” Lightheadedness hit him. Maybe he’d pass out and never wake up.
Officer Donnelly cut in. “No, Mr. Callaway. Your sister-in-law arrived at the house after the explosion.”
Danny looked uncertainly at the officer. “But you said two adults died.”
“From the garment scraps discovered next to the other body, we believe it could’ve been a security guard,” Donnelly said.
He’d forgotten he’d hired another guard. Tears sprang to his eyes as relief washed through him. Dora had been spared. Thank you, God. If she were here right now, he’d wrap his arms around her and bury his face in her breasts. Dora was strong. He needed her.
The world spun on its axis. The officer steadied Danny as he swayed.
From what seemed like far away, he heard the doctor call someone. He knew they were talking, but his mind was elsewhere, coping with the realization of how much he cared for Dora. The thing about drugs was they made people accept the truth.
The doctor placed another call, then grabbed his business card and wrote on the back.
“All right, let’s get you to the airport. I’ve got an early plane lined up. I’ll call your sister-in-law with the details.”
Danny stumbled to the door, the doctor’s arm around him. They passed a cheering crowd, but he didn’t have the heart to wave to his fans. A lifetime ago the Amstaffs had won the championship. He’d been happy then, when he’d had a wife and baby to come home to. Now he didn’t even have a roof over his head.
The one consolation was Dora. He thanked God again for sparing her.
DANNY STARED AT the blackened sky from the 747’s window. Were Cathy and Sean out there somewhere? They had to be. They couldn’t have been wiped away as if they’d never existed. There had to be something after death, some kind of place for souls to spend eternity. God had to be watching over them, along with the rest of his family. He wished he could join them. Earth was hell.
The ride passed in a dull haze. Before he knew it, he’d grabbed his duffel bag and stumbled across O’Hare’s buzzing terminal, where a mob of reporters awaited him.
After several “No comments,” he broke away, pretended to head for the luggage area, but instead zagged in the opposite direction. The ruse worked and he lost them.
Outside the terminal, not one familiar face was in sight. Maybe Dora was inside somewhere. Or maybe she hadn’t come. His shoulders slumped. His fogged brain refused to formulate a plan. Where should he go? Should he stay at a hotel?
A cab pulled up. Luckily the driver didn’t recognize him. Danny lowered himself inside and closed the door. Before he could give directions, he heard a banging on the window.
“Danny, wait. I’m here.”
He glanced out. Dora’s eyes were red. Her hair stuck out wildly. She looked out of control. He’d never seen her like this. He stared at her stupidly.
“Sir, where to?” the cabby asked.
Confused, Danny glanced again at Dora. Should he go with her? She looked even more dangerous than he’d remembered. He rolled down the window.
“Please, Danny, come back with me. You can’t be alone right now.”
He shook his head. “No, Dora, I better not.”
“Danny, don’t be stubborn. Get out of the cab. You can stay at my parents’ house. Family should stick together at a time like this.”
She was right. He shouldn’t be so selfish. They were family and should be together. She had to hurt as much as he, probably more. After all, he’d only known Cathy a short time. Dora had been her sister for many years.
“I changed my mind,” he told the driver, fishing into his pocket and handing over a twenty.
As his foot touched the sidewalk, he almost pitched over. He steadied himself by putting a hand on Dora’s shoulder. “You’re right, Dora. I’m sorry for being so selfish.”
The amber eyes gazed back at him with a stricken, hungry look. Then she seemed to pull herself together. “Wait here,” she said. “I’ll bring the car around.”
He had to lean on the post to keep from falling. This was too much. His wife and baby were dead. Besides that, he had this insanely hot feeling about his sister-in-law. It was wrong to think that way at a time like this. For God’s sake, his wife and child had just died.
Damn, if he hadn’t gone to the final, he could have been with them. Maybe if he’d been there, they’d have been saved. If not, he could have gone down with them and that would have been fine.
“Okay, Danny, I’m here.” A gentle, firm voice spoke from far away.
Wearily he climbed into the forest green Acura.
With practiced ease, Dora pulled out. Since he’d avoided her as much as possible, she’d never driven him anywhere before.
As he would have guessed, she merged onto the Kennedy Expressway with controlled, deliberate movements. Though not overly aggressive, she didn’t relinquish her rights.
She was probably just as precise when she practiced law. Her father must be proud of her.
That reminded him. “Have you heard from Ted and Nancy?” he asked.
Dora turned her head briefly, time enough to reveal the tears forming in her eyes. “They don’t know yet. I haven’t been able to reach them. They’re still in Ireland. I’ll try again at the house. I know they’ll need us when they hear. That’s why it’s best if we stay there.”
It didn’t matter where he stayed. Still, if it helped them, he’d do it. “You’re right. This will tear them apart.”
Dora nodded, fingers tightly clutching the steering wheel. The car slowed. Impatient drivers honked behind them, but she seemed unaware of their existence.
“I don’t know how I’m going to tell them. I still can’t believe it myself. It’s a nightmare.”
“I know what you mean.” He wished to hell he didn’t. If only Dora didn
’t have to go through this as well. No one should have to bear such pain. If her parents were lucky, they wouldn’t hear of it for a long time. Let them enjoy themselves while they could.
Horns honked. A Jeep loaded with teenagers sped past.
Dora bit her lip and focused on driving, marching the Acura toward its destination. While she drove, she related her side of the story. He didn’t want to hear it, but he knew she had to get it out.
“I went to Chicago for Tory’s middle school graduation. You’ve seen her. She’s been at your open house before.”
Danny nodded. She was a sweet kid.
“The auditorium was packed. I couldn’t believe how huge the class was. When her name was called, Tory clutched that diploma like it was pure gold. She’d worked so hard to get it. Studying hasn’t been easy for her after the car accident that injured her head.
“At the party, I got to see some of the game. When it was half-time, I called Cathy to tell her I’d be home before it ended. I hadn’t counted on a jack-knifed truck on the expressway and an hour and a half backup.” Dora grimaced. “I guess that saved my life. Otherwise I’d have been in the house, too.” Her fingers trembled.
“Thank God, you weren’t,” Danny said softly.
For a moment Dora was silent. Then she continued. “When I’d last spoken to her, Cathy told me she had a package you’d left for her with one of the guards. She was going to open it at the end of the game. She sounded so excited and touched that you’d thought of her. She’d always been jealous of your basketball career.”
Danny frowned. He hadn’t left a gift for his wife, but he should have. It would have been a nice touch. Now it was too late.
“I didn’t,” he started to say, then stopped.
Maybe it had been delivered to the wrong house. Such trivialities didn’t matter at a time like this.
Dora continued, “Anyway, I listened to the game in the car. When you won, I just knew Cathy had to be proud of you. I could hardly wait to get over there to celebrate. It was taking forever. Then, a few blocks away, the roads were closed. Police cars and fire engines were everywhere. As I approached, I saw shooting flames and smoke in the distance, yet it didn’t sink in. The whole mess was just an inconvenience. I had to get by. I had to be there with Cathy. And I could hardly wait to see my godchild-to-be again.”
She took a deep breath. “Then I got closer. I saw the top of your home was blown off, and the bottom had collapsed into itself. I just couldn’t believe it. I dashed out of the car and tried to get into the building, but the firemen stopped me. I was hoping for a miracle, that somehow Cathy or Sean had survived, though deep inside, I knew that was impossible.”
She shuddered. “Not the way that house looked. No one could have made it out alive. Anyway, I ran up to an officer and told him who I was. The man looked at me with such pity that right then, my heart broke. He told me they’d found Cathy’s remains, along with her wedding ring.”
“Oh, my poor Cathy,” he whispered.
He hadn’t thought he could feel worse, but he was wrong. Hearing the actual details drove a dagger through his heart. His body shook. “They said they can’t find any evidence of Sean. He’s nothing but ashes. It’s as if he’d never existed,” Danny said in a voice choked with tears.
“I’m so sorry, Danny. Sean never had a chance. It’s not right.”
“At first, they said two adults were found. For a moment, I thought one of them was you. It was bad enough hearing about Cathy and Sean, but when I thought you were gone too...”
She looked across at him. A glimmer of something like hope shone in her golden eyes. Then they dimmed. “I was the lucky one. One of the guards died instead. Oh, and there was another guard out back. While he was being carried out on a stretcher, I heard him say something to a policeman about an Ed Anderson.”
Through a fog of pain, something clicked in Danny’s mind. “Oh, Ed Anderson. He’s the man who set up the security system while I was on the road.”
“Maybe he made a mistake with the wiring or something. Maybe that’s why the house exploded.”
Danny sighed tiredly. “I don’t know and it doesn’t matter. Whether it was a gas leak or electrical problem, or anything else, none of it makes a difference. Nothing can bring Cathy and Sean back. I just hope they didn’t suffer.”
He knew it was a vain hope. His shoulders shook and he shielded his eyes, trying to hide the tears.
Dora turned the corner and pulled up in front of the house. She flicked off the ignition, then also burst into tears. Somehow they were holding each other, sobbing out their hearts. An aching tenderness swept over Danny as he shared her misery. This was not the Dora he was accustomed to seeing. It had taken her sister’s death to break down the thick wall of her self-control.
He wouldn’t dwell on trivialities. He had to help Dora get through this. He’d dealt with tragedy before. She was new to the game and trying desperately to cope.
Her breath came out in shudders. Her golden eyes looked wounded. He drew out his handkerchief and gently wiped her wet cheeks.
“Let’s go inside,” he said.