Spencerville

now, and Keith saw he was holding something in his hand, but it wasn’t a pistol.
    Schenley stopped about five feet from him and asked, “You alone?”
    “Maybe. Where’s your boss? Looking for his balls?”
    Schenley laughed, then said, “Hey, he wanted to come, but he couldn’t.”
    “Why not?”
    Schenley held out the thing that was in his right hand, which turned out to be a folded newspaper.
    Keith said, “Why do I want that?”
    “There’s a story in here you should read.”
    “Read it to me.”
    Schenley shrugged. “Okay.” He unhooked his flashlight from his belt and trained it on the newspaper. He said, “This here is the social column… here it is…” He read, “‘At the Elks Lodge this Saturday evening, Chief of Police Cliff Baxter will be honored by the mayor and city council in recognition of his fifteen years as police chief of Spencerville. Mrs. Baxter, the former Annie Prentis, will join Chief Baxter’s friends and coworkers in relating interesting as well as amusing incidents of the chief’s career.’” Schenley snapped off the flashlight. “Okay? He would have been here if he could.”
    Keith replied, “He knew about his party long ago. He could have rescheduled our meeting.”
    “Hey, don’t push it, fella. The man’s got obligations. Don’t you got nothing better to do on a Saturday night?”
    “I can’t think of anything better than clocking your boss.”
    The patrolman laughed. “Yeah? Now, why would you want to do something stupid like that?”
    “You tell me. Man-to-man, Schenley.”
    Schenley grinned. “Well… word is that you and Mrs. Baxter used to be an item.”
    “Maybe. Do you think that would make the chief angry?”
    “Probably.”
    “Do you think he’ll get over it?”
    The patrolman laughed again, then said, “Hey, you know how guys are.”
    “I sure do. Do me a favor, Schenley. Tell the chief that the next time I make an appointment with him, he should notify me in advance when he knows he can’t make it.”
    “I guess he wanted to see if you’d come.”
    “I already figured that out. He doesn’t have to wonder about that. I’m here, and I’ll be here, or anyplace he wants to meet me, anytime. His turn to ask.”
    “You’re a cool customer. I’ll give you some advice. Don’t mess with this guy.”
    “I’ll give you, Baxter, and the rest of you guys some advice—back off. I’m tired of your bullshit.”
    “I’ll pass it on.”
    Keith looked at Schenley. He seemed a little less belligerent than the two guys in the park. In fact, Schenley seemed almost embarrassed by this whole thing. Keith said, “Don’t get involved in the boss’s personal squabbles.” Keith put his left hand over his shirt, which still covered the Glock, pulled back on the slide and released it, cocking the automatic with a loud metallic noise that was unmistakable. He said, “It’s not worth it.”
    Schenley’s eyes focused on the shirt draped over Keith’s right hand, and he seemed to stare at it a long time, then looked up at Keith. “Take it easy.”
    “Take a walk.”
    Schenley turned slowly and walked back to the car. Keith picked up the basketball and got into the Blazer. He kept an eye on the police car as it turned and went back around the school.
    Keith drove across the playing fields and came out onto a road that bordered the school property. He turned toward town and drove past the Elks Lodge, noting that the parking lot was filled, then turned out into the country and headed for home.
    “So, Mrs. Baxter will tell amusing stories about her husband. Maybe she can tell them about his wild weasel.”
    He got a little better control of his emotions and said, “Well, what do you expect in a social column?” He couldn’t believe he felt a tinge of jealousy. “Of course she has an official life as the wife of a leading citizen.” He remembered again how she’d looked at him on the street when they spoke. “Right. The wives of important men and politicians stand by their man and smile even when the guy is an adulterer, coward, and totally corrupt. Comes with the territory.”
    He discarded this subject and thought about what had just happened. Obviously, Cliff Baxter felt it important that he show Keith Landry why he hadn’t come. Baxter cared what Landry thought of him. This was nothing new; the class bully was uniquely insecure, which was why he persecuted and belittled people around him while puffing himself up.
    And then there were