The Trade (13 page)

Jay said a silent prayer that Tonia Taggert
would get the message and not be left waiting for him in the out of
the way place they were supposed to meet. In the most fantastic of
his fantastical dreams he imagined she would find him at the
hotel.

“
Yeah she’s going to
surprise him alright!” the one man said.

The short man in the room next to Jay
Calloway's turned off the telephone taping system. "This oughta be
great!" he chuckled. "He's worried about standing her up tomorrow.
About noon that poor boy's gonna shit his pants!” The man and the
woman in the room fought to keep from bursting out in laughter that
might betray their surveillance.

Chapter

"Bill, Jay, good to see you,” Angus MacKenzie
said, looking each man in the eye in turn. “Glad you could make it
on such short notice,” Angus greeted the two men as they entered
the exclusive dining room at the Laurel Hollow Country Club. His
Oxford accent swept them into the cherry paneled chamber that was
resplendent in the early morning sunlight.

"My wife sends along her apologies for not
meeting us for breakfast, she's out running somewhere. Likes
running at sunrise for some reason,” Angus explained. "However, she
has promised to join us for the back nine.” Angus dominated the
conversation between the men. Jay and Bill said little as they ate.
Bill Beck sensed his own star rising along with that of his
recently hired scientist.

The breakfast was simple and elegant,
befitting the earned riches of the members who cared more for
quality and substance than pretentious glamour. It was a special
point of pride that the club members had earned their money.
Inherited or stolen or drug monies were not welcome here. There
were other clubs on Long Island for “old money” and “drug
money”.

After breakfast the three men headed for the
golf course. Jay Calloway spoke up for the first time as the group
passed the golf course's practice area. "Hey. Aren't we going to
warm up before we play? You know, putt, chip, hit a couple of shots
with every other club? It'll only take a few minutes.” Bill looked
over at him, unsure what to say or do. Angus MacKenzie studied
him.

"Fine idea, Jay. I could use the practice,”
Angus said.

"I just like to get loosened up before I play
you know,” Jay explained apologetically. I want to get ready for
the game. I enjoy it more that way. I tend to suck less when I warm
up,” Jay added. The threesome made a game out of the putting and
chipping practice. Jay and Bill ended up owing Angus MacKenzie
money from the game. “I’ll just take it out of your paychecks,”
Angus joked.

"Nice shot sir,” Jay praised as he watched
the CEO's shot bore down the fairway. The big man could hit big.
Bill pulled his drive into the left rough and Jay sliced his into
the right rough. The three men and their caddies started down the
fairway on foot.

"Walking is the only way to play golf,” Angus
MacKenzie pontificated.

“
Amen brother,” Jay
agreed.

Angus looked over at the slightly irreverent
programmer and chuckled quietly to himself.

The mildly out of shape Bill wasn't so sure,
he was already huffing after only half a hole. He silently hoped
there weren't any big hills on the course. As they walked up the
fairway Jay and Angus exchanged opinions on the course, the
weather, the next shot. Both Jay and Angus hit their second shots
up onto the fringe of the green. Bill knocked his ball into the
sand behind the green. The three men approached the green together.
Angus and Bill were chatting. Jay was concentrating on the lay of
the putting green, which way the grass was growing, which direction
the water would drain. Playing a new course for the first time he
figured he'd need every bit of help he could get.

"Caddie!" Angus MacKenzie called. He pulled a
five iron and chipped the ball up near the hole. Jay consulted with
his caddie.

"I see it going left to right and diving down
at the end. What do you think?” Jay asked.

"Well sir. Left to right but straightening
out at the end,” the caddie answered.

They looked again at the shot, the caddie
pointing over Jay's shoulder as he crouched, lining up the shot.
Jay used a 7 iron and chipped it along their mutually chosen line,
leaving it inches from the cup. Bill and Angus were both
impressed.

"Thanks,” Jay said to his caddie, "and lose
the ‘sir’ alright? We’re in this together, and you’re my only hope
of getting out of this alive."

“
Gotcha,” the veteran
caddie answered.

“
Anybody ever beat him?”
Jay asked.

“
Nobody whose paycheck he
signs,” the caddie joked.

And so it went for the first 9 holes. Bill
hit his shots kind of all over the place. Angus MacKenzie hit long
and straight but was neither patient enough nor skilled enough near
the hole. And, Angus refused to seek out the counsel of the caddie.
Jay was in trouble off the tees but used his perception and his
caddie's local knowledge to stay only 1 shot back of Angus
MacKenzie, 14 up on Bill.

"Son you're pushing me,” Angus MacKenzie
scowled at Jay as they finished the 9th hole. Jay didn't know
whether he was being scolded, teased or praised. So he decided to
treat Mr. Angus MacKenzie as ‘one of the guys’.

"Hey I enjoy playing a hell-of-a-lot more
when I shoot 40 a side instead of 50 a side. And I play better when
someone's pushing me and playing good too. I'll bet you do too,”
Jay said.

Angus MacKenzie looked at the precocious
little programmer for the second time that morning. His face broke
into a wide grin and Bill sweated out a sigh of relief.

"I do son,” Angus MacKenzie laughed. "Quite
right.” Angus put his big beefy arm around Jay's slight shoulders
and pulled him toward the arts and crafts style halfway house
between the 9
^th
green and the 10
^th
tee. They
sat down in deeply cushioned Adirondack chairs for finger food and
sodas.

"Tony ought to be joining us in 5 or ten
minutes,” Angus said. They let the group behind them make the turn
and play through while they waited for Mrs. MacKenzie. Jay added up
his score and those of his partners. He didn't see Angus
MacKenzie's wife approach with her caddie.

"Ready?" she chirped, the sun glancing off
her long blonde hair, the morning's warmth flushing her cheeks. Jay
looked up. His knees went weak, his mouth went dry. He had to will
himself to keep his mouth from flopping open. His head swam and he
felt faint, suddenly he couldn't add to finish the tallying.

Tonia “Tony” Taggert stood on tip toe and
planted a soft smack on Angus MacKenzie's cheek.

"Are you playing well honey?" she asked.

Jay was beyond disbelief. This couldn't be
happening. Tonia looked at Bill and Jay. Her face held no hint of
recognition. "Who are your friends honey?" she asked.

Introductions were made all round and when
Tonia took Jay's hand to shake it, his hand was cold, sweaty and
trembling. Jay couldn't speak. Luckily Angus MacKenzie and Bill
were busy checking their own scores for the front 9 or they would
have seen Jay gasping. He felt like his whole life was caving in
around him.

Tonia. The new found love of his life. The
woman who'd taught him to feel and hope and love was standing
before him, the wife of the CEO of his company.

The next nine holes passed in a blur for Jay.
He had to focus every thought on golf to keep from divulging his
crushed love. Nervous as he was, hurt as he was, Jay played
understandably horrible. Every time he saw Tonia speak to Angus or
touch his hand Jay felt daggers pushed ever deeper into his heart.
Tonia avoided being alone with Jay. Finally, mercifully, the round
came to an end with Angus ahead of Jay by nine shots and Bill, well
Bill had stopped keeping score. Angus MacKenzie tipped each of
their caddies $100. Jay added $50 to his caddie's tip.

“
Thanks,” Jay said to the
caddie.

“
My pleasure. And his,” he
said, tipping his chin at Angus. “Good job.”

Jay turned back to Angus and Bill and
Tonia.

"How about a drink?" Angus offered.

"Sure.”

"Why not?"

After a drink in the clubhouse and another in
the dining room, Angus MacKenzie rose to excuse himself to deal
with some urgent business. When he returned, he looked
distracted.

"Why don't you stay on and have an early
dinner on me? I've really got to run. I'm sorry dear, sorry
gentlemen,” Angus apologized. "Would you be so kind as to entertain
my guests?” Angus asked Tonia as he left.

"Glad to honey,” she answered. She pecked him
on the cheek. After another round of drinks, Bill spoke up. "That's
enough for me.” That's more fresh air and exercise in one day than
I've had in the last six months.” The country club staff discreetly
sent Bill back to his motel in a cab.

Tonia and Jay were alone. They were sitting
at Angus’ table, eating on his tab. Jay was almost overcome by the
absurdity of it all. He'd never felt so out of place or used or
hurt in his entire life. He wished he could call Rick and ask for
advice.

"I got your message,” Tonia said. "About
playing golf with THE Mr. MacKenzie.” She smiled a devilishly
wicked smile at him and tossed him a conspiratorial wink.

Jay started. "I didn't know about..."

Tonia cut him off.

"I know. But I thought it was time you found
out.”

"It explains a lot.”

"Yes it does.”

"Do you love him?"

"I used to. He picked me up from nothing.
Taught me about the world. About never settling for second best.”
She was only partly lying. Angus MacKenzie had indeed elevated her,
given her opportunities she'd never have had otherwise. But it
hadn't been for love.

Jay listened, his head was still swimming.
His heart was tearing and breaking and the pieces were raining down
around him like a shattering chandelier.

"I thought you needed to find out,” she said.
"I'm happy we were able to do it here, without a scene. Where you
were least likely to do anything stupid.” Jay continued to stare
off into space. He had absolutely nothing to say. The business-like
tone in her voice confused him. What he had thought was love now
appeared to be just a charade.

"I thought we had something, a future. And
now this,” Jay managed to stammer out. His tongue was heavy in his
mouth. He felt on the edge of childlike tears.

"So now you know how dangerous it is for us?"
she asked.

"Us?" Jay answered. "You're still talking
about us? How can there be any us?" he questioned her. The urgency
in his whispers was clear.

She put down her drink, took his hand in both
of hers and stared into his face until he finally looked into her
eyes.

"Because you still love me,” she answered.
She placed his hand back on the table.

Jay gagged on the realization that she was
right. No matter what else had happened, or who she was, or what
she had done, he did still love her. She'd made him better. Made
him feel, dream and love. He couldn't turn away from her, not even
now when he knew what it could cost. He'd have to live in hope that
somehow what they had was truly love and that somehow it could
survive her being married to Angus.

Tonia looked across the table at him. She
could see his anger waning, his mind resigning itself to the depth
of his love for her. Somewhere, deep inside, in an unexpected
place, she felt something for him that she couldn't identify. They
finished their dinner in relative silence. Neither one able to
think of what to say at a time like this. The dinner chit arrived
and Tonia signed it in her husband's name.

"So do you want a ride home or anything?"
Tonia asked.

"No I drove. Thanks,” Jay answered
coolly.

Tonia measured him, looked at his tired face
and his once proud shoulders now stooped and hanging low.
I've
got to get him back right now or I might lose him
, she thought.
"Well then you can give me a ride home,” Tonia announced. She
abruptly stood and strode purposefully from the room. Jay had no
choice but to follow this woman who'd led him to so many new places
and to an infinity of emotions well beyond his mortal limits. He
drove her to the MacKenzie mansion. It rose out of the autumn's
early evening fog, towering over the red and yellow and brown
leaved oaks that stood majestic guard over its noble grounds.

"Would you like to come in?" Tonia asked.

"What about Angus?" he asked.

"What about him?"

"What if he's home?"

"Well you're his guest aren't you?"

"What if he suspects?" Jay asked.

"You're his guest,” Tonia repeated
insistently.

"For golf. Not for sleeping with his
wife.”

Tonia's eyes flashed in anger. "Who said
anything about sleeping together? Why do you just assume that we're
going to do it?"

"Well I just thought..."

"Well you thought wrong. I told you. That
first time, on the beach, at the sunrise. Remember?"

"Yes I remember,” Jay said. He drifted back
to the glorious morning. It seemed like so long ago and so far away
to him now. Like he'd seen something happen to other people and he
and Tonia were no longer the people who'd joined on that beach in
the full glory and splendor of the rising morn.

"Remember I said it could never be cheap, or
quick, or dirty for us? It always has to be beautiful and special.
I meant it.” Tonia's tone softened. She came closer to him. "Oh
Jay, none of this changes that.” Her hand swept in a panoramic arc
around the estate. "My life here is one of emptiness. I don't love
him anymore. I'm not sure I ever did. But I owe him.”

“
Leave him,” Jay said. He
slid his hand to her cheek and pressed his trembling fingers to her
cool flesh.