“Yeah, funny.”
Maggie could not let go that Wendy was somehow financing her school.
For the next half hour Wendy straightened out Maggie’s stance and pushed her elbow up and encouraged her to follow through. She even recorded Maggie’s swing using an iPad. Then she played back the video to show Maggie where she was lacking. By the end of the session, Maggie was making full contact with her driver almost every time.
“Do you have enough time for a drink?” Maggie asked at the end of the session.
“Of course.” Wendy nodded. “Like I said, I have plenty of time.”
The ladies walked into the clubhouse and were greeted by Jen.
“Good afternoon, ladies.”
“Hey, Jen,” Maggie said.
“What can I get you?”
Maggie looked at Wendy with a wicked smile. “Tequila?”
Wendy returned Maggie’s smile. “Why not?”
After a few shots and several full-fledged drinks, Maggie took the opportunity to turn the conversation to the matter at hand.
“I’m sure you heard about Marco,” Maggie said. “Crazy, huh?”
“Ha!” Wendy said too loudly. Then she smiled. “Yeah, crazy.”
“Not very many people are sorry he’s gone,” Maggie noted.
“Probably none,” Wendy said, again almost too loudly. “I’m not.”
“I thought you guys used to date?”
“If that’s what you want to call it,” Wendy said. “I still remember the first day he walked into the pro shop. He was wearing a light blue golf shirt opened to the bottom button…I could see an abundance of curly chest hair. He obviously spent a good amount of time in the gym. He was wearing golf shorts that exposed his muscular legs. I have to admit, I’ve always had a thing for the Sylvester Stallone type…but that guy actually stopped me in my tracks.”
“I agree he was really handsome,” Maggie said.
“He was also a charmer. The guy had it all and he knew it,” Wendy said.
“He seemed like a guy who knew what he wanted.”
“And took it.”
“How did you guys end up together?” Maggie asked.
Wendy scoffed softly. “He spotted his prey and immediately signed up for golf lessons, requesting me every time.” She shook her head. “The guy didn’t need lessons. He was really good.”
“I believe he’s the current club champion,” Maggie said.
Wendy scoffed again. “I’m not surprised.”
“How did you end up dating him?”
“He showed up for every lesson with some small but thoughtful gift—flowers, candy, a Starbucks vanilla latte. We’d often play nine instead of standing at the driving range. He said he wanted tips on how to play certain holes. What he wanted was privacy. At the beginning I was able to keep it professional…but he was pretty hard to resist. He bugged me every day for my personal cell number until I finally gave it to him. I figured no harm, since I actually gave it to many of my regular clients. Again, he was persistent. He started texting me nonstop.”
“That seems annoying,” Maggie said.
Wendy sighed. “Honestly, I didn’t think so, I actually liked the attention. So even though it was against the rules, I finally agreed to go out with him, as long as we could keep it private. He was just too irresistible…he had me in his spell. I was so stupid, I started imagining it was the real thing.”
“You’re not stupid, Wendy,” Maggie protested. “You’re a tender-hearted woman who fell in love.”
“I got over it pretty fast, the sex was awful,” she said.
“Honestly, that’s kind of surprising.”
“Marco made love to himself. It felt like I was a piece of gym equipment he was working out on.” She laughed at the memory. “He acted like he was doing me a favor by sweating all over me. I let it go on far too long, thinking things would get better; but it only got worse. I became the backup plan, a side thing, the girl you go to when the bar closes and there’s nothing better to take home. Finally, I had enough and broke it off.”
“Good for you,” Maggie said. She smiled affectionately at Wendy then turned to Jen. “Another couple shots, please.”
“Yeah,” Wendy continued, “I told him I was tired of being his mistress—and you know what that asshole said?”
“What?”
Maggie handed Wendy one of the shots Jen had poured, and they clinked glasses and drank it down. Maggie grabbed a lime to dull the taste of the tequila but Wendy needed to get it out so she kept going: “He said if I wanted to be his mistress, I would have to loosen up in bed. He said I was boring.”
“What did you say?”
Wendy scoffed, more loudly this time. “I told him to get the hell out of my house and lose my number.”
“Did he leave?”
“Yeah—after he took a shower and left his wet towel on my bedroom floor.” She shook her head bitterly. “Such an asshole.”
“Thank God you got rid of him when you did,” Maggie said.
“I wish it would have been that easy.…”
Maggie watched as Wendy’s face turned pale and her lips trembled a bit. She gazed at Wendy quietly. “What happened?”
“A few weeks later, he came back into the pro shop to sign up for a last-minute tee time. As soon as I saw him, I disappeared into the back room but listened to him tell Tim how he had been in Brazil on business. When he left, I came out of the back room, rolling my eyes. I said something like, ‘What a dick.’ Then Tim tells me I should have never gotten involved with him. I didn’t say anything because I couldn’t really deny it and if I acknowledged it, he could have fired me for dating a club member, which is strictly against the rules.”
“Everyone knew about it,” Maggie said.
“Seriously?” Wendy asked.
“Yeah, sorry.”
“I’m glad he’s dead,” Wendy admitted. “I just wish I was the one that killed him.” Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes.
Maggie reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Wendy.”
“It’s not because we broke up,” Wendy continued, “it’s because the next day he came in the pro shop, he caught me there by myself, which I believe was his plan. As soon as he realized no one else was there he started asking me if I missed him. I was cold and said no even when there was still a tiny bit of my heart that might have. He said he was sorry and really wanted to make it up to me. He said he made a weekend reservation at the JW on Marco Island. I kept my resolve and told him to fuck off.”
Maggie was impressed. “Wow, what did he say to that?”
“He just laughed and picked up a pair of golf shoes from the display and asked for a size ten-and-a-half. I took the shoe and went back into the storage room to find it, but he followed me—and when we were out of sight, he attacked me.”
“What?” Maggie said.
“I begged him to stop but he wouldn’t. I thought he was going to rape me—but then the bell on the door rang. A woman and her daughter had come in, they were looking through the sale rack. It took everything I had to keep my shit together.”
“Where was Marco?”
“He had already walked out before I even got up off the floor.”
“You should have called the police,” Maggie said.
“And say what? I did tell Tim a few days later, but unfortunately I had no proof. The cameras in the front just showed Marco following me into the back, and the ones in the storage room have been broken for more than six months.”
“Did Tim believe you?”
“Yeah, he believed me all right—he fired me. He talked to Marco, who obviously denied the whole thing. Then he showed Tim some tit shots I sent him during a weak moment at the beginning of our relationship. So that was it,” Wendy said. “Done.”
Maggie stared solemnly at her friend. “That is so wrong, Wendy, but at least you got rid of him.”
Wendy laughed at Maggie’s comment. “You would think;
but I wasn’t going to let him get away with it while I got nothing.”
“What did you do?”
“I knew he was dating multiple girls, and that one of those girls was the daughter of a well-known person in town, a connected guy.”
“You mean like a mob guy?”
Wendy shrugged. “Sort of, I guess. It’s a lot more sophisticated than that. Anyway, it was a guy you don’t want to be on the wrong side of. Apparently, the girl thought she was the only one Marco was dating, but when she found out she went ballistic on him. They were both drunk, and she tried to push him out a third-floor window; only, she ended up falling out, breaking both legs and a few ribs. She was lucky she wasn’t paralyzed.”
Maggie drew her hand to her mouth. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “That’s crazy.”
“For some reason, the girl kept quiet. But I just happened to give a lesson to her roommate, who knew everything. I just had to mention Marco wronged me. That’s when she spilled it all. I took her information to Marco and made him give me fifty grand to keep my mouth shut. I figured that was a fair price for what he put me through.”
“How did you know it was true?” Maggie still was stunned by Wendy’s revelation.
“Angie is the one who told me. She was the girl’s roommate in college. That’s how Marco met her in the first place.”
“Marco’s sister, Angie?”
Wendy nodded. “That’s the one.”
“Marco didn’t suspect Angie was the one who told you?”
“If he did, he didn’t say anything to Angie. I felt sort of bad that I used the information she shared. I was just so mad.”
“How did you meet Angie in the first place?” Maggie asked.
“We became friends when I was seeing Marco. It’s funny, I spent more time with Angie than I ever did with Marco. He wasn’t a very good boyfriend, but he was also a rotten brother. She’s actually staying with me now.”
“Wow,” Maggie said, shaking her head. “You sure have been through a lot of shit.” She thought for a moment. “I was wondering where Angie was living now, since Marco’s house is still a crime scene…”
“I’m just glad I can move on with my life now,” Wendy said, standing up from the stool. “I’m going to go play nine so I can sober up. Do you want to play?”
“No way,” Maggie said. “I’m going to get a hot dog and sit here for a few minutes.”
“Please don’t eat a hot dog,” Wendy said, shaking her head. “That’s just gross.”
Maggie smiled. Then she stood to hug Wendy goodbye.
“By the way,” she said casually, “Alexandra is hosting a dinner party Friday night, she asked me to extend an invitation. You’re allowed to fraternize with members now, since you don’t work there anymore. I’m sure everyone would love to see you. We’re inviting Angie too. You two could ride together.” She smiled at Wendy and nodded encouragingly. “It will be fun.”
“Sure, I’ll come,” Wendy said, smiling a bit in return.
Maggie watched Wendy walk out the back door. She seemed a little unsteady as a result of the tequila, or maybe the regret of exposing herself to Maggie.
Maggie sat back on her stool as Jen wiped down the space vacated by Wendy. Then Jen tossed a new napkin down on the spot she had just cleaned. Maggie waited for the new arrival.
“Maggie.”
The familiar, accented voice of Rodney caused her to turn.
“Rodney,” Maggie said.
Rodney kissed her cheek then sat in the spot Wendy had just vacated.
“What are you doing here all by yourself?” Rodney asked.
“I was taking a lesson with Wendy,” Maggie said.
Jen asked, “What can I get you, Rodney?”
Rodney nodded to the bartender. “I’ll take a vodka, cran.”
Jen nodded in return. “You got it,” she said before turning to Maggie. “Anything else for you?”
“I’ll have a water,” Maggie said.
“Water?” Rodney stared at Maggie. “I would expect at least a glass of wine sitting in front of you.”
“Maybe later at the club.”
Maggie sipped from the glass Jen had already set in front of her.
“Are you meeting Alex and Britney up there?” Rodney asked.
“Yes,” Maggie said. She pulled her credit card out of her back pocket. “Jen, can I settle up?”
Jen reached for the card then went over to the machine to process the bill. By the time she returned with the receipt, Rodney was pointing to his empty glass.
Maggie signed the receipt after adding a generous tip. She noticed Rodney watching her.
“I guess I’ll see you later,” Maggie said to Rodney as she stood.
“Definitely,” Rodney replied with a wide smile.
Chapter 7
Miller Lite
Rodney was already sitting next to Alex at the club bar when Maggie walked in at four o’clock. The two seemed to be in the middle of a serious conversation. Maggie sat on the other side of Alex. Fonzie was already setting a full glass of Cabernet as Maggie settled in.
Alex was fond of Rodney. He had been her main bar buddy before Maggie and Britney moved in. But this afternoon Rodney looked like he was about to cry.
“What’s going on with you two?” Maggie asked. “Did someone’s dog die?”
“Worse,” Alex said. “Rodney just found out that he lost his job.” She reached over and put her hand on top of Rodney’s as he hung his head.
Maggie moved her glass toward Alex but did not take a drink. “I’m so sorry, Rodney.”
“I’ve been with that company for over thirty years,” Rodney said.
“How can they do that?” Maggie asked. “Aren’t you like the head guy?”
“Obviously not the head guy,” Alex said. She slipped her hand away from Rodney’s so she could take a drink.
“It sounds like there was a reorganization, most of the highest-paid executives were let go,” Rodney said.
“But that’s not the worst of it,” Alex added. “Losing his job was bad—but losing his green card is potentially really bad. His company sponsors him.”
Maggie nodded quietly. For a long moment she gazed at Rodney. Most people wouldn’t recognize him as a foreigner, except that when he spoke, he spoke with a thick South African accent. Maggie knew Rodney’s life story was interesting; she had heard it many times. He loved to tell it to any new member who would listen….
Both his parents had been doctors in Cape Town, but he had barely known his father, because his parents had divorced when Rodney was very young; his father had started a new family. His mother was also absent more frequently than most mothers. Rodney had been left in the care of various nannies until he was old enough to be sent to boarding school.
Fonzie set a fresh drink in front of Alex and a beer in front of Rodney. Maggie felt it was okay to take a drink of her wine. The three friends drank in silence until the side door flew open and Britney bounced in.
“Jeez,” she said, frozen, “it feels like a funeral in here.” She turned to the bartender. “Fonzie, what’s with this music?” She leaned in and kissed Rodney on his cheek. “Hello, darling,” she crooned.
“Hi, beautiful,” Rodney said without enthusiasm.
“You doing okay?” Britney asked.
“I just found out my job has been eliminated.”
Britney started to say something sarcastic but the next moment decided to be more sympathetic. “Time to enjoy your retirement—aren’t you at least sixty-five?”
“Actually sixty-two—but it doesn’t matter if I’m not a U.S. citizen. Whatever happens, I’m not going back to South Africa.”
“Why do you think you might have to?” Alex asked.
“My company is the one that sponsors me.” Rodney sighed. “No job, no stay.”
“Can’t you apply for citizenship?” Maggie asked. “You’ve been here forever.”
Rodney shook his head. “I should have done it a few year
s ago. But when I got divorced, I lost my mind a bit. It’s a lot harder nowadays. Especially since…”
Alex stared at him. “What?”
Rodney’s voice turned heavy. “I’m so embarrassed,” he said quietly. “I got a DUI.”
Alex gasped. “Oh no, Rodney, when?”
“It was a few months ago; I have a lawyer working on it.”
“That’s what Uber is for,” Britney said. “Or you call one of us and if by some miracle we’re sober, we come get you.”
“I was at O’Malley’s,” Rodney explained. “I figured a few blocks…no biggy, right?”
“Obviously not,” Maggie said.
Rodney continued: “The guy was actually sitting at the back entrance, waiting for a speeder. I saw him, but I was a little confused when I turned in, and I tried to go around him. Instead of waiting for him to move. He signaled me to roll down the window, and I did. That’s when he asked me to get out of my car…and I got to tell you, I had to piss really bad. So I did get out and pissed on the bushes by the gate. The cop said I was lucky he didn’t arrest me for public demonstrating or something like that. Instead he put cuffs on me and charged me with DUI.”
“What are you going to do?” Alex asked.
Rodney shook his head. “I don’t know. Probably go to Canada. I have a Canadian passport. My first wife was Canadian, actually, we lived there for over ten years. I have dual citizenship,” he explained simply. “That’s another reason I wasn’t in a hurry to get Americanized—I would have to give up my Canadian citizenship.” He took a long swallow of his beer then signaled Fonzie and pointed to his glass. “Another Miller Lite, please.”
Alex smiled sadly. “I’ve never seen you drink beer.”
“I’ve been trying to keep my wits since the whole Marco thing. Too many blackout nights.”
“I totally understand,” she said.
“He was supposed to get me a green card. I gave him fifteen thousand dollars, and now he’s dead.”
“How could Marco get you a green card?” Maggie asked.
“He had some deal with a construction company and he could get it expedited into citizenship.”
“And you trusted him?”
Behind The Gates (A Maggie McFarlin Mystery Book 1) Page 6
