“You were great, Jenny.” Chad is beaming as he helps her strip off gloves and banding. “Your first ever official bout, and you won.”
“Yeah, you were pretty good,” says another voice. They both turn to see a stranger. Taller than either of them, he is also in shorts and a vest. Dark-haired and hazel-eyed, he is fit and muscular, his shoulders broad for his age. His clear open face wears a disarming grin. “I’d shake hands,” he says, “but I can’t with these on.” He holds up hands already in gloves. “I’m Joshua by the way, but everyone calls me Josh.”
“You’re in the boys’ competition?” asks Jenny.
“Yeah, I’m up next, but I watched yours. Congratulations. You were really good. If I make it through to the next round, I’ll come and watch you again.”
A voice splutters over the tannoy, making a nasal request for the next competitors to come to the ring.
Josh glances back. “Gotta go. Nice to meet you.”
Chad’s eyes follow him as he lopes across to the ring.
*****
As the bell rings, it is clear right from the start that Josh is the better fighter. His opponent is more heavily built, but bulky and slow-moving with it. For every blow he lands on Josh, he receives three or four back, all well placed and scoring points. Unlike Jenny’s match, it runs the full distance, four rounds being a boy’s bout, but Josh wins it easily.
Jenny finds herself studying the match with a kind of professional interest, scrutinising the moves between the opponents, squirrelling away manoeuvres and techniques to try herself. Chad watches with a kind of fascination, all the while his gaze on Josh.
And as he is announced the winner, Josh grins down at them, pumping his fist in the air.
*****
As the event breaks up and the competitors, showered and changed, make their way out to cars and buses, Mrs Collier brushes imaginary lint from her jacket. “Well, I still can’t say, Levi, that I entirely approve. I haven’t changed my mind on that. But Jennifer did make a good show today, and she obviously enjoyed herself.”
boost her confidence,
say Jenny has picked up
flame into the bowl of his pipe as he
handsome lad,” comments Mrs Collier. “Chad had better be on his
say, a handsome lad, but... I do not believe that will be
looking puzzled. “What do you…?” But whatever she is going to ask is interrupted
“If I’m going to get you back home
old along with her, and calling
and Jenny leave, just as they exit the door, Chad twists around to look back over
*****
The Present - Klempner
a truck? The other one was just about disabled with panic. What did they do? Fucking
“Sir, please calm down.”
calm down, Bech. I want them
captain knows when he has pushed his luck far enough. “We’re handling it now, sir. We know where the Haswell
“Which is?”
themselves, sir. Although we couldn’t interfere at that point, I had them under observation. They were taken there in a police
“And Jennifer?”
find her, sir. But it would appear that,
calms a little. “So, what do we know about the other one, Bech? Who the fuck is she? And what’s she got to
Bech smoothly. “I know very little so far, except that it would