The Trade by JT Kalnay Page B

“I can’t,” he wondered. What makes her think I don't
already have a date Jay wondered in self-defense.
    Then Jay thought back to their embrace in
Central Park. The distant look in her eyes. The secretive way she'd
said "I can't.” He was torn between his desire to see her and
rescue her from whatever terrible thing was harming her and a
sudden fearful feeling about Tonia Taggert and more pain. In an
instant Jay made up his mind.
    "Sounds great,” he said. "I live in Battery
Park City now. Do you want to meet here or have me pick you up or
what?" he asked.
    "I'll pick you up at six,” Tonia said. "Don't
be late.”

Chapter
     
    Jay was downstairs waiting at 5:45, fifteen
minutes early, dressed in pressed blue jeans, a blue and white GAP
shirt and a white V neck sweater with blue trim. His brand new high
top Nikes gleamed white. Jay looked exactly like what he was. A
young, upwardly mobile, heterosexual professional ready to meet his
date and hoping to get a kiss goodnight and another date.
    At exactly six, Tonia pulled up in a white
BMW convertible with the top down. Her long blonde hair was pulled
back in a pony tail. Baby blue sunglasses shielded her eyes from
the sun's rays reflecting off the Hudson. Jay stepped lively out of
the apartment building and she slid over to let him drive.
    "Hi,” he said, trying to sound as if
beautiful young women pulled up in $50,000 cars to take him out
every night.
    "Hi,” she answered.
    "You'll have to give me directions,” he said.
"I haven't really learned my way around town much yet.”
    "Okay,” she answered. The BMW slid onto West
St. The early evening traffic was light. Tonia guided Jay through
intersections, had him turn right at Canal Street and head uptown.
Jay didn't realize he was in the collector lanes for the Holland
tunnel. He thought he was headed to Yankee Stadium.
    "I've never been to an American league game,”
Jay said.
    "We're not going to Yankee stadium,” Tonia
answered.
    "Then where are we going?" Jay asked.
    "To the Reds game,” Tonia said
matter-of-factly.
    "But they're playing in Philadelphia
tonight.”
    "Yeah?" she asked.
    "Yeah?" he answered. “And we’re in New York…”
He looked over at her and saw her mouth beginning to curl up at the
corners. She looked over, tipped her glasses forward off her lovely
face. Her blue eyes caught and reflected the early evening's
sunlight.
    "Yeah they're playing in Philly. And yeah
we've got third row seats behind home and yeah the first pitch is
at 8:05 and yeah there's gonna be lots of traffic headed down the
shore so I suggest you click on the radar detector and get your ass
in gear son.” She sat back and lay her head on the rest.
    Jay knew how to take orders. He found the
southbound turnpike and got it their speed up to eighty-five in a
hurry. People were still passing on both sides.
    At 7:55, they pulled into Veteran's Stadium,
hurried to their seats and were just in time to see Chris Sabo lead
off the game with a home run. Jay was ecstatic. The drama and
mystery of the exotic woman seated beside him. The high speed run
down the turnpike. The novelty and excitement of the new stadium.
The Reds in front after just one pitch. The smile on his face went
from ear to ear.
    "Do you want a beer?" she asked.
    "No. I've gotta drive us home at warp factor
two. Remember?" he answered.
    "Mind if I have one? Or two?” Her eyes lit on
his. Her smile was playful and warm. Like the soft summer breezes
filtering down into the stadium. Jay couldn't have denied her any
request at that moment.
    By the seventh inning, the Reds were ahead
11-2. "Want to go now? Beat the traffic?" Jay asked. "We can listen
to the end of the game on the radio?"
    "Okay,” she answered. They got up to go and
many pairs of jealous eyes watched the beautiful young woman lead
her date up the steps and out of the stadium.
    Headed north on the Jersey turnpike, Jay and
Tonia caught the final out as the Reds hung on to win 11-7. Jay
switched the