Ultimate Sports Read Online Free PDF Page B

don’t have to, sir. We have no warrant—”
    “No, I insist.” The lightbulb went on in the basement room. “No one can say I didn’t cooperate with the Police Department.”
    Randy pressed himself tightly against the wall of the shower stall, hoping it would make him appear smaller. Was Uncle Harlow going crazy? Why was he bringing the cops downstairs?
    “What’s behind that door?” Randy heard the policeman say.
    “A closet,” Harlow answered. “I’ll show you.”
    “No need,” the cop said. “I’ve seen enough. Thank you for your help, Mr. Fuller. And if you do see Randy…”
    “I’ll be sure to call you.”
    The light went out again, and Randy heard the door being locked. He stood inside the stall for the longest time, shaking all over. After what seemed like years, the footsteps overhead stopped and he heard the front door close heavily. Shortly after that, he heard Harlow coming downstairs.
    “Okay, Randy,” Harlow said softly. “You can come out.” Still unsteady, Randy came out into the main room. “That was awful close, Uncle Harlow,” he said. “Why’d you bring him down here? I heard him say he didn’t have no warrant.”
    “Use your head. If I told him he couldn’t look, he’d have gone to a judge and got the papers. This way, I showed him I have nothing to hide.”
    “I guess they didn’t get that letter from Detroit yet,” Randy said.
    “Even if they did, they probably wouldn’t give up. This is a murder case. That stays on the books forever.”
    “Then what am I going to do? I can’t stay down here for the rest of my life.”
    “You won’t have to. Once things blow over a bit, we’ll get you a good lawyer. In the meantime, you got no choice but this.” Harlow looked around at the small room.
    “But I can see why you feel boxed in down here. Now that the cops won’t be back, maybe we can start you on some roadwork. You can run off some of that anger of yours.”
    “But where? Won’t someone see us?”
    “Baisley Park is four blocks from here. We’ll run early in the morning while it’s still dark.”
    “I heard about Baisley Park. That’s a dangerous place after dark.”
    Harlow laughed loudly. “You mean you’re scared? The reason people stay away from the park is they don’t want to run into someone like
you!
You’re the one who’s on the run from the police.
    “Besides, we’ll take Emile with us. He needs to run, too. I figure two guys our size and a dog like Emile, no one’s going to mess with us.”
    And so began a regular routine of roadwork and bodybuilding for Randy. Each morning, Harlow would drive to the park and the two men and the dog would run until nearly sunrise.
    Harlow noted that it helped Randy’s spirits. The young man no longer complained about being cooped up. His body shed fat and gained hard ropes of muscle. Randy continued to work endlessly on the two punching bags and the rowing machine. Often, Harlow would hear Randy continuing to work out in the dark.
    What made Harlow feel best was that Randy had finished
Yes, I Can Read
. But at the end of each day, Randy would have the same questions: “When do I get out of here? When are we going to get that lawyer?”
    Each time Harlow said, “When I think it’s cool, and no sooner.” Randy would grow more restless. Finally, one night in early September, he exploded.
    “I don’t care what you say!” he shouted at Harlow. “I’m leaving. It’s been almost four months. I’ll take my chances outside. Anything is better than this!”
    “You watch yourself, boy,” Harlow said, “or I’ll take away your roadwork. How would you like that?”
    “How would you like me to walk right over you?” Randy growled.
    “You think you’re man enough?”
    In a dark rage, Randy sprang at him. A looping left hand banged into Harlow’s ribs, and like lightning, a stiff right hand to his head followed.
    As Randy was about to throw another punch, Harlow dodged, hooked a foot behind the