Ход королевы
Chapter 13
Behindtheplacewheresheusedtosittoplaywasakindofroughpartitionmadeofunplannedwoodenboardsnailedtotwo-by-fours.Acalendarusedtohangthere,withscenesfromBavariaabovethesheetsforthemonths.NowthecalendarwasgoneandtheentirepartitionwascoveredwithphotographsandclippingsandcoversfromChessReview,eachofthemneatlytapedtothewoodandcoveredwithclearplastictokeepitcleanandfreeofdust—theonlythinginthisdingybasementthatwas.Theywerepicturesofher.TherewereprintedgamesfromChessReview,andnewspaperpiecesfromtheLexingtonHerald-LeaderandtheNewYorkTimesandfromsomemagazinesinGerman.TheoldLifepiecewasthere,andnexttoitwasthecoverofChessReviewwithherholdingtheU.S.Championshiptrophy.Fillinginthesmallerspaceswerenewspaperpictures,someofthemduplicates.Theremusthavebeentwentyphotographs.
***
“Youfindwhatyouwerelookingfor?”Joleneaskedwhenshegotbacktothecar.
“More,”Bethsaid.Shestartedtosaysomethingelsebutdidn’t.Jolenebackedthecarup,droveoutofthelotandturnedbackontotheroadthatledtothehighway.
Whentheydroveuptherampandpulledontotheinterstate,JolenegunnedtheVWanditshotahead.Neitherofthemlookedback.Bethhadstoppedcryingbythenandwaswipingherfacewithahandkerchief.
“Didn’tbiteoffmorethanyoucouldchew,didyou?”Jolenesaid.
“No.”Bethblewhernose.“I’mfine.”
***
ThetallerofthetwowomenlookedlikeHelenDeardorff.
