He turned to the shelf behind him, but the large lady already had what he wanted—a scuffed green ledger with PERSONAL LOANS on the front. He opened it and paged to a blank sheet, periodically wetting the tip of his finger. “How much of your wallet are we talking about, cuz?”

“What kind of odds could I get on five hundred to win?”

The fat woman laughed and blew out smoke.

“On the Bombers? Even-up, cuz. Strictly even-up.”

“What kind of odds could I get on five hundred, Yankees in seven?” He considered, then turned to the large lady. She shook her head, still looking amused.

“Won’t go,” she said. “If you don’t believe me, send a telegram and check the line in New York.” I sighed and drummed my fingers on a glass case filled with watches and rings. “Okay, how about this—five hundred and the Yankees come back from three games to one.” He laughed. “Some sensayuma, cuz. Just let me consult with the boss.” He and the large lady (Frati looked like a Tolkien dwarf next to her) consulted in whispers, then he came back to the counter. “If you mean what I think you mean, I’ll take your action at four-to-one. But if the Yankees don’t go down three-to-one and then bounce all the way back, you lose the bundle. I just like to get the terms of the wager straight.”

“Straight as can be,” I said. “And—no offense to either you or your friend—”

“We’re married,” the large lady said, “so don’t call us friends.” And she laughed some more.

“No offense to either you or your wife, but four-to-one doesn’t make it. Eight-to-one, though

. . . then it’s a nice piece of action for both sides.”

“I’ll give you five-to-one, but that’s where it stops,” Frati said. “For me this is just a sideline.

You want Vegas, go to Vegas.”

“Seven,” I said. “Come on, Mr. Frati, work with me on this.” He and the large lady conferred. Then he came back and offered six-to-one, which I accepted. It was still low odds for such a crazy bet, but I didn’t want to hurt Frati too badly. It was true that he’d set me up for Bill Turcotte, but he’d had his reasons.

Besides, that was in another life.

5

Back then, baseball was played as it was meant to be played—in bright afternoon sunshine, and on days in the early fall when it still felt like summer. People gathered in front of Benton’s Appliance Store down in the Low Town to watch the games on three twenty-one-inch Zeniths perched on pedestals in the show window. Above them was a sign reading WHY WATCH ON THE

STREET WHEN YOU CAN WATCH AT HOME? EASY CREDIT TERMS!

Ah, yes. Easy credit terms. That was more like the America I had grown up in.

On October first, Milwaukee beat the Yankees one to nothing, behind Warren Spahn. On October second, Milwaukee buried the Bombers, thirteen to five. On the fourth of October, when the Series returned to the Bronx, Don Larsen blanked Milwaukee four-zip, with relief help from Ryne Duren, who had no idea where the ball was going once it left his hand, and consequently scared the living shit out of the batters who had to face him. The perfect closer, in other words.

I listened to the first part of that game on the radio in my apartment, and watched the last couple of innings with the crowd gathered in front of Benton’s. When it was over, I went into the drugstore and purchased Kaopectate (probably the same giant economy size bottle as on my last trip). Mr. Keene once more asked me if I was suffering a touch of the bug. When I told him that I felt fine, the old bastard looked disappointed. I did feel fine, and I didn’t expect that the past would throw me exactly the same Ryne Duren fastballs, but I felt it best to be prepared.

On my way out of the drugstore, my eye was attracted by a display with a sign over it that read TAKE HOME A LITTLE BIT O’ MAINE! There were postcards, inflatable toy lobsters, sweet-smelling bags of soft pine duff, replicas of the town’s Paul Bunyan statue, and small decorative pillows with the Derry Standpipe on them—the Standpipe being a circular tower that held the town’s drinking water. I bought one of these.

“For my nephew in Oklahoma City,” I told Mr. Keene.

The Yankees had won the third game of the Series by the time I pulled into the Texaco station on the Harris Avenue Extension. There was a sign in front of the pumps saying MECHANIC

ON DUTY 7 DAYS A WEEK—TRUST YOUR CAR TO THE MAN WHO WEARS THE STAR!

While the pump-jockey filled the tank and washed the Sunliner’s windshield, I wandered into the garage bay, found a mechanic by the name of Randy Baker on duty, and did a little dickering with him. Baker was puzzled, but agreeable to my proposal. Twenty dollars changed hands. He gave me the numbers of both the station and his home. I left with a full tank, a clean windshield, and a satisfied mind. Well . . . relatively satisfied. It was impossible to plan for every contingency.

Because of my preparations for the following day, I dropped by The Lamplighter for my evening beer later than usual, but there was no risk of encountering Frank Dunning. It was his day to take his kids to the football game in Orono, and on the way back they were going to stop at the Ninety-Fiver for fried clams and milkshakes.

Chaz Frati was at the bar, sipping rye and water. “You better hope the Braves win tomorrow, or you’re out five hundred,” he said.

They were going to win, but I had bigger things on my mind. I’d stay in Derry long enough to collect my three grand from

Mr. Frati, but I intended to finish my real business the following day. If things went as I hoped, I’d be done in Derry before Milwaukee scored what would prove to be the only run they needed in the sixth inning.

“Well,” I said, ordering a beer and some Lobster Pickin’s, “we’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

“That’s right, cuz. It’s the joy of the wager. Mind if I ask you a question?”

“Nope. Just as long as you won’t be offended if I don’t answer.”

“That’s what I like about you, cuz—that sensayuma. Must be a Wisconsin thing. What I’m curious about is why you’re in our fair city.”

“Real estate. I thought I told you that.”

He leaned close. I could smell Vitalis on his slicked-back hair and Sen-Sen on his breath.

“And if I said ‘possible mall site,’ would that be a bingo?” So we talked for awhile, but you already know that part.

6

I’ve said I stayed away from The Lamplighter when I thought Frank Dunning might be there because I already knew everything about him that I needed to know. It’s the truth, but not all of the truth. I need to make that clear. If I don’t, you’ll never understand why I behaved as I did in Texas.

Imagine coming into a room and seeing a complex, multistory house of cards on the table.

Your mission is to knock it over. If that was all, it would be easy, wouldn’t it? A hard stamp of the foot or a big puff of air—the kind you muster when it’s time to blow out all the birthday candles—