He watched him pick out another empty spot at the far end of the court. That meant he had a chance to find Susan Carol and talk to her before her uncle did. He waited impatiently until the next changeover so he could leave. Naturally, leading 2–0, Makarova struggled in the next game. She played through three deuces before finally hitting a gorgeous drop shot to make it 3–0, allowing Stevie to get up and leave. He glanced in the direction of Gibson as he walked out, wondering if he was watching him. He couldn’t tell—he was talking on a cell phone, which was technically against the rules. Whoo boy, Stevie thought, if he’s on the phone with Susan Carol, I’m a dead man. He practically sprinted back across the plaza, almost knocking people over on several occasions and eliciting commentary that would not have been allowed on network TV. He thought about calling Susan Carol on his cell phone but then remembered it was tucked safely—and uselessly—inside his computer bag. Breathing hard, he charged into the media center and found it almost empty.
