Chapter 11 #2
“That’s where you’re mistaken,” Billy said. “I’m not messing with you.”
“Who the hell do you think you are? Tell me your name! I’m going to make sure you never step on this course again!”
“What’s going on here?” one of the arriving staff members said. He wore a name tag identifying him as the general manager.
The older man turned in surprise, his expression darkening when he saw who had spoken. He pointed at Billy. “This man nearly hit me with his ball! I demand he be removed and banned!”
The general manager glanced at Billy, instant recognition in his gaze. He turned back to the other man. “May I have your name, sir?”
“I’m Victor Popov. Not only did his ball land very near me, but he assaulted two of my staff and shoved his club into my chest!”
“More your stomach, I think,” Stone said.
Billy nodded. “Definitely stomach.”
“See! He admits it!” Popov shouted.
One of the caddies from Popov’s group whispered something into the manager’s ear. After, the manager said, “Mr. Popov, if you and your party could step back to the green, please.”
Popov didn’t move. “What are you going to do about this?”
“Please, Mr. Popov. I’ll speak with you in a minute.”
“Do not tell me you will talk to them first? No, no, no! I demand that—”
“Mr. Popov! If you please.”
The manager stared at Popov until he stormed off with his men.
“Mr. Barnett, if you and your friends wouldn’t mind moving over there.” He pointed several yards down the fairway. “I’d like to consult with the caddies first.”
“Not a problem.”
Billy, Stone, Herb, and John moved out of earshot as the caddies gathered around their boss.
Billy searched for Victor Popov’s name on his phone.
“Anyone know a company called VP Bela Capital?” he asked.
“Doesn’t sound familiar,” Herb said.
“Sounds like a finance company,” John said, “but I’ve never heard of them.”
“VP Bela,” Stone echoed. “Does the VP stand for Victor Popov?”
Still looking at his phone, Billy said, “Unclear, but seems a good guess.”
“Charley Fox might know something,” Herb suggested.
Charley Fox was the managing partner of Triangle Investments, with Stone and Mike Freeman of Strategic Services filling the other two partner spots.
“He might at that,” Stone said. He pulled out his phone and took a few steps away to make the call.
Billy glanced back at the huddle of caddies. The one Popov almost hit was speaking. It was obvious he was doing everything he could to hold back his anger.
The manager nodded, then waved for the staff members who’d arrived with him to come over.
This seemed to be the last straw for Popov, as he and his men marched toward the manager.
“This should be interesting,” John said.
“Perhaps we should join them,” Herb suggested.
Billy nodded, and he, Herb, and John headed that way, while Stone remained behind, still on the phone.
As Popov neared the gaggle of course employees, he pointed at Billy and yelled, “Why have you not thrown him out yet?”
“Mr. Popov,” the manager said. “I must ask you and your party to leave the course and vacate the property immediately.”
“What? Why should I leave?” He gestured toward Billy again. “What about him? He’s the one who nearly injured me with his shot!”
“Sir, we have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to disrespecting our employees. You will leave now, or I will be forced to call the police and have you arrested.”
“Disrespecting your employees? I did no such thing! Your employee was giving me shit advice. He should be fired!”
The general manager pulled out a phone. “Last chance.”
Popov looked like he was about to go on another tirade, but one of his men intercepted him and whispered something to him.
“Am I making the call or are you leaving?” the manager asked, his thumb hovering over his phone’s screen.
Glowering, Popov said to the manager, “I will be lodging a formal complaint to your board of directors. You should start looking for a new job now.”
“So that’s a yes to leaving?”
Popov huffed, then turned and made his way toward the carts.
“Yes, we will leave,” said the man who’d spoken to Popov moments before. “No need for trouble.”
“It would have been nice if your group had that attitude from the beginning.”
The man gave him a tense smile, then bowed his head and followed Popov and the others.
The general manager turned to Billy, Herb, John, and Stone, who had finished his call and rejoined the others.
“Mr. Barnett, I am officially required to give you a warning regarding course etiquette. Taking a shot before the group ahead of you has finished is not only against the rules but is also dangerous. If repeated, you will be expelled from the course.”
“My apologies,” Billy said. “An error on my part. It won’t happen again.”
The manager grinned. “Unofficially, thank you. My understanding is that you stopped one of my staff from being assaulted, with, I am told, quite an impressive shot.”
Billy glanced past him to where Popov’s party was driving off. “Does he play here often?”
“As far as I know, this was his first time on our course. And last. I will also be passing his name on to other courses in the area, so I doubt he’ll be playing anywhere around here anytime soon.”
“That’s good to hear.”
The manager smiled again. “We’ve held up play long enough. I’ll let you get back to it.”
He and the rest of the course employees, except the caddies for Billy’s group, left.
To Stone, Billy asked, “Did you get ahold of your friend?”
“I did. But he’s never heard of the company. He said he’d see what he could learn and get back to me.”
“Never heard of it?” Billy said. “Huh.”
Herb glanced back at the group waiting at the tee. “Now we’re the ones holding up play.”
“Then we should get back at it,” Stone said.
“You three should,” Billy said, as if insulted by the very idea. “My ball’s already on the green, in what I believe Herb said was eagle-ready position.”
“Don’t count your score before you’ve made it.”
“Shall we put a hundred dollars on it?”
Stone glanced at Herb. “How close is he to the hole?”
“Pretty close.”
“Tap-in close?”
Herb shook his head. “More like five feet.”
“Fifty dollars,” Stone said to Billy.
“You’re on.”
To Stone’s dismay, Billy finished the hole richer than when he started it.