NARRATIVE of WARD COURIER, Continued

April, 2008

SOUTH WALES, NY

"You play tennis?" I said.

"High school. We won the doubles in our league. Hit it around a lot out in L.A."

"We should hit sometime," I said. She nodded. She was almost done with her beer and just looking at me. "Feel like a mystery-hike?" I said.

"A mystery-hike," she said. "Where's it go?"

"Now that wouldn't make it much of a mystery, would it?"

She folded the ...