The Cardturner (24 page)

We began with board five. I opened one spade, and the next thing I knew I was the declarer in a four-spade contract. I went down one trick, because I didn't realize my ten of diamonds was good. I knew the ace, king, and jack were gone, but I didn't remember seeing the queen.

"Sorry, partner," I said, "I guess my game's a little off today."

"No sorrys allowed," said Toni.

In the back of my mind I heard Trapp ask, "And when has your game ever been on?"

These were my cards for board six:

Toni opened one no-trump, East passed, and I had to make a decision. Do I pass or bid two hearts?

My hand was totally useless unless hearts were trump. But if I bid two hearts, then I'd have to take eight tricks. If I passed one no-trump, Toni would be the declarer, and she would only have to take seven tricks.

Still, a heart contract seemed right, so I reached for the 2
bid.

I suddenly heard Leslie's voice screaming at me inside my head. "Stop! Two hearts is a transfer to spades. You have to bid two diamonds!"

I caught myself just in time. I set the 2
bid on the table and hoped that was right. I actually felt my heart pound as I waited to see what Toni would do.

West passed. Toni didn't even hesitate. Out came the 2
bid.

I came
that
close to screwing up the Jacoby transfer bid. At the last second, I heard Leslie's voice in the back of my mind, screaming at me to remember.

Everyone passed, East made her opening lead, and I tabled the dummy.

Toni looked at my cards and smiled. "Thank you, partner," she said, sounding as if she meant it.

Would you believe it? She actually made an overtrick.

I felt great. It was like an assist in basketball. I passed Toni the ball, and she slam-dunked it.

55
Post-mortem

The round was called. The boards were passed to the next lower table, and the people moved up a table. Our new East-West opponents told me how sorry they were to hear about my uncle.

I thanked them and quickly removed the cards from the South slot.

My hand was worth seven points: two for the
Q, three for the heart void, and two for the singleton club.

East passed, and I was about to do the same when I heard Trapp say, "Four spades."

I stopped in midreach.

I need to explain something here. Earlier, when I told you I heard Leslie screaming at me to bid two diamonds, that was only because she had helped me study. I associated her voice with the bids. And before that, when I told you I heard Trapp ask, "And when has your game ever been on?", well, that was my attempt at being clever in a self-deprecating sort of way.

This was different. I heard Trapp say "Four spades." It was as if he were sitting to my left, slightly behind me. Maybe
heard
is the wrong word. I
perceived
it.

One thing I had learned as his cardturner was to never let my emotions show. My heart might have stopped for a few seconds, and my brain was doing backflips, but I simply took a breath, then reached into the bidding box, removed the 4
card, and set it on the table.

The guy on my left looked at me like I was crazy. I couldn't have agreed more.

He doubled.

Toni thought awhile, and for a second I was afraid she was going to redouble, but she just passed, as did everyone else.

The opening lead was the ace of hearts. I tried to gather my thoughts and concentrate on the bridge game.

As Toni set down the dummy, I hoped she'd have the ace or king of spades, preferably both.

She had neither. She was void in spades.

Opening lead:
A