06 * SATURDAY, August 9, 2003 William Bankier One of Canada's finest short story writers, has been nominated for all of North America's major crime writing prizes, including the Macavity, Edgar and Arthur Ellis awards. He is best-known for a loosely connected series of stories set in Baytown, based on his home town of Belleville, Ont. Baytown first appeared on the map of the crime world in 1965. Bankier now lives in Hollywood, Calif. Check-Out Time at the Shallow Grave Motel .j| /I the creaky rt Harper returned to Baytown in the spring of the bed to rest. The telephone rang. He picked it up year when tedious winter had moved out and sumand it was Jenny Lennox. mer was at the front door. He came in response to "Guess what, I told Mr. Danforth you're back in I Jll a cry for help from his old friend, Luke Luftspring. town. He'd like you to go in and see him." They had been bellboys together at the Coronet Hotel. "I was planning to touch base anyway." Harper, the kid who never missed a day of school and who "I think this is more than hello." did his homework before supper, was drawn to Luke's "I have to go across to the police station. See undisciplined spirit. He said things like, "I got the dropsy Chief Greb." and heart trouble. I drops into a chair and I haven't the heart "The police know Luke. They pick him up from of get out of it." the beverage room when it closes and dry him oul After four years hustling baggage for quarters, Harper in a cell." moved next door to the office of the Baytown Daily Banner. He "He keeps getting those crazy notes in the was a go-fer until he was promoted to apprentice sports mail." writer. Covering the local hockey and baseball teams and the "I could name a dozen people who qualify." occasional track meet was easy work and left him time to Mr. Danforth was relaxed in a swivel chair originate a column which met with the editor's approval. behind his desk in the back office, shiny boots "Extra Innings" began running three days a week on Page 2 propped up on the oak surface, cold cigar stump of the sports section. centred between his lips. "I always said you'd be Thus Art Harper became a celebrity in the eyes of Jenny back, Arthur. The Coronet exerts a great tidal Lennox, the youngest and most-blonde waitress in the pull." Coronet dining room. Jenny was a high school "I came because Luke Luftspring wrote me." dropout who worked to help support her "I know all about Luke. His condition is the widowed mother. Mrs. Lennox pulled long Baytown flavour of the month." shifts at the distillery in Corbyville. They "I'm going over to see the Chief." lived in a cottage on South Front Street "He'll pour you a glass of that awful peach where the river meets the Bay and brandy he makes. But he can't help our friend." where a well-worn sofa became as "I have to try." familiar to Harper's lanky frame "Come back here when you've seen him. I have as his bed at home. a suggestion to put to you. An offer you can't Luke's irreverence went a refuse." little too far where the Lennox As he strolled across the market square, girl was concerned. He said, Harper knew Danforth was going to offer him a "She only does it for her job. Funny thing was, with the benign weather, th friends and she hasn't an dancing with Jenny and the gentle flow of air off enemy in the world." The the Bay, Harper was in a mood to say yes. absence of Harper's usual Especially with the Expos planning to move the laugh told him not to make franchise to Topeka or some other forsaken place such a remark again. Chief Greg bent to the sliding door of his But now, the Baytown high Illustrations by Sherri Bassett/The Sudbury Star cherry wood credenza and fetched a quart bottle life had been left far behind half full of an amber liquid. "The peaches were and Harper was 32 years old sweet this year," he said with a conspiratorial and established in Montreal, smile. where he was press agent for "Well hoo-ha," Harper said without enthusiasm. the Expos of the National The brandy could be swallowed if you held your Baseball League. The job had breath during and after. "I know Luke gives you trouble. become fragile since the team was __ But I came down from Montreal to help him." up for sale. Playing in a small "Something must have happened out there last year. I television market, the Expos tried to don't know what it was, but Luke has not been the same." survive on a lesser income than, say, the Mets ^ "Is he drinking more?" in great big New York City. So they developed "And enjoying it less. He used to get loaded for fun. good players from their farm system and then sold them to Arresting him was a ton of laughs. Now it's a one-man funeral more affluent teams. The Montreal fans, feeling betrayed, had flash of the former Luke lit up the haunted eyes. "Chuck He's the mourner and he's the corpse." begun staying away in droves. comes by and does what's needed -- changes the beds, works a The ronstahlp manning thp frnnf desk niit his head inside Harnpr's rnnrpm for his fiitiirp was spt tpmrurrarilv aciHo