Mac and Jack pulled up to the pro shop at Pleasant Spring Golf Course. The parking lot was filled with Mercedes and Cadillacs. Pleasant Spring was an exclusive private club. Its membership included prominent doctors, lawyers, and businessmen. Mac's Jeep didn't fit in.
"I'm ashamed to say I've never played golf. I've always found it to be too slow moving. I guess that's why Pete loves the game," Mac said with a smirk.
They entered the pro shop as two golfers left. The golfers turned their heads and looked up and down at them, then shaking their heads, went out the door.
In the front of the shop were racks of golf apparel. To the right were men's shirts and pants and to the left were women's shirts and skirts. Clubs were displayed on the right wall with tables stacked with packages of golf balls. In the rear of the shop was a sign with the rules of the course behind a counter. Golfers milled about the shop.
"Do I have a snot hanging from my nose?" Jack asked Mac.
Mac was dressed in a white Henley shirt, blue jeans, black leather jacket, and white sneakers. Jack was attired in his usual red plaid shirt, tan pants, brown aviator's jacket, and red Ked's sneakers. They stood out like sore thumbs.
"You are not exactly dressed to be out on the links", a woman in her late twenties answered Jack's question. She was short with auburn hair pulled back and was wearing a white golf shirt and a navy-blue skirt.
"Hiya. We're not here to play golf. My name is MacGyver. This is Jack Dalton."
Jack interrupted Mac by taking the woman's hand and kissing it.
"Jack Dalton, at your service. And your name is?"
"Erin Holden. I'm one of the golf pros and the manager of this shop." Erin pulled her hand out of Jack's with a look of disapproval.
"MacGyver, huh. First or last name?" Erin asked.
"Right. Then you're the one I'm looking for. I'm here to claim an item at the lost and found," Mac answered Erin as he handed her a white slip of paper with the number 874532 written on it.
"We do have a lost and found, but this isn't one of our claim checks. It's only a number," Erin replied, as she looked at the paper and handed it back to Mac.
"We had a bit of a mishap with the original claim check," Jack interjected, as Mac nudged him in the arm with his elbow.
"You see, Erin, Paul Cook has the original claim check. You may know him. He used to work here as a caddy," Mac explained.
Erin furrowed her brow. "Yes, he used to work here. He was always late. Spent more time on break than working. Only one member ever requested him to caddy for them. No one was surprised when he just didn't show up to work one day. That was about 6 months ago. Never heard from him since," Erin addressed Mac.
"I bet that's about the time when you noticed that you were missing a whole mess of used golf balls," Jack interrupted.
"Are you friends of Cook?" Erin inquired, as she ignored Jack.
"Never met the guy," Jack assured Erin.
"Then why are you here to claim his property?" Erin questioned.
"Mr. Cook has been detained and can't get away. A mutual party asked us to run this errand for him."
"Well, I don't know. Can you identify the property in the lost and found?"
Mac and Jack looked at each other.
"We weren't made privy to the nature of the goods. We are merely couriers," Jack replied.
"You look like the type who would be trying to pull something shady," Erin scowled at Jack.
"But you look so…honest," Erin looked directly at Mac.
"Erin, if it would make you feel more comfortable, would you let us just look at the item in your lost and found? Then we could confirm with our mutual friend if we are supposed to pick it up," Mac negotiated with the young lady.
"I suppose that would be okay. Come with me, please." Mac and Jack followed Erin through a door behind the counter. The small, windowless room was lined with wooden cubby holes holding a hodge podge of articles. "What was that number?" Erin asked.
"874532," Mac replied.
Erin walked over to a black duffle bag with a white tag tied to it. She flipped the tag over and confirmed that the number was 874532. "This is what you are looking for," Erin acknowledged, as she picked up the bag. She held it close, hesitant to part with it. Mac outstretched his hand and Erin obliged, transferring the bag over to him.
"Thanks," Mac said with a smile.
"Go ahead. Open it," Erin directed.
Mac paused, unsure if it would be wise to let Erin see what he thought was in the bag. He decided to tell her the truth if the real diamonds were inside. Mac unzipped the bag to reveal a mass of shiny gems. Erin's jaw dropped. Jack's eyes lit up and he reached his hand into the bag, but was not in time, as Mac quickly zipped up the bag.
"Oh, come on, Mac! I just wanted to run my fingers through them."
Mac shot him a glance.
"I know Paul Cook. There is no way that these diamonds could be his. Unless he came about them illegally…I'm calling the police!" Erin announced.
Mac looked directly into Erin's eyes and took her elbow as he walked her backwards.
"No, I'll explain," Mac reassured Erin. "Cook stole diamonds from The Gem Exchange. Bill Jennings is the owner. We think Jennings hired Cook to steal the diamonds and then Jennings collected the insurance money, but Cook double crossed him and switched the diamonds with fakes. Jack, here, acquired a storage unit filled with beat up golf balls that had the fake diamonds in them. We know Jennings is looking for the real diamonds. We're trying to catch him at his own game. The police know that Cook stole the diamonds. His fingerprints are all over them. But we need to prove that Bill Jennings is the mastermind. You said only one of your members ever wanted Cook to caddy for them? Did that member happen to be Bill Jennings?"
"Yes, Bill Jennings. He's a long-time member. He could have had anyone caddy for him. Cook wouldn't have been my first choice. What are you getting at?"
"A confession from Jennings that he was behind the theft," Mac explained.
"Does Jennings have a regular day that he plays?" Jack inquired.
"Every Friday afternoon. He has a tee time of 3:00 pm. It's the last tee time of the day "
"Today's Friday!" Jack exclaimed.
"Do either of you play golf?," Erin asked. Mac and Jack looked at each other and shrugged.
"I play hockey. Both have sticks that you hit small objects with. It's the same concept," Mac reasoned. Erin smirked.
"There are a lot more courtesies in the game of golf. Besides, to the best of my knowledge, I've never seen a fight break out at a golf game," Erin retorted.
"Have you ever played hockey?" Mac asked defensively.
"Have you ever played golf?" Erin quipped.
"Touché!" Jack added.
"Does Jennings play alone?" Mac asked Erin.
"Usually. Why? Are you looking for a twosome?" Erin inquired coyly.
Mac smiled at Erin and lowered his head.
"Not me, but I know someone who loves the game. Can I ask a favor?" Mac asked.
"What?" Erin looked curiously at Mac.
"Can you schedule another golfer at the same tee time as Jenning?"
"We never schedule two golfers at the same tee time unless they are together. Do you really think that you will get a confession from Jennings?"
"Not me. But I know someone who can," Mac replied.
"As much as I don't like Cook, I don't like Jennings even more. He's a real creep. When he signs up for lessons, he always requests me. I always schedule him with another pro. If you can find a golfer, I'll caddy," Erin offered.
"It's a deal. Can I use your phone?" asked Mac.
"Sure. Over here."
"Who are you going to get to play golf?" Jack asked Mac.
"Someone who worships Arnold Palmer."