"Yeah… that's it!"

"… But that doesn't make sense! BoBo was the man to put money on…! Why would anybody want you to take a nosedive…?" Jay queried.

Arnie looked down at his sinewy hands. He balled them into hard fists, before he looked back up at Jay, his intense blue eyes looking directly into Jay's brown ones.

"That's what bothered me, too… but afterwards, when I started thinking about it… it does make sense… if they had BoBo tied up… and he were the contender, instead of me…!"

Rubbing both hands up over his greying temples, Jay thought about it. "If I follow you… what you're saying is they, whoever that is… are looking forward to the next championship fight!"

"It figures… if they've got the title-holder tied up… too… doesn't it?" Arnie spat his words out fast, wanting confirmation of what he thought about it.

"Christ… do you know what you're saying…?" Jay questioned.

"I sure as hell do! I'm the question mark… because they couldn't get to me!" Arnie shot back. "… And, now I'm ruining their plans for a real killing on the title bout!"

"You mean they tried to buy you off, somehow?"

"Yeah… but I won't take their filthy money!"

"Now, they're threatening you…?"

"… And… blackmailing me!"

Jay whistled, thoughtfully, and asked, "… So, why are you coming to me…? The police could give you protection… and the Boxing Commission could look into the bribe attempt… and blackmail doesn't work, usually…"

"Yeah… but they've got pictures… that could ruin my marriage!" The fighter looked away, temporarily, feeling the guilt return to surge through him.

"So… that's it! They set you up… and got it all on film?"

"Well, hell… it was right after the fight! I was at this party… and met a girl… and… well, you know… one thing leads to another… and she takes me to bed!" Arnie defended.

"I understand all that… but where was your wife, Arnie?"