"Six Love" by James W. Hall

From: Murder is My Racquet, ed. Otto Penzler, Mysterious Press, 2005.

In the opening of this story from a tennis-themed anthology, Roger Shelton watches 14-year-old Gigi Janeway through the scope of his deer rifle. Shelton is convinced that "winging" Gigi will improve his daughter Julie's ranking as well as her self-esteem.

Shelton seems to get away with his karmic nudge, until he learns Gigi is his daughter. This is the first of several well-timed shocks.

James W. Hall was one of Dennis Lehane's teachers at Florida International University. Known for the hardboiled Thorn novels, Hall is also a poet. I enjoyed reading this story aloud.