Part 15 (1/2)
He watched as Aiden stuck with the receiver as they bolted downfield. Aiden turned his head to locate the ball coming right to the outstretched hands of the receiver. The five feet nine inch Aiden leapt into the air at the same time as the receiver. Hands battled, bodies clashed, the ball was caught, and the crowd gasped as the two players landed in a heap on the field.
Cade stopped running, his eyes never looking away from the two forms on the ground. The referee pulled the receiver off of Aiden, looked down, and blew his whistle. Cade couldn't blink. He didn't want to miss the signal. The referee pointed back downfield. His shrimp of a freshman had intercepted the pa.s.s. They had won!
”Austin! Knee the ball until time has expired. We're going to Commonwealth Stadium, boys.” He was surprised Austin could even hear him between the team cheering and the screams coming from the crowd.
Cade took a moment to hear the cheers, to see his players celebrating. Parents were jumping up and down in the stands along with the rest of the town. He had just brought a team of inexperienced undercla.s.smen to the state semi-finals. On top of that, he may have just cracked the case for Annie. His happiness drained out of him. What would happen when she solved the case?
”Annie!” He found her hugging his players, along with Paige, as they made their way into the locker room.
”Cade! Oh, congratulations! This is just so unbelievably wonderful! She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly.
”Bro, you're amazing! I'm afraid I may have broken Annie's hand though,” Paige rasped out, her voice raw from cheering.
”Thanks, Paige. I'm sorry to abandon you, but Annie is needed for a parent meeting. I'll talk to you soon, though, okay?” He gave her a kiss on the cheek and escorted Annie to the field house as Paige continued to high five the players.
”What's going on? Is everything all right?” Annie asked as she hurried to keep up with him.
”Austin has seen the light. He wants to confess all. We're meeting with him and his parents right now. And, I have a plan,” he smirked.
Chapter Twenty.
Annie and Special Agent Romero stood looking at the Keeneston County Utilities box truck that was parked in front of John Wolfe's house. She didn't know if it would hold the three agents and equipment without the bottom falling out. The truck was mostly rusted and was missing a m.u.f.fler and a side mirror.
”Where did you get this, um, truck?” Vincent Romero asked. He stood with his hands on his hips and wearing the DEA traditional uniform of a gray suit and black tie. His dark hair was sprinkled with gray around his temples and slicked back with some gel.
”This is ol' Bessie. She's the county's one and only utility repair truck. I borrowed her from my cousin's, brother-in-law's, son's best friend,” John told him as if that was common. What wasn't common was the way he was adjusting his sweatpants and pulling at the t-s.h.i.+rt he was wearing. ”Do I really have to wear this getup?”
”Yes, John. You don't wear suspenders to work out in. Come on. You know what to do. Give us forty-five minutes until you head to the gym. Let these guys finish wiring you up.” Cade stepped back as one of the agents explained to John the hidden video in the sweatband he positioned on John's head.
”Are you ready, Austin? Do you have any questions?” Romero asked Austin, who looked more comfortable in his baggy athletic shorts and KHS football s.h.i.+rt.
”So, Miss Hill isn't a guidance counselor at all? She's actually a DEA agent?” Austin scratched his head and stared disbelievingly at Annie.
”That's right,” Annie answered.
”That's cool. Do you have a gun?”
”Yes, but I've found most everyone in Keeneston has a gun.”
”True. My mom has a .38. I guess it's not so cool then.”
”Do you know what you're supposed to do?” Annie asked again. She feared working with kids. They tended to think they were on television instead of in real life. As a result, they could get hurt.
”Yup.” The tech gave him a KHS sweatband and waited for him to put it on.
”There are two cameras in yours: one in the H and one hidden in the logo on the back. You don't have to watch him to get video, so just do everything naturally and forget the cameras are even there,” the tech explained.
”Austin, you need to give John about ten minutes to get used to the area before you go in. We'll be right outside.”
”No problem. I owe my team this.” Austin climbed into his mom's minivan and flipped open his cell phone to waste time while he waited.
”Okay, let's do this,” Romero called out. Techs gathered equipment and hopped into black government- issued cars as John pulled at his sweatpants again.
Annie, Cade, Romero and an agent introduced as Jones, hesitantly climbed into the back of the utility truck and took off for the gym. Annie tried to appear confident, but it was hard when her whole case was resting on a senior citizen and a teenager.
The truck was silent. Everyone was holding their breath as they watched John walk into the Keeneston Iron Club and Spa. The video was up, and they looked at the television monitor as they listened to the audio through headphones.
John walked into the club and asked for a tour and the free week's pa.s.s that was promoted for potential members. He was shown around by a perky blonde in tight black spandex pants and an equally tight, white tank top. By the end of the tour, Annie hadn't seen much but the a.s.s of the perky blonde, but at least John remembered to stop at the machines that faced the free weight area.
John thanked the girl and settled down on one of the machines. On cue, Austin sauntered in, shot the same perky blonde a thumbs up, and headed to the locker room. He dumped his things in a locker and headed for the free weights. It only took a minute for Devon Ross to appear. They picked him up first on John's feed as he not so casually made a beeline for Austin, who was doing bicep curls in front of a mirror.
”Long time, no see. How are you?” Devon asked as he shot a glance to the large two-way mirror on the second floor to where Cade said Trevor Gaylen had an office.
”I was grounded, dude. Totally sucked.” Austin changed arms and continued to work out.
”Did your parents find your stash?”
”h.e.l.l no. I didn't come home on time. I was too busy with this hot blonde if you know what I mean. The 'rents totally freaked. But, since I couldn't get to the gym, I couldn't replenish. I'm running on empty, and I have the semi-finals next week. I need to catch up on my supplements.” Annie was relieved when Austin heaved the weight back on the rack and grabbed another one.
Austin didn't look at Devon, but he didn't avoid him either. They were just two guys talking in the weight room. She had to give him credit, he was doing really well. Even John was doing his part. He moved to another machine slightly closer to the guys and attempted to work it while he casually kept his eyes straight ahead. When he moved machines, he turned his sweatband just enough to the side where Devon and Austin were in frame, but he was looking to the left of them so he wouldn't draw attention.
”Dude, this is harsh. I can't believe this is burning. I've gotten spoiled with the supplements. Here, spot me.” Austin tossed some weights on the bar and lay down on the bench. Devon stood over him and spotted him as he cranked out a set on the bench press.
”How many supplements do you need?” Devon asked as he helped put the bar back in place.
”Two weeks. I need enough to get me through the champions.h.i.+p game.”
”d.a.m.n right. State champs all the way. It'll be seven hundred.”
”No prob. Grandma sent some money for my college fund last week.”
”Okay. Meet me in the locker room in fifteen minutes.”
”Sure, dude. I got one more set here. Can you still spot?”
Annie wanted to cheer. He pulled it off so far, even asking him to stay around while he did another set. John got up and moved to another machine as Devon moved to talk to some other people working out. Romero gave a chuckle as the sounds of heavy breathing came across the audio. John was not enjoying himself. They all broke out into grins when John murmured something about needing some pie before he died.
Fifteen minutes later Austin made his way to the locker room. Devon was already there with a brown paper bag. Without talking, Austin unlocked his locker, got out a bag with money in it and tossed it to Devon.
”You got any needles in there? I'm running low on them too.” Austin opened the bag and looked in, giving the camera a good shot of the needles and two vials of S2.