After tossing and turning all night with dreams of being chased by a
shadow, Leah woke up with a determination to get some answers. The
police didn’t seem to be taking Jason’s murder seriously, but
someone should.
Throwing on her running shoes, the plan was simple. Go for a
leisurely jog around Bright Horizons and sneak into the building to
snoop around Jason’s office. She continued to roll the idea around
in her mind as she jogged, preparing for unforeseen circumstances.
After being dismissed by Mrs. Turner, Leah wanted answers, and this
was as good a plan as any to get them.
What she did not count on was Coach Turner sitting on a bench in
front of the Bright Horizons building. Slowing her gait, she debated
running past him. Maybe he wouldn’t notice her.
The man’s eyes looked up as she approached and he smiled brightly.
“Leah? Is that you?”
She nodded as her heart sank. “Hi, Mr. Turner. What are you doing
out here?”
With a large shrug, the man looked forward, but didn’t seem to be
registering what he was seeing. “I was just thinking about life and
how incredibly unexpected it is.” He slid over a bit and patted the
bench next to him. “Here, come, sit.”
Leah grudgingly obliged. She didn’t know the university coach well,
but something about his demeanor indicated that he needed an ear.
“How are you feeling?”
Unconsciously rubbing the back of her head, Leah chuckled. “I’m
doing fine, thank you.”
“Jason was an idiot for not marrying you. I told him that too.”
She blushed with embarrassment. “Well, thank you for the vote of
confidence.”
“He was a stubborn man, that’s what made him a success,” the
coach began. She could see him pulling inward. “Jason was the best
ball player I coached, and likable.” He let out a whoosh of air.
“He had a way of charming people into giving him what he wanted.”
Coach gave Leah a wink. “Of course, I don’t need to tell you that
now, do I?”
“No, sir,” she agreed slowly, wondering how to tactfully extract
herself from the conversation.
“Out of everyone on the team, Jason was the most successful. Knew
how to play his cards right. Not that you would understand the
politics of university coaching, Leah, but Jason had a gift.” He
gave her a sympathetic smile before continuing. “It is a big
responsibility to coach, to carry the weight of a school’s
reputation squarely on your shoulders. Not a lot of people understand
that.” He patted her hand lightly. “You have to earn respect and
trust. People have to love you, believe in you.”
Leah sat in the silence, unsure as to whether she should say
something or not. “I can see that,” she finally offered.
He continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “Being married to the
mayor’s sister does have its advantages, but my first
responsibility is to my players. I found it best to ignore what
everyone else told me to do and trust my gut.”
“That is always a good plan.” She spotted a family coming out of
Bright Horizons. The boy looked familiar. With a small stomach flip,
she realized it was Calvin’s little boy. He looked just like his
daddy.
It had never occurred to Leah to ask Calvin about his past
relationships. Was this the little boy’s mother? She watched the
weary-looking woman referee the two children.
“Fine, I’ll settle this now,” the woman said with a chuckle.
“No one will be watching TV until after dinner. Now Tyler, stop
picking on your sister.”
That got Leah’s attention. Calvin had never mentioned a daughter
before. Come to think of it, Calvin never really talked about his
life.
“Mommy” The little girl stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.
Her eyes were very serious. “Will Daddy be home for dinner
tonight?”
Leah’s heart clenched with sadness for the little girl. She knew
she should turn away, but could not bring herself to do it. Was
Calvin still married? A slow, sick churn developed in her stomach.
Sadness crossed the mother’s face, but was quickly replaced by
resignation. “I couldn’t tell you, Sweet Pea.” She cupped her
daughter’s chin. “We’ll just wait and see, okay?”
She watched the little family climb into their car, get safely
buckled in, and drive away, all while her mind was trying to conjure
up every conversation she had with Calvin. Was there something she
had missed? Some important piece of the puzzle to indicate he was
still married? The buzzing noise in her ear began to form words and
Leah realized that Coach Turner was still talking to her.
“It is time to pass the torch on to someone else,” he said
without realizing he had lost his audience. “To someone who will
teach the fundamentals, but also inspire the love and passion for the
game. Even after Jason graduated, he still held onto his passion.
That is what I am looking for in my predecessor.”
“Your what?” Leah finally caught up with the conversation.
“My predecessor, I’m retiring.” He nodded sadly. “It’s
being announced at the gala.”
* * *
Binoculars were slowly lowered, with a soft tsk. “Leah, what are
you doing here?” the voice whispered. A slight frown crossed the
face of the onlooker. Leah was going to be tricky. Why was she over
on this side of town? She had been dismissed. There was no need for
her to be here, unless…
Raising the binoculars, the observer noted the jogging shoes and
running attire worn by Leah. “Ah,” said the voice, “clever
ruse.” But thoughts swirled to the papers Leah almost found. The
papers were safely tucked away, never to see the light of day.
“Just leave it be, Leah,” the voice whispered. “Or else you
will find yourself buried next to your precious Jason.”
Traitor: that’s what Tatsu is now. On the run from both Runon and Chayd, Tatsu and Yudai’s only hope for survival is to disappear into the wilds. However, when the siphon’s deadly curse returns, they have no choice but to travel into the desert kingdom of Joesar in search of a cure.
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