The Murdered Football Player Ch. 02

"I can't wait to bust this guy for drug distribution." Ikea said. "He's a buddy of that bastard De-tec-tive Don. I can't wait to shove it in Loo-tenant Don's filthy face when I tell him I've arrested his buddy on drug charges."

"Yeah." Ferrell said. "Neither one of them have any idea what's about to hit 'em. We're gonna take a shit on your chief's reputation, too."

"Fuck him." Ikea said. "Won't be long before the SBI brings me on, and then we can really go to town on 'em. The Lord's Justice will flow like a river and wash away the iniquities of those sinful bastards."

"Hmmm, dog stopped barking, and I'm not hearing anything else." Ferrell said. "Wonder if the prick has gone to bed?..."

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"Coach, my name is Detective Cindy Ross with the Town & County Police. Your friend Don asked me to pick you up. The SBI has been following you." Cindy said as she drove a circuitous route through the streets of the Town.

"What's this all about?" the coach asked.

"He'll tell you when we get to our destination." Cindy said. "He thinks you may be in danger."

"From what?" Marshall asked, looking at the mirror to see if they were being followed. They weren't.

"I have no idea." Cindy said. "It is one of my Lieutenant's quirks and perks not to share information until he's ready. We'll both probably find out when we get there."

It was not long before they came to the backside of a strip mall on the west side of town. Cindy turned into the service alley behind the strip mall, which was pitch black with no lighting, and stopped in front of a door near the far end of the building.

"Here we are." Cindy said, getting out of the car. She took out a key and unlocked the metal door, ushering Coach Marshall inside. They went through a dimly lighted weight room and emerged in the darkened large gym area. They were in Town Fitness Centers.

"I co-own this place." Cindy said, leading Coach Marshall to the stairs accessing the offices on the second floor. "The SBI may be watching out front, but I have the keys to the back door, of course."

She led the way upstairs to a darkened office and extended her hand, indicating that Marshall was to go inside. He could not see inside, but stepped over the threshold.

"Trigon rules the Night!"

The voice was mine. I snapped on the lamp.

"Don!" Coach Marshall said. "What's going on?"

"Thank you for trusting me and my fellow Detective." I said. "Have a seat, please. Cindy, get your hardbody butt in here, too."

Marshall took his seat on the couch on the side wall. I was in a matching chair at a right angle to him. Cindy sat in a chair next to the door.

"Coach, we don't have a lot of time, and you need some sleep." I said. "First let me ask, how do you like your current job and this team?"

"Funny," Marshall said, "I was just thinking about that when your messenger bumped into me and put the note in my pocket. That was a neat trick, by the way. But to answer your question: I'm miserable here, and it hasn't worked out. Coach Harlan is not the man of integrity that Coach Richmond is at your school."

Marshall added, looking wistfully ahead. "We never did get our house sold after I took this job. My wife left and took the kids back to that house in our old town. The guy that owns the house I'm renting, he refuses to take rent, and some alumnus is paying the rent, so I could walk away any time.

"I called Coach Richmond, and he said he hasn't filled my old slot there, and he'll have me back... but I'm contractually obligated to stay here at least through this season. I'm going to follow my wife back home as soon as this season is over... but maybe even sooner if things keep going the way they are."

"How's that?" I asked.

"Harlan was very upset that I knew you when I broke up your talk with Tony." Marshall said. "And since then he's really given me the cold shoulder. It's just a weird vibe, you know what I mean?"

"I sure do." I said. "And you're right to have that vibe. Were you interviewed by the SBI?"

"Yeah, and boy! was that weird!" Marshall exclaimed. "This guy Ferrell, he's a real fucking asshole-- oh, excuse my language, but he is a jerk-- he was asking me about PEDs and if I had distributed them. Not a thing about Jackson, just about drugs. I find out later that no other coaches were asked about PEDs at all."

I looked meaningfully over at Cindy, who acknowledged my look right back, then I turned to the coach and said "You're right about Agent Ferrell. He is with the SBI's Narcotics Task Force. He is one of the biggest assholes I have ever met, and don't excuse my language: it fits. I have watched police officers have to put a gun to that man's head, and an FBI agent beat the living shit out of Ferrell right in front of me. He is that much of a prick."

I continued. "Let me explain from the beginning: several months ago, I found out that a young man, my nephew Ned who has turned into a murdering psychopath, was supplying PED's to some of the football team's students. That's a long story for later, but Ned was interdicted and moved on. I've more recently learned that Coach Gonzales has become the supplier of PEDs to the football players that choose to use them."

"Jesus Christ." said Marshall. "I had no idea."

"I know, which is why I'm talking to you about it now." I said. "Jeff Jackson's death has the potential to bring unwanted scrutiny upon the University and its football program. Now I don't want anything to happen to the University; hell, my wife is a professor here and I know the School is the lifeblood of this really great Town, but all this stuff swirling around could cause something to come out that a great many politicians, wealthy alumni, and others don't want to have happen."

"The problem is, Coach..." I said, "I believe that if something comes out, if the shit hits the fan, then Coach Harlan and "Speedy" Gonzales are going to put the blame on you. They and Agent Ferrell are laying the groundwork right now to make you the sole scapegoat of anything that comes out, especially related to the PEDs."

"Oh my God." Marshall said. "What should I do? Resign now?"

"They'll use that to make it seem even more that you're guilty and that you're resigning to weasel out of blame." I said. "No, but I have an idea, Coach... if you're willing to do a couple of things to help me..."

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As we wrapped up our conversation, my cell phone rang. It was Tanya Perlman. "I'll be there in half an hour." I said. "Okay guys, let's head out." We went out through the same back door Cindy and Marshall and entered through. There were other cars in sight.

"Cindy, drive that undercover car back home. I'll pick you up in the morning at your place. Thanks for all your work tonight."

"No problem." Cindy said. After she'd backed out and left, the tail end of my police SUV could be seen at the corner of the building. Marshall and I headed to it.

"Okay, Coach," I said, "sit in the backseat, and you might have to lay down for a few minutes."

I headed around the side of Town Fitness Centers, which wasn't really a road, seeing the fire escape above me that led to the exit door next to Melina's office. Pulling into the parking lot, I saw what I expected to see: across the road was a black car, attempting to be hidden in the grass by a gravel inlet drive.

I drove to the edge of the parking lot, then turned on my blue lights and the bright searchlight attached to the driver's door. I shined the searchlight right at the car, seeing two men squint as the light hit their eyes.

As I pulled out onto the road, I shouted, "Have a good night, SBI!" Then I shut off all the lights and drove down the road towards Town.

"Are you always this confrontational?" Coach Marshall said as he lay across the back seat of the SUV.

"Ah, you wouldn't have it any other way, Coach." I replied with a grin.

Part 12 - Fall of the Cards

"I think they were SBI, but at the same time they knew exactly what to do in that situation." Tanya said. "That was a very good, professional driver." Tanya said. Pete and Tanya were sitting in my office at Headquarters, and it looked as cramped as it felt.

"I'd tend to agree that they were SBI, except that the SBI doesn't have a combat driver's course nor special training for their agents." I said. "Meanwhile, one of their cars was watching Town Fitness Centers, and I lit them up with my searchlight a little while ago. They're watching us... very closely."

"Why?" asked Feeley.

"Tanya?" I asked.

"Obviously they're making damn sure we're not doing anything related to the Jackson death." Tanya said. "But what an expense of manpower."

"Exactly. Very good!" I said. As Pete and Tanya both looked at me inquiringly, I explained: "What they're doing is that they'll charge surveillance of us to the Jackson case and say it's their investigation of it. Actually not a bad way to cover up that they're not doing a damn thing on this case. So, Tanya, tell me about these University lab results."

"Same drugs we found... but a bit higher level than we found. Certainly well within acceptable ranges of difference, but those prescription drugs are there. Besides Viagra and the heart rate medication, the third drug is some kind of booster: not really a performance-enhancer, it's stronger, almost like one of those drugs that horse racers use illegally to 'juice' their horses during races."

"Hmmm, interesting." I said. "Okay you guys, watch this." I picked up the phone and called the copy room of the local paper, the Town & County Examiner.

"Hi Julie, this is Walter with KXTC." I said, making my voice sound "light" as if I were a gay man. I'd done this before with this person named Julie; she believed I worked with the TV station. "Just wondering what your morning lead is going to be.... oh my gosh, you are so kidding me... for real?... they know that already... I'll have to get with my boss and make sure we get that... thank you so much, Julie."

"Won't she know who's calling?" Tanya asked.

"It'll say 'Blocked'." I said. "And KXTC phones say the same thing; they block their numbers as well.

"Why did you do that?" Pete Feeley asked.

"To learn what I just learned: the Examiner is going to run the story tomorrow morning that the SBI Crime Lab found no drugs in their samples of Jeff Jackson's blood." Tanya looked shocked, while Pete seemed to just absorb the information.

I said. "Okay guys, you two go home and get some sleep or fuck your brains out--" I noticed Tanya and Pete glance at each other. "Oh, never mind, you've already been fucking your brains out. Get out of my office. See you in the morning." Tanya was giggling and Pete's face was crimson with blushing as they left.

I smiled broadly. Everything was going to be just fine...

To be continued...