Lane looked at him, “How do you know all of this? You were in high school in the early nineties.”
Ben chuckled. “Well, I did go to law school. We studied it and both Tanner and I thought about it when Jamie found Justin earlier this week, so I looked it up again. By the way, has anyone heard form Jake or Joey or Pauli today? I know the noodles will keep, I just wondered how many we’d have for lunch.”
Jamie had come into the kitchen as Ben asked about the rest of the family. “I can text Jake and see what he’s up to today. When will we eat?” He grinned and tried to disguise his hunger. “He’ll want to know.”
The stock was boiling and Ben had begun to add the noodles. “Half an hour tops.” Ben replied.
Lane looked at Jamie, “If Jake’s coming, set the dining room table. And be sure to find out if he’s bringing Meg.” She leaned into the hearth room, “Jess, call either Joey or Paul and see if they’re coming for lunch. It’ll be ready in half an hour.”
“Joey and Pauli are on their way.” Jess said a few minutes later as she entered the kitchen followed by Gabe.
Ben looked at his wife, “What do you have with turkey and noodles? Do we need a vegetable, a salad?”
Lane smiled, “I’ll take care of it.” She pulled a bag of frozen corn from the freezer and got a microwave safe bowl. “I’ll have cottage cheese of course. We’ll want bread and butter. Do the Bellini brothers need salad?”
Ben laughed, “No, I’m sure they’ll be fine with what we have and if they aren’t, they can go buy lunch somewhere.”
“What can I do?” Gabe asked.
Jess shook her head and as Lane sent Gabe to help Jamie with the dining room table, she got a basket for the bread. Gabe was far too caught up in being a part of her family. She didn’t object, but she did find it tremendously amusing.
A few minutes after the phone call to Jake and Parker House, Joey and Pauli came into the house through the garage. Jake, Meg, and Abbey soon followed them and after Gabe took drink orders, everyone sat down to a leisurely lunch. Friday was Jess’s turn for grace and she quickly rattled off the standard Catholic blessing. It was nearing 12:30 when they sat down to eat, and Jamie had to be at school at two o’clock.
Lane wondered whether Jamie was nervous about the game. She smiled inwardly; her three children were so different from one another. She never had to guess about what Jake was feeling; he had always telegraphed his feelings in advance. While both Jess and Jamie played their cards closer to the vest, Lane could usually tell when Jess was nervous about a role in a play or before a performance. Her youngest child had always been much more difficult to read. She wondered now if it could be genetic; Ben was often difficult to get a read on as well. Gabe broke the silence bringing Lane out of her reverie.
“Jamie, are you nervous about the game tonight? I used to get butterflies the size of pterodactyls before a concert.”
Jess looked at him; she couldn’t imagine Gabe Greer being nervous over anything.
Jamie smiled at Gabe and looked around the table as he spoke, “I wouldn’t say I’m nervous about the game. Of course, I want to win, but I don’t have a college scholarship riding on the outcome like a couple of the other guys do.”
What is that saying, from the mouths of babes? Ben looked at his son and suddenly the pieces had fallen into place. Lucas Evans was a scholarship student at Rockhurst, and perhaps he had a college scholarship riding on his performance in the state championship game. Lucas was a senior; Justin was a junior. Unless the Hawkettes were up by several touchdowns, chances were, Lucas wouldn’t even get any time on the field, let alone have a chance to shine as long as Justin was in the picture. Perhaps Lucas’s family was relying on a scholarship that depended on his performance in the game. Ben stood and excused himself from the table. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Roy Tanner as he walked to his office.
“Tanner.”
“Jamie just said something that bears looking into.” He repeated what Jamie had said about a scholarship hanging on the outcome of the game today. “Duncan showed Jamie pictures of the Evans family, Lucas’s parents and sister along with a look-a-like for each of them. Lucas is a scholarship student so it wouldn’t be much of a reach to conclude that he’ll need a scholarship for college too. Maybe one or both of his parents mean to ensure Lucas gets time on the field tonight.”
“I’ll talk to Duncan, and see what else I can find out. Regardless though, unless there’s been an arrest, before the team leaves, I’m still following the bus.”
Ben chuckled. “I’d expect nothing less. But if we can prove out this theory, then we know Jamie should be safe, he has no say in who plays in the game today.”
“I’ll call you if I find out anything. In any case, I imagine I’ll see you at school in a few.”
Ben checked his watch. Most guys these days didn’t wear a watch, relying on their cell phone for the time, but Ben always wore a watch. Today he was wearing his favorite casual watch, a stainless steel, and ceramic Fendi he’d gotten in Rome last summer. It was nearing one o’clock.
“We’re in the middle of lunch, and I’d better get back to the table, but we’ll leave the house between 1:30 and 1:45 to drop Jamie. I’ll see you then.”
Ben stopped in the kitchen before joining his family in the dining room. He carried a pie in each hand as he approached the table, “Who’s ready for dessert?” He asked as he placed the pies on the table.
Jamie stood. “I’ll get dessert plates and forks.” He said as he left the table.
After Lunch, Jamie packed his bag for the overnight stay in St. Louis and put it by the door to the garage so that someone would be sure to load it with the rest of the family’s luggage when they left for the airport.
Chapter 26
Jamie was still a little steamed that Tanner was going to follow the bus to St. Louis, but Ben had made it very clear. Either Tanner followed the bus or Jamie wasn’t on it. This would be Jamie’s last high school football game and there was no way he was going to miss it. Not that he’d have missed the game, he knew Ben would have called in any favor necessary in order to ensure Jamie was safe, and if that meant convincing someone that Jamie, or the whole team for that matter, would fly to St. Louis with his family then that’s what Ben would have done.
Ben pulled into the parking lot and he, his wife, and his son all got out of the SUV. He’d parked next to Tanner and as Lane stood talking with Jamie, Ben walked toward his investigator.
They nodded at each other in typical male fashion.
“I’ve gone over every inch of the bus. It’s clean.” Tanner smiled and nodded toward the bus. “And, I called in a favor. The regular driver has suddenly come down with a bad case of the flu and they have a substitute. He’s a friend, also retired from the force.”
Ben nodded, “Have you talked to Duncan. I get the impression he’d rather have a root canal without Novocain than talk to me.”
That solicited a hearty laugh from Roy Tanner. “It’s not personal. He went through an ugly divorce a while back. He’s hated all lawyers ever since, but he seems to be fine with ex-cops. Yeah, I talked to him.” He inclined his head slightly toward a group of the players who were about to board the bus. “They’re sure it was someone in the Evans family, but they don’t have enough to narrow it down to an individual, let alone get a warrant. You know how it is, they’ve sent some trace evidence to the lab, but it’s not like the movies. Nothing’s back yet. They’re going to see how things play out this evening. He’s given a heads up to the St. Louis PD.”
Ben smiled as he watched his wife walk toward him. “Hey, Red.” He put his left arm around her waist and bent to kiss her cheek.