~~~~~~~~~~
Jess looked up at Gabe. What was with him? Why did he want to wait on her family? He was possibly the only actor in Hollywood who hadn’t done time as a waiter while trying to be “discovered,” and yet he’d acted as a waiter several times over the last three days. Jess, her mother, and grandmother all shook their heads.
“Sit.” Jess said.
“Thanks,” he said as he sat next to Evie. “I just needed to get up and move around a little.” He smiled. “And I thought Jake and Meg could use a few minutes alone.” He had just started to comment that they must be getting close when the pilot announced that they were beginning their descent.
Chapter 28
A limo and driver met them at the airport and quickly loaded their luggage. After dropping the rest of the family at the stadium, Sal went with the limo to the hotel. Sal hadn’t originally planned to attend the game, so he had agreed to take care of checking in for everyone. The game was at 7:00 and the family probably wouldn’t make it back to the hotel until 10:00 at the earliest. Sal had called a friend and planned to meet him in the hotel bar for a drink and reminiscing.
Ben led his family into the stadium and ushered them to their seats. Once everyone was seated, he took food and drink orders. It had been a long time since lunch, and dinner wouldn’t be happening until after the game. Stadium food was better than no food and everyone ordered something to eat. No one was surprised when Gabe volunteered to go with Ben, but Jake knew carrying back food and drink orders for eleven people would require more than two sets of hands and he volunteered to go along too.
The lines at the concession stands were long, but not intolerable and the three men were soon back with the family and distributing hotdogs, nachos, popcorn and pretzels along with bottled water and sodas. There was still a good twenty minutes until the start of the game, meaning until the opposing teams entered the stadium, the National Anthem was sung, and the coin toss was executed. That meant it was even longer before any actual action took place.
Ben handed a tray with hotdogs and drinks to his father before giving a second tray to Lane. The Bellini twins, the Parker kids and their guests occupied the row behind Ben, Lane, Dante, Teadora, and Evie Parker, which made conversation somewhat easy before the game got under way. Lane smiled, knowing Gabe spoke Italian, the Bellinis conversed in English, talking easily about the game, the opposing team, and planning dinner after the game. In short, they talked about everything except the murder investigation and the danger that Jamie could be in that weighed heavily on everyone’s mind.
*****
The atmosphere in the locker room was crackling with teen-aged testosterone and loud, boisterous voices talking of the football game to come as though the playing of it was only a formality with the win a foregone conclusion. Jamie sat next to his friend Justin Harper who, although wearing his uniform, would only occupy a seat on a bench on the sidelines as the final football game of the season took place. It wasn’t right, but at least Justin was alive, out of the hospital, and able to suit up. Jamie glanced across the locker room at Lucas Evans. He thought back to his morning at the police station and wondered if Lucas’ family could really have had anything to do with what happened either to Justin or to the coach. He couldn’t get his head around the possibility and in just moments, it would be his job to keep Lucas safe on the field. He just wished the whole thing were over.
Coach Cooper had just told them to take a knee. It was a Catholic High School and it was common practice to pray before each of the games. Today would be no different, although Jamie was a bit surprised when Coach Cooper mentioned Coach Ferguson. It was a big game and it was going to be tough enough to keep their heads in the game without that. Jamie shook his head when Coach Cooper encouraged the team to go out there and win this one for Coach Ferguson. Immediately after Coach Cooper said Amen, the room erupted in pre-game hooping, hollering, and grunting.
Chapter 29
The crowd was on their feet as the team made its way on to the field. Both sides cheering loudly as the names, of the starting line-up, for their respective team came over the speakers. The Parker-Bellini contingent cheered loudly as the announcer said Jamie’s name and position. Lane waived even though she knew there was no way Jamie would be able to see her in the stands of this enormous stadium. Everyone remained standing for the national anthem and the game was quickly under way.
The opposing team won the coin toss and elected to take the offense. On the opposing team’s first possession, the Hawkette defense did its job and held the opposition well away from scoring so much as a field goal. The Hawkettes took possession of the ball on their 30-yard line and began their drive for a touchdown. On the first play, Lucas Evans threw the ball to Tyler Scott for a gain of five yards. On the next play, Lucas threw the ball to Jamie for another five-yard gain.
Lane’s knowledge of the intricacies of football was practically non-existent. She knew who had the ball, and that the purpose was to move the ball toward the goal; but how the downs worked and how many attempts a team could have was something she never quite understood. However, with Gabe doing a running commentary with the Bellini men, at least for this game, whether she wanted to know or not, she knew. The next play was another passing play that resulted in a gain of more than ten yards. The men in the family seemed to be quite impressed with the job Lucas Evans was doing.
On the fourth play, Lucas threw the ball to Tyler Scott who ran into the end zone for the touchdown. The kicker came out and the Hawkettes were ahead seven to nothing. The Hawkette fans went wild.
The opposing team answered with a failed attempt toward the goal. Braden Johnson intercepted the ball and ran all the way into the end zone for another Hawkette touchdown.
The game continued, and it seemed each time the Hawkettes scored, the opposing team answered with a score of their own. Late in the fourth quarter, with fewer than three minutes left, the Hawkettes were ahead by ten points and had the ball. Lucas Evans leaned back to pass, and an opposing team player pushed past Jamie to tackle Lucas. Even above the noise of the crowd, Jamie heard the crack as Lucas hit the ground. Lucas didn’t move and Coach Cooper and the team doctor went to the field. The game was delayed, as the Emergency Medical Technicians took the field and moved Lucas onto a stretcher. They loaded the stretcher onto a golf cart and then transferred Lucas into a waiting ambulance.
Jamie was on the sidelines now. Not only had the opposing player pushed past him to get to Lucas, the other team had managed to intercept the ball that Lucas was in the process of throwing when he was tackled.
Jamie watched as the clock ticked down. Even if the other team managed a touchdown, there was no way they could win. They couldn’t even tie, even if they went for a two-point conversion. But, this was the state championship and they weren’t going down without a fight. They managed the touchdown but missed the field goal and the clock ticked down as the coaches met in the middle of the field to shake hands before being escorted from the field.
The members of each team shook hands with the members of the opposing team as each side made its way toward the locker rooms. Jamie couldn’t help but wonder about Lucas Evans, there had been no announcement about his condition.