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I set the bowl back down, not wanting to over mix the batter.
“Drugs? The coach is making these kids do drugs?”
Jack clenched his jaw. That small movement told me everything I needed to know.
“What an asshole.”
“Well, that’s true, drug mule or not.”
I tested the batter with a dip of my finger.
“There’s raw egg in there,” Jack warned.
“I know,” I said unconcerned. “What’s with the party? What do you hope to learn?”
“Well, I can’t exactly show up unannounced and take a look around.”
I “hmmed” in understanding. “You’d need a warrant for that.”
He pointed a finger at me. “Bingo.”
“But I don’t.” I leaned against the counter as I contemplated my next words.
He crossed his arms, and I absolutely did not notice the way the gray shirt tightened around his muscled arms.
Eyes up, Rose.
“And how exactly do you think you are going to get into his house?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, let’s find a reason.” The baking pan in front of me gave me an idea. “I could deliver dessert for the party.” I nodded, working out the details in my head. “That’s it, I can bake something for the party and deliver it myself. I can snoop around, play detective and report back anything I find.”
Jack paced the living room. “Absolutely not. It might not be safe.”
I lifted a brow. “But it is safe for a bunch of teenage boys to be there?”
“Yes, because the coach doesn’t believe that one of his players would rat him out.
I remained firm. “I can help.”
Jack paced some more.
“Who’s the coach now?” I barely kept up with sports when I still lived in Haver’s Creek. And even then, it was just because of my proximity to Jack that I knew anything. I had no idea who coached the team now.
“Remember Ramstrom from school?”
“Ew, him?” I remembered him clearly. A grade above us, Ramstrom didn’t have much interaction with lower classmen, but he hit on me once at a football team after party Jack dragged me to. Luckily, Jack intervened without making it a big deal. But the guy was a full-on douchebag then. I couldn’t imagine what having power would do to his already healthy ego.
Coaching the Haver’s Creek football team had a level of cache among residents. He probably ate for free at many restaurants, or at least got a few drinks when he went out. That’s how things worked in small town America. Football provided a celebrity type status that just didn’t happen in bigger cities. I’d always found it strange.
“We just need to find a way to have someone order dessert from me.” I sprayed the baking pan so the batter wouldn’t stick.
Jack shook his head. “No, I don’t like it. Let’s think of other ideas.”
But I was determined. I didn’t like the idea of a trusted person, a coach, betraying his charges like that. It cut deep. Young people deserved stable, trusted adults in their lives.
I may not have had my parents to rely on, but I had Barb and thank goodness for her.
“I can say I need to arrange the desserts just so, and make sure he leaves me alone in the kitchen. Maybe I’ll ask to use the restroom and take a look at his medicine cabinet. Just dig around a little. Make up reasons to stay just a little longer.” I walked over to preheat the oven. I should have done so earlier, but Jack distracted me.
