Page 74 of Little Buried Secrets

“If we’re living in an age where I can’t do something as small as that and not have it turn into a problem, I’m not sure I want to coach anymore,” Warren said.

He seemed sincere, and I found myself wanting to believe him. Hugging a student had turned into somewhat of a gray area, an area that had changed a lot since I was in high school. In the gray, it was hard to see whether something like a hug was or wasn’t okay. All I had to go on were the words a young woman had shared with two of her closest friends. Words that, if true, meant that whether the hug given by Coach Warren was innocent or not, the fact remained that it made her uncomfortable.

A hug was a far cry, however, from raping a young woman and burying her in a shallow grave just outside of town. If Warren was guilty, I needed to prove how a hug had escalated to the point of murder, and why, which led me to question two.

“Let’s talk about the one-on-one session you had with Margot,” I said. “When did it take place?”

Warren gave the question some thought. “A couple of weeks after we lost the away game.”

“I was told you suggested the two of you have a private practice.”

He looked shocked.

“I have never offered to meet with my students alone,” he said. “I’ve already told you that I cleared it with Dr. Rae first. Ask her, she’ll tell you. I would also add that we weren’t alone during our practice session. There were students and members of the faculty coming in and out of the gym the entire time. Ask Barbie Leonard, the physical education teacher. She was around that afternoon.”

I jotted her name down and said, “Thanks, I will.”

“Why are you asking about the one-on-one session I had with Margot?”

“She said you pressed your body against hers during that practice. She also said you whispered instructions into her ear in a way that didn’t seem appropriate.”

He hung his head and went quiet.

“This is all a big misunderstanding,” Cass said. “My husband would never come onto a high school student, or anyone else. He’s a loving, devoted man. I have never had a single reason to doubt him.”

It was what I expected her to say, Cass standing up for her husband in the same way Donna had stood up for her son.

“I’m just telling you what I heard,” I said. “I’m not accusing Warren of anything. I’m just here, trying to have a candid conversation with you both.”

“Whether you are accusing him or you aren’t, you heard wrong,” Cass said. “Plain and simple.”

“Now, honey,” Warren said, “the detective’s just doing her job. She’s here trying to get justice for Margot and her family so they can move on. There’s no reason to get upset.”

“No reason to get upset?” Cass said. “How can you sit here, knowing this gossip is being spread about you by who knows how many people in this town and remain so calm?”

“I don’t think it’s being spread around,” I said.

“How would you know?” Cass asked. “All it takes is one rumor, one match to light the fire, and my husband could be out of a job.”

Warren patted his wife’s hand. “All right, all right. I hear you. I understand your concerns.”

“Do you? Because I don’t think you do!”

Cass shot up and raced down the hall, slamming the bedroom door behind her.

We exchanged glances, and I said, “If you want to go after her, I understand.”

“I appreciate it, and I will in a minute. Before I do, I feel like I should make a few things clear.”

“Go right ahead.”

“If I had any idea my behavior had made Margot uncomfortable, I would have done everything in my power to make it right. I never want one of my students to suffer over a misunderstanding when I could have cleared it up.”

“When Margot quit, didn’t you wonder why?” I asked.

“Of course I did. The day she came to my office and told me she no longer wanted to be on the team, I thought she was joking at first. When I realized she wasn’t, I asked why she was giving up after she’d come so far in such a short time. She said she didn’t want to talk about it, and then she thanked me for everything I’d done for her.”

“She thanked you?”

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