Page 687 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Warmth shot through her despite the cold.

“Where else could I spend a Friday night, sitting on cold bleachers in the pouring rain, watching a game that was over in the first half?”

“This is changing the subject, but were you able to find out anything about the man who threatened me?”

Sean cleared his throat, his eyes not meeting hers. “No, I’m sorry. I questioned everybody at the mill. No one knew a thing about it. I’m beginning to wonder if the incident wasn’t some sort of fluke.”

Sydney looked away so he wouldn’t see her disappointment. “If you find out anything, will you let me know?”

“I certainly will.” Sean looked past her. “Syd, do you know that woman who’s sitting in the middle section of the bleachers? She’s wearing a red sweater.”

Sydney turned to look. Her insides knotted when she saw Maurene and Walter. Surely they couldn’t be who Sean was referring to. A shiver ran up Sydney’s spine when Maurene’s eyes caught hers and held them for a moment. Maurene’s eyes had that same expression they had at Walter’s when Sydney saw her standing at the top of the stairs.

Sydney turned back around. “Who?”

“What do you meanwho? That bleached blonde with the beady eyes. Didn’t you see her staring at you?”

Sydney pulled her poncho tighter around her. “I don’t recognize her. There are hundreds of people sitting on the bleachers. She could’ve been looking past me to someone else. I was probably in her line of direction. That’s all.”

“You and I both know that woman was staring at you.”

Sydney threw up her hands. “What difference does it make?”

Sean’s eyes met hers, but this time she wasn’t going to offer him a thing. “Okay,” he finally said. “We’ll play this thing your way.”

They watched the game in silence. Kendall rotated his second offensive team players in and out during the last five minutes of the third quarter. Dover scored another touchdown, but not before Stoney Creek scored two more.

The rain turnedto drizzle at the start of the fourth quarter, and Kendall huddled with his first team. “I’m going to put you guys back in. Reggie has a shot at breaking the division record in pass completions, passing yardage, and touchdowns. Just don’t let up. That’s when you get hurt—when you’re goofing off. If any of you get tired, just pat your hand on the top of your helmet, and we’ll give you a break.”

“All right!” The team gave each other high fives. With only two minutes left in the game, Travis Riddle patted his helmet for the second string tackle to replace him.

A few seconds later,Sydney watched the unthinkable happen. Dover’s defensive linebacker blitzed past Stoney Creek’s substitute lineman. Reggie dropped back in the pocket andfound his receiver open. Oblivious to the charging linebacker to his left, he planted his feet to pass.

The crowd moaned in unison when Reggie hit the ground. A hush fell over the stadium. Reggie lay motionless on the field. A dull, sick feeling filled Sydney’s stomach as she watched Kendall and the other coaches run onto the field. Her first thought was for Jarilyn.

“The quarterback is hurt,” the voice boomed over the speakers. “Folks, this could be bad news for Stoney Creek. It looks like a shoulder injury. They’re carrying him off the field.”

“I’ve got to find Jarilyn,” Sydney said. She jumped up and started down the bleachers and then stopped dead in her tracks. Her mind couldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing. Kendall was running across the field toward Coach Howard. His face was furious, and Sydney thought could see the veins on the sides of his neck sticking out like ropes. When he stopped, Kendall’s face was only a fraction of an inch from Coach Howard’s, and it looked like Coach Howard was laughing at what Kendall was saying. Kendall struck the side of Coach Howard’s head. A second later all pandemonium broke loose when the players, followed by the crowd, exploded onto the field to join the brawl. Sydney stood and watched Kendall and Coach Howard exchange blows.

Sean came up behind Sydney, took her elbow and guided her down the bleachers as police officers ran onto the field. They watched one policeman escort Kendall off.

“Is he under arrest?” Sydney asked, not expecting an answer.

“I don’t know.” Sean’s voice was void of emotion. “Right now we need to find Jarilyn and make sure Reggie’s okay.”

“You’re right.”

Sean and Sydney reached the field the same time as Jarilyn. She looked like she could faint.

“Jarilyn, it’s going to be all right,” Sydney said. The words rang hollow in her ears as she put her arm around Jarilyn’s shoulder.

An ambulance pulled up to where Reggie was lying by the time Sean and Sydney got Jarilyn calmed down. “Are you all right baby?” Jarilyn patted Reggie’s face.

Reggie grimaced but didn’t open his eyes.

“Ma’am, he’s going to be all right,” the ambulance driver said.

Sydney looked up just in time to see Kendall jogging back onto the field toward them. A dark mark ran below his left eye and down his cheek.

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