by Impulsive
He set her down and eased his grip, but didn't release her completely. "Okay, but no more flirting with other guys, either. It drives me nuts."
Jess wrinkled her nose at him. "A short drive, evidently. And no matter what you say, I was not flirting. I was simply being friendly."
"Then quit being so frigging friendly," he grumbled irritably. "Go back to being your usual cantankerous self. Damn! I've created a monster!"
Despite losing the game, despite Ty's seemingly irrational temper tantrum, Jess was absurdly happy. She'd figured it out. Ty was jealous, which meant he really did care for her. He wasn't merely mouthing the words and stringing her along.
Still, wanting another female to verify her opinion, Jess went to visit Corey. But Corey had her own problem, one much more pressing than Jess's love life. It was Gabe. He wasn't recovering from the flu—or what they had thought was the flu. In fact, he was steadily getting worse.
"What does the team doctor say?" Jess inquired.
Corey shook her head. "He still claims it's some sort of stomach virus, or maybe a touch of food poisoning, but I'm not so sure. In fact, I'm starting to wonder if Johnson got his degree out of a box of Cracker Jacks. He doesn't seem awfully knowledgeable to me."
"Have you consulted another doctor?"
"Gabe finally agreed, and we set up an appointment for Friday. It's the soonest we could get in, and we're lucky to get that. Not many doctors are taking new patients these days. Meanwhile, Gabe is determined that he's going to play in the game next Sunday, so sick or not, he's out there practicing as usual. I tell you, Jess, I'm worried. He's as weak as a kitten and has absolutely no appetite, which I can understand with all the stomach problems he's having. But, if this doesn't clear up soon, they're going to end up carting him off that darned field on a stretcher."
"Maybe this new doctor will find out what's wrong," Jess told her. "God knows, anyone would be better than Johnson."
By Friday even Jess could tell that Gabe's skin had taken on a gray cast. His eyes were puffy and ringed with dark circles, and he was dragging around with his energy level at rock bottom. In short, he looked like warmed-over death.
That afternoon, Ty and Jess drove to Indianapolis to pick up Josh, as it was his weekend to stay with his father. They arrived back at Ty's around six o'clock and were trying to decide what to do about supper when Corey phoned.
"They've admitted Gabe to the hospital," she declared tensely. "The doctor wants to run a whole series of tests."
"Do you want me to come keep you company?" Jess offered. With Josh in town, she wouldn't be staying the night with Ty anyway.
"No, most of my time will probably be tied up with Gabe and the doctors. I've already called and cancelled my photo shoot for the first of the week, which thoroughly pissed my company, but at this point I really couldn't give a rat's butt. Gabe comes first, and to hell with everything else. I've also notified Coach Danvers."
"Is there anyone else you'd like me to call for you? Or anything at all Ty or I can do?"
"Not that I can think of," Corey said. "Not right now, at any rate."
"Okay, but if you need anything, let us know. And keep us posted on those tests. What is the doctor looking for, anyway?"
"At this point, he's not sure, but he mentioned toxins more than once. Listen, I've got to go. Gabe is the world's worst patient, and I have to run interference for the nurses. I'll call later, when we know more."
They decided to pay Gabe a short visit that evening, in spite of the fact that there was no further news as yet. Jess took Josh to the hospital snack shop and treated him to an ice cream sundae while Ty ran a bouquet of flowers up to Gabe. Then Ty sat with Josh while Jess dashed up with a get-well card, a book of crossword puzzles, and two newly released paperback novels.
On the way home, Ty said, "I've never seen Gabe like this before. It's as if someone has sucked all the energy out of him."
"I know," Jess agreed. "He's usually running circles around everyone else."
"He's putting up a good front, but it doesn't wash, does it?"
Jess shook her head. "No, and Corey is worried half out of her mind, no matter what she says in front of Gabe."
"Is Uncle Gabe gonna be okay?" Josh piped up from the back seat.
"We hope so, tiger," Ty told him. "The doctors are trying to find out what's wrong and fix it, so he'll get better again. But when you say your bedtime prayers, you might ask God to give Uncle Gabe some extra special attention while he's sick."
On Sunday, the Knights hosted the Eagles and by sheer dint of determination pulled off a three-point win, thanks in large part to Jess's unerring aim. More than ever, she was being touted as a phenomenon, not merely for being the first female pro football kicker, but for possessing a kicking ability that only came along once in a blue moon. The two together made her quite a sensation, and the latest media darling. On the other hand, everyone was watching and wondering how long her prevailing streak would last.
"That's the way it goes. When you're on top, it's not good enough that you've earned the right to be there. Along with the congratulations, everyone's waiting for you to take a fall," Ty explained. "In fact, they're anticipating it, even while they're singing your praises."
"I just wish they'd all shut up and pick on somebody else for a while," Jess complained. "I don't want or need all the attention."
"But, Jess, you kick so good," Josh told her with childish admiration. "You might even get in the Hall of Frame."
Ty chuckled. "Yeah, not to mention the Hall of Fame."
"I'll leave that honor to you two," she said. "After all, I only signed up to finish out this season, and then I'm back to my old job again. Compared to this, being an investigative reporter is a breeze."
When the phone rang early Monday morning, they let the answering machine catch it, thinking it was probably another reporter. Corey, her voice shrill and anxious, came over the line. "Ty? Jess? Please pick up! I need you!"
Ty grabbed for the receiver. "Corey? What is it?" A second's pause, and he exclaimed, "What in the hell are they doing there?" Then, "Okay. Hang tight. We're on the way."
He hung up, amid Jess clamoring to know what was going on.
"As we speak, the police are searching Gabe's house for God knows what, and Corey's coming unglued."
Jess scrambled out of bed, making a beeline for the bathroom. "Did they have a search warrant?"
"I assume so."
"And she has no idea what they're looking for?"
"She asked, but they wouldn't tell her. From the sound of it, they're combing the entire house, and being none too timid about it."
Jess dragged a brush through her hair, gave her teeth and face the once-over, and yanked on the first pair of jeans and T-shirt she touched. Her shoes were still untied as she and Ty raced out the door. Fifteen minutes later they screeched to a halt in Corey's driveway, parking behind half a dozen police cruisers.
A distraught Corey greeted them at the door, flanked by a dour-looking detective. "Ty, do something!" she wailed. "They're ransacking my house!"
Indeed, the place looked as if a tornado had swept through it. Cupboards, cabinets, bookshelves—literally every drawer and closet in the house had been searched, without regard to neatness or replacing items which were disturbed in the process.
Ty frowned, waving a hand at the resultant mess. "Is this necessary?" he inquired of the man whose name tag read Detective Haggardy.
Rather than answering, the detective posed a question of his own. "Who are you?" Obviously, he was not a football or Knights aficionado.
"Ty James, a friend of the family. Corey called me, but it looks like she should have called her insurance adjuster instead."
"And you?" Haggardy glowered at Jess.
"Jess Myers, also a friend. By the way, do you have a search warrant, or did you simply barge in here illegally?"
The detective sneered and patted his pocket. "Right here. I already showed it to Mrs. Rome."
&
nbsp; At this point, another officer approached. "Nothing yet, sir," he informed his superior. "We've looked in every nook and cranny in the place. Garage, shed, basement, under the sink, in the pantry. We've got a whole stack of stuff tagged and ready for transport to the lab, but nothing looks promising."
"Go through it all again for anything you might have missed the first time around," Haggardy directed grimly. "Did you search both automobiles? What about the attic?"
"If you'd just tell me what it is you're looking for, I might be able to help," Corey suggested tearfully. "At least tell me who sent you."
"The judge did when he signed the search warrant," Haggardy said. He relented slightly. "I think this whole thing was started by some doctor. That's all I can say."
Jess mulled the information over a moment, then asked, "Is Mrs. Rome being charged with something? Should she contact her attorney?"
"That might not be a bad idea," Haggardy admitted.
"Does this have something to do with Gabe?" Ty inquired. "Is it something he's supposed to have done? Or, since you mentioned a doctor, is it connected with his illness in some way?"
Haggardy stood firm. "I'm not at liberty to divulge that information."
"Who is?" Jess pressed.
"Mrs. Rome's attorney will be better able to determine that," was all Haggardy would say.
Thirty minutes later, having all but demolished the interior of the house, the police departed, taking with them several large boxes filled with assorted confiscated items. Corey gazed around her in stunned dismay. "My God, they even searched the chimney flue! There's soot all over, and they tracked it onto the carpet!"
Jess shook her head. "Lord, what a mess! And I'll give you ten to one they won't send in a cleaning crew, either."
"True, but on the bright side, they didn't haul Corey off in handcuffs," Ty pointed out.
"I expect that next," Corey added dismally. She sank to the floor amid a pile of books tossed from the bookcase and started to cry. "Why won't anyone tell me what's going on? What in heaven or hell is this all about?"
"Your attorney will get to the bottom of it, Corey," Jess assured her, kneeling down beside her. "It may just take a while to weave through all the red tape. Look, why don't you go visit Gabe, and get away from all this for a while? Ty can go with you, and I'll stay and start cleaning up if you'd like."
"I... I can't," Corey sobbed. "Gabe's got enough to worry about without me adding this to his plate. He'll only get upset, and that can't be good for him."
"On the other hand, maybe Gabe knows more at this point than we do," Ty proposed thoughtfully. "Why don't we go find out? Jess, are you sure you don't want to come along?"
"No. I've got my own agenda. First, I'm going to run back to my place and grab the video camera and some film. Then I'm going to photograph every room in this house, so Corey's lawyer can see what a shambles the police made of it. That way, she might at least get reimbursed for any expense incurred to set things to rights again, like shampooing the carpets for instance. Then I'm going to attempt to forge a path, so she can get to the bedroom and bathroom without breaking her neck. You could be a sweetheart and bring back some sandwiches for lunch. I think I'm going to work up quite a hunger."
Three hours later, and no sandwiches in sight, Jess was foraging through Corey's refrigerator when Ty called. "I've got good news and bad news," he began. "The good news is that we finally figured out, via Gabe and the lawyer, why the police searched the house. The bad news is they—the doctors and police, not Gabe—suspect Corey of poisoning Gabe."
"Corey? Oh, that's asinine!" Jess exploded. "She worships the ground he walks on!"
"That's what Gabe told them, but they insist he's being poisoned. They just don't know how, or if it's deliberate or by chance, so they're covering all their bases, so to speak."
Jess eyed the lettuce she'd pulled from the fridge, and promptly replaced it. "Did they say what kind of poison?"
"They're pretty sure it's arsenic."
"Arsenic?" she repeated stupidly. "I didn't think that stuff was around anymore. At least not in the common household, like it was in the old days."
"As I understand it, it's not as prevalent, or as easy to come by. But it is still around, predominantly in pesticides and the like, though not in any large quantities."
"And they think he's been consuming it?"
"That, or absorbing it through his skin somehow. They fairly much ruled out breathing it in, or Corey would likely be sick as well. As a matter of fact, they're running some tests on her, too. She and her attorney are down in the hospital lab right now."
"Is that wise?" Jess asked. "I mean, it's one thing to cooperate with the authorities when you're the victim, but when you stand to be accused of a crime, even if you're one hundred percent innocent, isn't that sticking your neck out? Our court system is not infallible, after all, and innocent people are sometimes convicted, while real criminals walk free."
"You don't have to convince me," Ty told her. "But after consulting with Corey and Gabe, her lawyer advised her to go ahead with it. It's just one small step toward eliminating Corey as the perpetrator."
"So that's why they took all those cleaners and odd bottles and cans from the house and garage," Jess mused. "They're looking for anything containing traces of arsenic. Anything from bug spray to baking soda."
"Yeah, talk about shades of Arsenic and Old Lace, huh?" he said, alluding to the movie starring Cary Grant and Boris Karloff.
"So what's the prognosis for Gabe's recovery?" Jess inquired. "Is there an antidote or something? Is he going to fully recuperate?"
"They think so. He'll be hospitalized for a week or so, while they flush out his system, but after that their main concern is that he not ingest any more of it once he's home again. You don't necessarily have to get it in one large dose. It can build up in your body bit by bit and kill you."
Jess grimaced. "A lovely thought. Okay, so for now Gabe is out of danger?"
"Yes."
"And they're allowing Corey in to see him?"
"Only at Gabe's insistence."
"Good for him. And her. Tell them I'm rooting for them, and I'll be up to visit with him soon, if that's permitted."
"Will do. We'll see you soon. I'd guess about another hour should do it. Do you still want that sandwich?"
"Forget it. I've lost my appetite."
CHAPTER 21
By the time Ty and Corey got back, Jess had made decent headway through the house. Everything was off the floor and approximately where it had been before the police had rifled through it. Corey could readjust things to their proper places later, but for now she wouldn't have to trip over anything.
Corey was appreciative, but still very distracted and distraught, which was to be expected. "At least Gabe is on my side," she sighed. "He knows I'd never do anything to harm him. Doesn't anyone understand that I'd give my life for that man?"
"We do," Jess told her sincerely. "And anyone who really knows you surely feels the same."
"Which brings us back to square one," Ty concluded. "Where in blue blazes has Gabe come into contact with arsenic? Since Corey tested negative, it probably isn't in anything around here, unless it's something Gabe has sprayed for weeds or bugs."
"And then the police will automatically assume I've been slipping it into his taco sauce," Corey added on a bitter note.
"More than ever, I feel like a jinx," Jess confessed. "Ever since I've come on the scene, awful things have been happening to people I know. First Ervin, then Allen, and now poor Gabe. Even Dino broke his collarbone. I'm beginning to think someone is deliberately targeting anyone I come into contact with, and if that's the case, I ought to stop hanging around Ty and Josh so much, before some disaster strikes either of them."
"Now you're being silly, Jess," Ty told her with a frown. "And your theory has a few holes in it, too. If—and I stress the word 'if—someone was trying to hurt you in some way by causing calamities to befall people you know, what's
the deal with Ervin? You hadn't said three words to the guy before you suspected him of giving away our signals. You barely know Brice, and he got tagged for DWI. You and the Tanners are cordial enough, but not bosom buddies, and it's not as if Sir Loin is your best pal. Furthermore, nothing has happened to me or anyone connected with you outside the team."
Here he paused, as another possibility occurred to him. It hit Jess at the same time. "The team!" they cried in tandem.
"Of course," Corey concurred, her eyes wide. "Why didn't we think of it sooner?"
"Because we weren't looking at the whole picture," Ty figured. "Most likely, we're still not seeing it all. For instance, why would anyone target members of the team? For what purpose?"
Jess shrugged. "To make us lose games?"
Ty shook his head. "It's got to be more than that. We're just starting out, for pity sake. It's not all that likely that in our first season we'd end up knocking anyone out of the running for the Super Bowl. So where's the big threat?"
"Bookies?" Jess hazarded. "Point spreads?"
"Maybe, but I've got a feeling it's more than that," Ty concluded.
"Well, whatever the reason, and whoever is at fault, one thing is clear. All these 'accidents' and 'incidents' haven't been accidents after all. Someone is out for blood."
Ty nodded. "And completely without conscience, it seems. He doesn't just wound, he kills, too."
"Let's back up a bit," Jess suggested, "and put things into better perspective. Suppose someone is out to destroy the team and/or its members. We don't know who or what his motive might be." She began listing the incidents on her fingers. "One, Dino's mishap could be your run-of-the-mill football injury, but Alan's sure as heck wasn't, and neither is Gabe's. In that light, perhaps Ervin didn't hang himself out of remorse or fear of incarceration. Maybe someone did the deed for him."
