Jim let out a long sigh. “Open it.”
A goon opened the door.
I told Carson to go first, and when I went to follow, Jim stepped in my way.
“Stupid move, putting yourself on the line for a loser like Wade.”
I didn’t say anything. He moved out of my way.
“Guess we’ll be seeing you around. You talk to those cops, you and your family will regret it.”
I stepped through the door and into the early-evening air. It felt cool and fresh.
Carson said, “Wade’s got a really nice uncle.”
“He’s not his real uncle, you know.”
“I know—just joking.”
We moved around to the front of the building and saw a police car with flashing lights. I wanted to go talk to them, maybe see Jim taken out in handcuffs. Then I remembered his threat. I fumbled for my keys and started the car.
“What are you going to tell your dad, Griff?”
“I don’t know. What about you?”
He shrugged.
“I think there’s someone else we need to talk to first.”
The next day, Wade was a no-show at school. That wasn’t going to stop us. When we got to Coach Brigman’s office, I could tell he wasn’t thrilled to see us. How could I blame him? Last time Carson and I had news, he had to drug-test his entire team, and everyone came back clean.
“What’s up, boys? Carson, I hope you’re on the path to recovery.”
“Coach, Carson has never done steroids.”
“I appreciate your perseverance—”
I cut him off, smiling. “But we know who does.”
“You need proof.”
Carson jumped in. “Wade’s been hazing people on the team. He’s selling and using steroids.”
“And he’s getting the drugs from this guy called Uncle Jim,” I said.
“I’m taking what you’re saying seriously, but can you back it up?”
I texted Tom, and within a few minutes he had joined us in the office. We took the coach to the outfield fence and showed him Wade’s secret stash.
Coach Brigman was speechless.
Chapter Twenty
Carson called me repeatedly, despite the fact that he knew I was at work. I couldn’t take my phone vibrating anymore, so I finally answered.
“I know Coach said he’d handle things from here,” Carson blurted out, “but if we hadn’t taken charge, nothing would have changed.”
“What’s your point?”
“Aren’t you mad at Wade for tricking us at the gym?”
“Yes.”
“And I know Wade will probably be cut from the team, but I’m still mad. Plus, we know where Wade is hiding out.”
“The beach house.” After a double shift at the golf club, I had my sights on a turkey sandwich and the Miami Marlins versus Atlanta Braves game at home. But this was important. “I’ll pick you up.”
The late Saturday crowd was starting to thin out at the beach. Carson and I walked the perimeter of the house, looking for a way in. The sliding glass door off the beach was the best option. I pushed on the handle, and the door glided open. I lifted a curtain and stepped in cautiously.
“This place is disgusting.”
I covered my nose. There was no furniture, and most of the drywall was torn down. “How can Wade stay here?” The kitchen was lined with halfeaten cans of food. I turned the tap, and dirty liquid spat out.
“Look.” Carson pointed.
A toilet sat in a closet. “That’s where the smell’s coming from.” I spun around at the sound of the sliding door opening. Wade stood there, staring back at me. For a second, I thought he was going to run. Instead, he came in and dropped his backpack on a plastic patio table.
“Want a drink?”
I thought about the sink and shook my head.
He grabbed a bottled water and said, “Here” before throwing one at Carson.
Carson plucked it from the air. “Thanks.”
It was the most the two of them had spoken in weeks.
After a long, uncomfortable silence, Wade lowered his water bottle. “I was just trying to make some money for college. Otherwise, how is a guy like me going to get there? And local college? Their baseball teams suck in comparison.”
It was unexpected, but I actually started to feel bad for Wade.
“I don’t have it like you guys.”
Then I remembered how he’d deserted us at the gym. “You could have gotten me killed! How could you take off like that?”
“Look, I don’t know how to make this up to you. You shouldn’t have rescued me. I didn’t ask for your help. And now, again, you’re here. Stop tracking me down. I don’t have anything for you. So why don’t you two just leave? Now!”
We didn’t budge. He wasn’t getting off that easy.
Carson exploded with anger. “You took me down and ruined my baseball career.” His face was getting redder. “You’re not going to get away with something like that.”
“Carson, you’re a smarter guy than me.”
I didn’t expect that to come from Wade’s mouth.
“And if you don’t end up playing baseball, you’ll become a doctor or something. I have no options. No backup plan. There’s no mommy or daddy helping out. Get it?”
We didn’t answer.
“No scholarship for me means no future.” Wade stopped and took a chug of water. “I know that doesn’t make sense to you, but if you saw where I grew up, maybe it might. So, I’m sorry for wanting to wipe out my competition.”
I never thought I’d see the day when Wade apologized. It didn’t matter now though. An apology from him was empty. Useless.
“If that’s what you’re here for, then take it.”
“Wade, that’s not going to be good enough—” I stopped and turned toward a loud thud coming from the front door. It struck again, this time sending the door down and revealing Jim and his goons.
Jim smiled and took a calculated step into the house. “I want my money.” He sniffed and signaled for his goons to follow him. “You’re also going to pay me back for my bail.”
I met Carson’s gaze and knew exactly what he was thinking. He bolted and I followed him through the gap in the sliding door. We hit the boardwalk, running like mad. A quick look over my shoulder revealed Wade gaining on us. He was holding his backpack in his arms like a football. Behind him, Jim and his two buddies were in pursuit. A few more strides and Wade overtook us. I guess pumping steroids comes in handy when being chased by people who want you dead.
Wade turned onto the pier, and without thinking, Carson and I followed him. Big mistake. We were heading toward a dead end. Dim streetlights lined the pier. I did my best not to trip on the uneven wooden planks. The farther I ran down the pier, the higher the drop to the water became.
“Stop!” Jim screamed.
Wade stopped, so I did too, about halfway up the pier.
“Give me the backpack,” Jim said.
Wade moved to the edge of the walkway, grabbing onto the wooden rail.
What’s he up to? I didn’t know if he was going to jump or pull out a gun.
Wade leaped onto the ledge.
“Think about what you’re doing.”
I didn’t know what to do, so I joined Wade on the ledge, figuring I was probably going to have to jump. I helped Carson up, trying not to fall. I noticed the last rays of the sun dip down. I turned to the boardwalk to find just a few stragglers. “Help! Please help!” They ignored me, probably thinking I was some strung-out teen.
“Come on, Wade.” Jim held out his hands, palms up. “Don’t make a bad mistake. Step down so we can talk.”
Wade held the backpack off the pier. “Step closer and I’ll drop the money.”
In the dark, I couldn’t see how far the drop down to the water was. Other than the slight glint off the whitecaps, it was total blackness. I could swim no problem. But could I survive the fall?
Chapter Twenty-One
&n
bsp; Jim’s goons took a step toward us.
“Jump?” Carson asked.
“Not yet.” I looked at Wade. He didn’t look scared. He actually looked like he was enjoying being the one in control.
“You know, Jim,” Wade said, “you deserve this.” Wade released his grip on the backpack, and it fell from sight. Jim ran to the ledge to track it while both goons swandived off the ledge.
Not wasting time, I grabbed Carson and we jumped flat-footed onto the pier. Then we ran. Wade overtook both of us, and we stuck close by him. I glanced over my shoulder, but there was no sign of Jim. Wade tried to lose us by darting into a gelato restaurant. I found him sitting at a booth with his eyes glued to the window. He nearly jumped when Carson and I sat down across from him.
“You’re insane, Wade.” A waitress came by, and we told her we needed a minute. “And why would you throw money into the water? It’s just going to make Jim even madder.”
Wade smiled and discreetly lifted the bottom of his T-shirt, exposing wads of cash wrapped in ziplock bags.
“You’re going to get yourself killed. Why keep Jim’s money?”
“You ask too many questions.”
“Can you be honest for once in your life?”
Wade lowered his voice. “He’s the one who came up to me while I was working out. It started with a sampling of steroids, like we were buddies and he was just trying to help me. Next thing I know, I’m out drumming up business at school for him. The harder I worked for that guy, the more he thought he had me in his back pocket, and the less he paid me. So what’s so wrong with skimming a little cash to take care of my future? No one else is.”
I didn’t have the guts to tell him that the coach knew everything. “And now what?”
“You two have a gelato. I’m out of here.”
As he left, I wondered if I was ever going to see him again.
My dad wasn’t pleased to find out about my recent adventures, but telling him was the right thing to do. Plus, I knew he’d be getting a phone call from the coach, the principal or both. At first he was upset, but the skills event was a great conversation changer.
“Everybody listen up.” I stood on the bench in the dugout. The skills event was about to start, and there was a definite buzz of excitement in the air. “I know you are all wondering what’s up with Wade.”
“Who cares what you have to say?” Darren shouted.
“Fine then—you update everybody.”
He looked at me, clueless.
“Figured that. Unlike Darren, I saw Wade yesterday. Today, he’s a no-show.” I waited for a reaction but didn’t get any. “Carson can confirm all of what I’m about to say.”
Carson nodded. I could tell he was happy to be back on the team.
“First, I’m going to lay down some new rules. The freshmen will no longer be referred to as dogs. Just Sharks, like the rest of us. Wade’s hazing and homework programs are officially canceled.”
The team reacted as I expected. Even though Wade was probably fifty miles away, on the run from Jim, they were still scared of him. “I spoke to Wade last night, and he’s got bigger problems right now than baseball.”
“It’s true,” Carson added. “Wade’s in over his head.”
“So, there are two rules on this team. First, play as a team for once. And second, play to win. If you don’t like the rules, you can leave.”
Darren sneered. “You’re not the captain.”
“Speaking of that,” I said, “Coach asked us to pick a new one. All in favor of me, raise your hands.”
Tom and Adrian were the first to raise their hands. Almost everyone else followed.
“Done.” I put my Sharks hat on. “Time to focus on impressing the scouts.”
Coach Brigman entered the dugout. “Mind if I jump in?”
I stepped down, and he patted me on the back. “Thanks, Griff. We all want to impress the college scouts. They’re going to be looking for a lot of skill sets, but the big one is hustle. Sharks, let’s give them an intensity that will leave an impression. So get out—”
Coach Brigman stopped midsentence, his eyes fixed on the field behind us. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was Wade. How dumb can he be? He was standing there in uniform.
Darren smiled knowingly at me.
“Ready to play, Coach,” Wade said.
“We’re going to need to talk first.” Coach Brigman told us to go out and have fun, then turned his attention to Wade.
Everyone hit the field, but I took my time, watching Coach McKay and Coach Santos surround Wade. The field was filled with different colored jerseys representing the other schools. Spectators walked by with hot dogs and cotton candy. There was so much commotion, but all I could focus on was Wade being escorted off the field. He had screwed up big-time, and he deserved this. Still, I wondered how he felt. Did he have a clue that it was over for him?
After a few warm-ups, I waited in line against the fence for the fastest-ninety-feet event. When my turn came, I stepped onto home plate. My dad waved from the stands, and I smiled back. A coach from another team held up his stopwatch and gave me the thumbs-up. Put it all behind you. Time to move on. With bent knees and my leadoff arm out, I took off. I kept my head down and pushed forward, forcing my legs to take longer strides. Near the halfway mark, I felt my arms and legs moving as one, helping to increase my speed. I stormed down the baseline and blasted past first base. I kept running, taking my time before turning around. I rolled back to first, catching my breath, and spotted two scouts talking over a clipboard. They were watching me. I figured that everyone was probably desperate to know their speed. I walked past as one scout held up the stopwatch. “No thanks, I’m good.”
“You sure?”
I’d done the best I could. A number wouldn’t change that. “Yup.”
“Like your attitude!”
I turned, looking for Carson, but bumped into a spectator wearing a Miami Marlins hat and sunglasses. “Sorry about that.” When I looked up, I saw it was Jim.
Chapter Twenty-Two
He had a fake smile plastered on his face. I looked but couldn’t spot his right and left wingmen.
Other than at the golf club, this was the only time I’d seen Jim without them.
“What a great day for baseball!”
I examined his poorly planned disguise. No hat or reflective sunglasses could camouflage his wrestler’s body. “I don’t know where Wade is.”
“My friend, I’m not interested in Wade.”
Friend?
“I’m a big enough man to cut my losses and set my sights on new ventures.”
“And I could scream for help and then what?”
“No need. You’re busy here. I can see that this is an important day in your life. Just one more thing for now.”
I scanned the horizon over Jim’s shoulders. Where was Carson?
“I could use a smart young man like you.”
“That what you said to Wade?”
“Wade makes me out to be the bad guy here, but I didn’t force him into doing anything. Let’s remember that it was him who stole from me.”
“Jim, I’m not interested.”
“Don’t you hate it when people can’t see a good deal staring them in the face? A couple hours a week, helping people with their problems, and you’d be set. No parttime jobs, student loans…you’d get to call the shots.”
I had an imaginary flashback to what it must’ve been like for Wade. Promises of big money. Maybe a free gym membership and an opportunity to bulk up. Wade stuck living in that horrible house…I couldn’t say I was surprised that he’d turned to a guy like Jim. Uncle Jim.
“Why don’t you think it over?”
“No. Not a chance.”
“Okay, you drive a hard bargain. Let’s go for a drive and I’ll sweeten the deal.”
“Please leave me—”
“I’m not asking.” Jim grabbed my arm forcefully. I tried to break free, but his grip tightened on my elbo
w.
Jim smiled at a passerby, rustling my hair with his free hand. “That’s it. Keep moving.”
“Packing it in already, Griff?” Coach Brigman was headed our way.
“You the coach?” Jim asked.
“Yes, and who are you?”
Jim released his grip, pressing his hand into my shoulder. “I’m his uncle.”
I looked at the coach. Come on, don’t buy this.
“We’ll be right back. I have a present in my car.” Jim lowered his voice, but I could still hear. “It’s a brand-new Rawlings baseball glove.”
Coach Brigman turned to leave. A horrible feeling spread through my body. Couldn’t Coach see that Jim was up to no good?
“Oh, wait.” I heard Coach stop in his tracks. “Are you the uncle that Griff was telling me about?”
Jim swung around and nodded.
“You must be so proud of him.”
What was Coach doing?
“Yeah, he’s my favorite nephew. Anyways—”
“Uncle Jim, right?”
“Yeah.”
Coach Brigman stepped in front of Jim. “Let him go.”
“I’ll have him back in two minutes,” Jim said.
“Yeah, let him go!” Carson held out his phone and hit Record.
“You’re making a huge mistake,” Jim said.
Coach Santos and Coach McKay joined us.
When I tried again to break free, Jim released me. He clenched his fist and swung, missing Coach Brigman. All three coaches did their best to restrain Jim.
“You getting this?” I asked Carson.
Jim looked at Carson, who had his cell phone aimed at him.
“Every bit.”
Having more muscle than all three coaches combined, Jim managed to get free. He covered his face and took off.
“Let him go,” Coach Brigman said. He turned to me. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
“He’s going to get away,” Carson said.
“I don’t know about that,” I said. “He’s got a golf bag full of drugs and money at the club. And I might have reported it to my boss.”
Carson high-fived me.
“Should we get back to baseball?” Coach Brigman asked.
Hardball Page 8
