by Jim Riley
Niki did not respond as the large young man walked out of her door. She tried to eat the cold fried chicken, but it did not taste that great. She was worried about her new young friend.
Tuesday Morning
Home of Wendy Netterville
"Wendy, are you okay?" Niki asked. "I'll be okay when you find out who murdered my son. Until then, there will be a void in my life."
"What makes you think it wasn't a mix-up, an accident?"
"It couldn’t have been an accident," the senator’s sister replied. "Someone deliberately gave my son peanut butter."
"Why are you so sure?" Niki asked. "How do you know that Tommy didn’t eat the wrong sandwich by mistake?"
Wendy Netterville stared at Niki. "You were a cheerleader at Central, weren't you?"
"Yes, Ma'am. Not that long ago."
"Did you eat the sandwiches before games?"
"No, Ma'am. We brought our own foods. We helped serve the football players. They liked it when we helped."
Wendy gazed out the window. "Tommy liked those pre-game sandwiches. His girlfriend is the captain of the cheerleader squad. Her name is Paula, Paula Harris. He thought she was the moon and the stars. He adored her."
"Did she take care of Tommy's sandwiches?"
"I made them up. I always mixed the substitute peanut butter with the jelly myself. That is why I know someone did something. Last Friday night, I put together the sandwiches and put them in a Ziploc bag with his name on it. That's what I did every week."
"You didn't serve the sandwiches to Tommy yourself?"
"No. I never do. After making them, I put them with all the others on the big table in the kitchen. But it had his name on the package. He would never eat them from a bag if it didn't have his name on it."
"Who had access to the table where the sandwiches were?"
The mother laughed. "Everybody. There's a dozen parents, the coaches, players, the cheerleaders. Everybody."
"Tell me how it works. How do the players get served?"
"A bunch of us parents volunteer to help make the sandwiches every week. I've been helping since Tommy started playing with the varsity. I just don't make Tommy's. I make them for all the players."
"What happens after you make them?"
"We, the parents, put them on the big table. Then the cheerleader serve them to the players along with the potato chips and Gatorade. The parents go out and get their seats in the stands. A lot of times, the band puts on a pre-game show."
"You didn't say which cheerleader served Tommy his sandwich?"
"It was always Paula. She never let one of the other cheerleaders serve him. That was kind of their deal between them. She always made sure he got the pack with his name on it."
"Did any of the players, coaches or cheerleaders have any reason to want anything to happen Tommy?"
"My God, no. Everybody loved Tommy. He was a model student and a perfect young man. They all loved Tommy."
"You don't think it was an accident. If it wasn't, then somebody wasn't that crazy about him."
Wendy rubbed her hands together. "That's what doesn't make any sense. Everyone loved my son, but somebody killed him. That's why I need you."
Tuesday Morning
Central High School
"Coach, tell me about Tommy. What did you think of him?"
The gray-haired man slumped in his chair. "Tommy was the best football player I’ve ever coached. He was a dream come true for me, like a coach on the field. That young man was a natural leader, wise way beyond his years."
Niki sat in the head football coach’s small office. The room was adorned with trophies, plaques, and photographs. Niki recognized some players in the pictures. A few of them now played in the National Football League. Others played for Division I universities like LSU and Alabama. One played center for the Atlanta Falcons and was All-Pro for more than a dozen years.
"How did he get along with the other players?"
"They loved him. They respected him. Tommy led by example. He practiced as long and as hard as any player on our team. When he wasn't on the field, he was in the weight room or the film room. He was voted by the players as a captain when he was a sophomore. That is the first time in our school's history."
"It sounds like he was an impressive young man."
The coach pointed his finger at a picture on the wall. "I've coached some All-Americans and some All-Pro's. Tommy Netterville was the most impressive young man I've ever met, on or off the field."
"If that is true,” Niki asked, “Why would someone deliberately poison him?"
The coach’s mouth dropped. "What are you talking about? Nobody deliberately poisoned Tommy. It was an accident. That's all it was."
"Not everyone agrees with you. There is a suspicion that it was not an accident. Somebody killed Tommy."
The coach closed his eyes. "Niki, I remember when you were behind our bench cheering for our success. I always thought the world of you, both how you led this squad and the way you conducted yourself off the field. You're the last person I would have thought would listen to idle gossip. There are always some kooks that dream up conspiracies. You must have talk to one of those."
"No, Sir. I talked to Wendy Netterville, Tommy's mother. She is convinced that somebody murdered Tommy."
"So that's where this is coming from,” he said. "Now I understand."
"Understand what, coach?"
"Tommy's mother,” the graying man answered. "She loved her son. She was excited about his future and where he was going in life. When his life was cut short, she had to blame somebody. She can't accept that it was fate that Tommy is gone."
"Are you sure that it was an accident, coach?"
"What else could it be? If someone had it in for Tommy, I would have heard about it from the players. They want to win the state championship, and they had a lot better chance with him at quarterback."
"Which parents volunteered to fix the sandwiches last Friday night?"
"The same ones that always do. You've heard the old saying that twenty percent of the people do eighty percent of the work. With this group of parents, it's probably closer to ten and ninety."
"Can I get a list from you?"
"Of course, but I have to say, I think you're going down a bunny trail. You're wasting your time."
Niki nodded. "You may very well be correct. But I promised Wendy that I would look into it and that's what I'm doing. Which kids do you recommend that I talk with?"
The coach rubbed his chin. "I guess you should start with Paula Harris. She and Tommy made a great couple. She reminds me a lot of you."
"Thank you. Are there other kids that knew Tommy well? Some players maybe?"
"Joey Lobel. He was real close friends with Tommy. Joey is our running back and is being looked at by several colleges. If anyone would know about something going on in Tommy’s life, it would be Joey."
Tuesday Morning
Central High School
Niki sat across the library table from the cute teenager.
"Paula, thanks for meeting with me. I know this is a sad time in your life."
The teenager wiped tears from her eyes.
"Don't worry about it, Miss Niki. I wasn't able to concentrate in class, so this is as good a time as ever."
"How long did you and Tommy date?"
"Three years. We began dating when we were sophomores."
"Was it a steady relationship, or did you guys date other people?" Niki asked.
"No, Ma'am. We only saw each other. I could never imagine dating anyone else. I know he felt the same way."
"Did you and Tommy fight often?"
"Almost never. He never gave me a reason to be mad at him," Paula responded.
"Are there any other students that may have a reason?"
"We all loved Tommy. He is Mr. Central High School. It wasn't even close."
"Did he get along with his teachers?"
"Tommy and I had most of her classes together. I used to
get jealous about all the attention the teachers paid to him. It was ridiculous."
"How about the coaches?"
"Are you kidding? When you get down to it, they get paid to win. Tommy gave them the best chance of winning."
"Tell me about Friday night."
"Where do you want me to start?"
"The mix-up with the sandwiches. How could that have happened?"
Paula wiped more tears. "Gosh. I don't know. Everything went like it always did. There was nothing unusual about Friday."
“Go through the process with me. I need to understand how the accident may have happened.”
"Like I said, Miss Niki, it was the same as every other Friday night. A bunch of the parents, that's the players’ parents mostly, some of the band parents, take the peanut butter and jelly. They mix it together and spread it on the bread. Then they put the sandwiches and plastic baggies. That way we don't get messy when we pass them out. I mean the cheerleaders. We’re the ones that give them to the players. We also give them the chips and juice."
"I understand that Tommy had special sandwiches."
"He was allergic to peanut butter, so his mom made some just for him, and put his name on the baggie."
"I'm guessing there were a lot of bags at the table. Are you sure you picked up the right one with Tommy's name?"
"Without a doubt. Mrs. Netterville always puts his on the same corner of the table every time. That made it easy for me to find it."
Niki jotted down a few notes.
"How much time elapsed between the time the parents put the sandwiches on the table, and when you picked them up to give to the players?"
"Maybe fifteen or twenty minutes. The parents want to make sure they are ready on time, but not too early or the bread will get soggy. The players hate it when the bread gets soggy."
"Does anyone watch over the sandwiches during that fifteen to twenty-minute interval?"
A confused look cross Paula's face.
"Why would anyone want to watch them? Nobody wants to steal peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."
"I'm trying to determine if someone had the opportunity to switch the sandwiches. That's all."
"You can forget about that. Nobody would switch them on purpose. I don't know how it happened, but it had to be a mistake."
"That bothers me, Paula. Tommy's mother is positive she put the special sandwiches in a bag with his name on it. You are positive that you picked up that bag and gave it to Tommy. So, when did the peanut substitute get changed out for real peanut butter?"
"Gosh, I don't know. Maybe it got mixed up before Mrs. Netterville did them."
“According to what she told me, Mrs. Netterville furnishes the substitute herself. She was careful because she knew the serious consequences if there was a mix-up.”
"What are you thinking, Miss Niki?"
"Did Tommy every say anything about having any trouble with Mrs. Netterville?"
"He loved his mom. I mean, he didn't like the curfew she put on us. He had to be home by midnight. But he understood why."
"Did he ever say she was upset with him?"
"His mom was his biggest fan, even more than me. And I loved him."
Niki thought for a moment.
“What about after you gave the baggie to Tommy? Could someone have switched the sandwiches with him then?”
Paula shook her head.
"There is no way. Tommy and I usually sit at a table in the corner by ourselves. We did that Friday night before the game. I gave him the bag and sat down beside him at the same time. I was right beside him when he ate both of the sandwiches."
"Did you leave him alone at any time? Could he have eaten a sandwich from someone else's bag?"
"I was with him until the players finished. Then the coaches told them to go to the locker room."
"Were you with him the entire time?"
"We were together the whole time."
"That narrows it down," Niki said. "Who could have's take into the kitchen and swished the sandwiches?"
"Gosh. Just about anybody."
Tuesday Morning
Central High School
"Joey, thanks for meeting with me. I understand you and Tommy were best friends."
The running back looked more like a bowling ball than a football player. He said five feet nine inches and weighed two hundred ten pounds. From what Niki could see, every pound was muscle. Even his jaw looked like it lifted weights. His forearms were as solid as rock and his gaze intent.
"Yes, Ma'am," Joey Lobell replied.
"How long were you friends with Tommy?"
"Forever."
"Do you mean since high school?"
"Longer," the terse young man replied.
"Did you go to junior high together?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Elementary?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"How close were you to Tommy?"
"Close."
Niki waited for Joey to explain his answer, but the young man remained silent.
"Are you close to Paula Harris?"
"No, Ma'am."
"You're not? That's surprising. Why not?"
"She's a bitch."
Niki recalled at the frankness of this soft-spoken athlete. "Why do you say that?"
"Because."
"Look, Joey. This will go a lot better if you talk to me. I don't want to have to drag answers out of you."
Joey nodded, but said nothing.
Niki sighed, then pressed on. "Why do you think so poorly of Paula? I have heard nothing but good things about her."
"You heard wrong."
"Tell me why those people are wrong."
"She's a two–timer."
Niki closed her eyes, wishing she could reach across the table, and grab Joey Lobell by his shirt collar.
"Are you saying she was unfaithful to Tommy?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"How do you know she was unfaithful?"
"I saw her."
"You saw her where?"
"At the fair."
Niki let out a deep breath.
"Did you see her at the state fair? Is that correct?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"When did you see Paula at the state fair?"
"When it was here."
"What she with someone else and not Tommy at the fair?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"We’ll do it your way. I'll keep guessing the answers, and you tell me if I am right or wrong. Deal?"
Joey said nothing.
"Who was Paula with at the fair?"
"Ricky."
"Ricky who?"
"Ricky Augustine."
"Is he a classmate of yours?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Is he on the football team?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"How do you know they were at the fair on a date? They could just be friends. Are you positive they were on a date?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
Niki ran her hand through her long strawberry blonde hair. She was tempted to give it a yank.
"How can you know they were on a date?"
"Because."
"Because why, Joey? You have to be more specific."
"Kissing."
"You saw the two of them kiss each other? Paula and Ricky?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Once or more than once?"
"More."
"Why wasn't she with Tommy? Why didn't she go to the fair with him?"
"Church."
"Are you saying Tommy was at a church service when you saw Ricky and Paula at the state fair?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Is that the only time he saw them together?"
"No, Ma'am."
"When did you see them together other than the fair?"
"A bunch."
"You saw them on dates together?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Where? Where did you see them?"
"Everywhere."
"Did Tommy know that Paula was seeing Ricky?"
/> "No, Ma'am."
"Why didn't you tell him? You guys were best friends."
"He's my friend."
"Wow," Niki laughed. "Three whole words. Be careful. We don't want you to run out. That might be catastrophic."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Niki shook her head. "So the reason you didn’t tell Tommy is because he was your best friend? Is that correct?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Don't you think he deserved to know? Wouldn’t you want to know if your girlfriend was cheating on you?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"And you didn't tell him?"
"No, Ma'am."
"Can any of the other students verify what you're telling me today?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Who?"
"Everybody."
"Was it common knowledge around school that Paula was cheating on Tommy? Is that what you’re saying?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
“Do you think Paula was about to break up with Tommy?”
"No, Ma'am."
"Why don't you think so?"
"Money."
"Let me guess. You figure that Paula thought Tommy would become a professional quarterback, and if they were married, she would have lots of money?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Well, Joey. This has been an interesting interview. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Joey said nothing.
Tuesday Morning
Central
Niki's phone rang almost as soon as she got into her SUV.
"Hey, Dalton. I was just thinking about you."
"I hope they was pleasant thoughts," the senator responded.
"Not really. I'm working on the case for your sister."
"I take it that things are not going well. Are you having some problems?"
"I've got a mother who insists her son was murdered, a coach who thinks his chances for a state championship went down the drain, a girlfriend who professes undying love while seeing a defensive back on the sly, in a teammate that is limited to 'yes, Ma'am' and 'no, Ma'am' in his vocabulary. Other than that I'm doing peachy. And how is your day?"
