Love Inspired Suspense April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Laura Scott (free e reader .TXT) 📕

Coach raked his hand through his thick silver hair.

“Can you explain why some of your players—two of them right now—are using a false address to play in your district?”

His brow furrowed, and he cocked his head. “First I heard of that. I don’t keep up with addresses. I assume if they’re in my school, it’s all approved.”

“Well, it appears several in the past and the two presently are using the address illegally.”

“What’s this mean for the rest of the season?”

Naturally, he’d be worried about that. Two excellent players were going to have to transfer to their rightful school. “What do you think it means?”

“I blame the parents.”

“Rightly so.” It might be possible a parent figured out they could use a false address and told another parent, who told another, but students needed proof of residence and a bill that confirmed it. So how on earth was that sliding by? Who was letting it slide by? Principal Wiggins? They’d have to have a chat with him. “They were being sneaky. I guess the school board will deal with the issue. But either way, the fake address racket is going to stop from here on out.”

“And we’ll be talking to parents and asking if they were prompted or assured they could use this address,” Georgia added. “If you are behind it, we’re gonna know. Sure you don’t know about it?”

This woman.

“I think it’s time for you to go.” He stood, a vein in his neck popping out. Georgia had a way of doing that to a man.

Colt thanked them for their time and stalked to his truck.

“So much for letting me take the lead,” Colt muttered.

“What? I only asked what you were already thinking.” She buckled up.

He started the engine. “I have a method. Angering him isn’t it. I was going to build rapport. Good ole boy stuff. You nixed that in ten seconds flat, church mouse.”

“I don’t think he killed Jared. Do you?”

He was surprised at her conclusion, especially since Coach had acted aggressively toward her. “I don’t know. I have to follow facts, not emotion. Time will tell.”

“Did the sheriff’s office pull the phone records? I’d like to know who Jared was talking to the night he died.”

Pulling from the driveway, Colt grunted. “If they didn’t pull the records, we will. If they did, they must not have thought it important. And it may not have been.”

“What do you think he wanted to talk to the coach about?” she asked.

That was a million-dollar question. “Could be anything from the upcoming game to potentially feeling guilty over taking bribes to play ball at Ole Magnolia. We need to find hard evidence proving that theory. Right now, it’s a good guess. Good guesses don’t put away murderers or grant warrants.” The best thing to do was work the case as if it recently happened. Take nothing at face value and hope for new information.

They pulled down Georgia’s gravel road as Herb Jr. passed them on his way out, waving. “I hope they were able to get everything done,” Colt murmured.

“Me too. I don’t like to be used for human target practice.”

“I don’t like it, either.”

Inside, the house was put together and in order.

“Everything’s like new,” Poppy said. “Rhett did the lion’s share. He’s a clean freak. We like that about him and that’s about all.” She winked in good fun at Georgia.

He surveyed the windows. Not a single smudge. “Where’s Rhett and Mae?”

“Rhett is taking a perimeter walk. Mae is in the restroom.” She gripped a red mug full of something that smelled flowery with a hint of spice. “What did Coach Flanigan have to say?”

Colt heaved a sigh and eased into the oversize chair across from the couch. When Rhett and Mae were back inside he gave them the play-by-play.

“I’d like to find the phone records. They weren’t in the boxes of case files.” Poppy stood as if that was the cue to let her leave.

“I can go with her,” Rhett offered.

Colt nodded. “Let’s meet back here in a couple of hours and we can order takeout. Call if you find them. I’d like to know who Jared talked to.”

Poppy and Rhett left.

“I’ll be out on the porch.” Mae excused herself.

“Colt, I’m sorry for being such a bulldog with Coach. I guess if he is the attacker, I wanted him to know I’m not afraid of him or going to stop. But the truth is, I am afraid. Who wouldn’t be?”

He sat next to her and the blue merle. “Like Pastor said. Some fear is healthy. But verbally charging him was reckless if he is the person who attacked you. So how about not giving me anxiety and quit going off half-cocked?”

She nodded. “Fair enough.”

They sat in comfortable silence, thinking, until Colt’s cell phone rang.

Poppy.

“Hey, whatcha got?”

“Phone records, but it’s a bust. The call Duncan Flanigan referenced was a two-minute conversation with Jared’s stepdad. He called to see if Jared was coming home or staying with a friend.”

“What about the calls prior to that and after?”

“This gets more interesting. Chance Leeway called him at 9:06 p.m. Three minutes and forty-two seconds. But Chance lawyered up fast in the initial investigation. Not much to his statement.”

“We’ll see what round two offers up.” If Chance was involved, Colt would find out.

FIVE

The sunshine had made a stellar appearance this morning, and Georgia had dressed in jeans and a fitted sweater. She couldn’t let a killer keep her from doing her job, living her life. She was making progress, avoiding her biggest triggers successfully, though having Colt around brought up so many old memories and fond feelings. But she wouldn’t let herself slip into those nostalgic moments, and she would not allow herself to feel new feelings for him.

Colt met her at the front door. “I had a feeling you’d be working today. Paper stops for nothing.”

“No, and I have to make myself keep doing what I need to do. I’ve come too far to regress. Also, I do the