“Right. But it’s a top secret mission. Which always require disguises.” He scrutinized my sweatpants and Empire High t-shirt. “I guess we chose the same disguise.”
Why did everyone keep making fun of my coaching outfit? “I’m not dressed like a homeless guy.”
“Whatever you say.” He patted my back. “So what’s the plan? Is the hitwoman even here?”
“I haven’t seen her yet.”
“I guess I should go hide somewhere? Oh yeah, here’s the camera.” He pulled the camera out of a small case in his pocket. “Don’t break it.”
“I won’t. But um…how does it work?”
Rob laughed and peeled it out of the case. Yes, peeled it out, like a sticker. It was clear and he stuck it next to the Eagle emblem on my t-shirt. It was completely undetectable. I even knew where it was and I could hardly see it.
“I need your phone,” he said.
I handed it to him.
He pressed a few buttons and then handed it to me. “It’s all linked up now. The video feed is already rolling and it’s getting uploaded directly to your phone.”
“That’s amazing.” I looked at my phone and could see what the camera was recording.
“It is pretty crazy. So where should I hide? I was going to hide in the stands, but I don’t want to be next to that homeless guy.”
“That’s Tanner.”
Rob squinted. “Are you sure?”
I laughed. “If you can’t tell that’s him, how do you expect me to believe you when you tell me about his other disguise?”
“I see his stupid face now. I can tell it’s him. Just like I can tell it’s him when he’s rocking a man bun. What the hell kind of mustache is that, anyway?”
I stared at Tanner. “I have no idea.”
“Well, I’m glad all three of us coordinated to dress like homeless men,” Rob said.
“I’m not dressed like a homeless person.”
“Whatever you say. I’ll wait at the entrance instead of in the stands. I don’t want to be anywhere near Tanner. And speaking of Tanner…how about you wave him down here so you can tell him that I’m your best friend right in front of his mustachioed face?”
“Let’s wait until after. I don’t want the hitwoman to see us all together before we try to corner her.”
“Fine. But you have to tell him. In front of me.”
“I will.” Honestly, if I was still alive in a few minutes I’d do whatever Rob wanted. Because I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without his camera.
I watched as Rob walked over to the entrance. And that’s when I saw the hitwoman coming into the stadium.
I opened up a group chat between Rob and Tanner and sent them a text. “That’s her walking in now. Keep an eye on her.”
“Get me out of this group chat,” Rob texted back.
Tanner’s message popped up next: “I concur.”
“You guys, focus. I need to wrap up practice and then we can surround her.”
“Fine. I’ve got eyes on her,” Tanner said. “She sat down right in front of me on the bleachers. I can’t see a gun, but it’s probably under her coat.”
I swallowed hard as I watched the kids do sprints. This was it. Either the end of Mr. Pruitt or the end of me.
“We need a mission name,” Rob texted.
“I actually agree with Robert on this,” Tanner replied. “How about Operation Robert Shouldn’t Be Here?”
“Or Operation Tanner is a Liar.”
“What have I ever lied about?”
I put my phone in my pocket and ignored them. Honestly, it was nice that they were here. But I didn’t want to put either of them at risk. I wasn’t going to tell them when I was approaching her. Hopefully she’d start moving away from Tanner soon and then I’d get there and restrain her before Rob and Tanner even reached us. That way I would be the only one in danger.
And I couldn’t wait till the end of practice. I’d already made the team sprint for far too long anyway. I blew my whistle and waved them in.
I wanted to make Smith apologize, but I knew that would just make him hate Jefferson even more. “Great practice,” I said instead. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
Smith grumbled something under his breath.
I also didn’t have the patience to reprimand him right now. I could feel the hitwoman staring at me.
“Coach Caldwell?” Jefferson said.
I didn’t have any advice for him right now. It was back to the drawing board. “I’m sorry, Jefferson,” I said. “I actually have to get going.”
“Oh, okay.” He looked down at his feet and started walking toward the stands.
What was he doing? “Jefferson, wait. I’ll talk to you. Just let me clean up this stuff. I’ll meet you by my car.”
He smiled and nodded, then hurried off to the parking lot.
The hitwoman was already on the move. Shit. I tried not to look like I was staring at her, as I hurried towards her. But I was pretty sure she saw me because she picked up her speed. Not fast enough this time, though.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it as I caught her arm.
She turned around and looked up at me. “Matt.” She didn’t say it like she was about to kill me. She said it like she had no idea why I was touching her.
“I know you’re working for Richard Pruitt.”
“What?”
Rob and Tanner were coming this way. I gripped her wrist a little harder. “Tell me everything you know and no one needs to get hurt.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I studied her face and only saw…confusion. “How much money did he pay you to kill me?” I demanded.
“Kill you? What?”
“Don’t play dumb with me.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Matt.” She pulled her arm out of my grasp. “You have no right to touch me after you never called me. I waited weeks like a freaking idiot.”
I lowered my eyebrows. So I was right. I had slept with her? But what the hell did that have to do with anything?
“And the whole time you were with someone else? I don’t even want to know if that woman is your wife. I don’t want to be pulled into your mess of a life.”
“My wife?”
“I saw you with that redhead and the cute little girl.”
I remembered the first time this woman had run off. Right after she saw me with Penny and Scarlett. “Wait, you’ve been running away from me because you think I’m married?”
“I’ve been avoiding you because you’re a dick.”
“Then what the hell are you doing here stalking me?”
“Stalking you? God, I’d rather be anywhere than talking to you. But I came to see Henry’s practice.”
“What?”
“My son, Henry Jefferson. The kicker.”
This woman was Jefferson’s mom? What the fuck was going on? “So you don’t work for Mr. Pruitt?”
“I have no idea who you’re even talking about.”
Her being Jefferson’s mom explained why she’d been to some games and practices. But it didn’t explain everything. “Why did you follow me at the cemetery?”