“Can take care of himself,” pointed out Decker. “But get a lawyer, okay? A good one.”
Davidson laughed, a bitter expression on his features.
“What’s so funny?” asked White.
“I wonder if Dennis Langley is available? I hear he’s really good.”
“But he also might have a conflict,” said Decker.
“Why? Because he and Julia dated?”
Decker didn’t answer. But he thought,No, because he might be a suspect, too.
Chapter65
A?ROUND FOUR THIRTY THAT DAYDecker and White stood near the football field and watched Tyler run his routes and catch balls thrown to him by what looked to be a coach.
“Funny time to be doing that,” opined White.
“Actually, it makes perfect sense. This is his comfort zone.”
“You think he knows about his dad?” she asked.
“Oh yeah. That’s why he’s here.”
As they stood there another young man walked over to them. He was about six-two and weighed around two thirty, beefy in the legs, core, and shoulders. He was wearing Under Armour gear and was sweating profusely.
“You guys waiting to talk to Tyler?” he said.
“Yeah,” replied Decker. “We’re with the FBI. Who are you?”
“Drew James. I’m on the team with Tyler. Left tackle.”
“You got the blindside then, unless your QB’s left-handed.”
“He’s not. Iamthe blindside tackle. Just finished up in the weight room.”
“Never stops, does it?” said Decker.
“Not if you want to play in college.” He stared out at the field where Tyler was running hard. “Tyler’s got a chance at the big time, D1 Top Ten. I’m not nearly big enough for the O-line at a D1 college, and I can’t play another position. And I don’t have the frame to grow much more. I’m shooting for a decent D2 scholarship.”
“You make it sound like a business,” noted White.
“I just want mybusinessdegree,” said James. “No way I can go pro. I’d have to grow three more inches and put on a hundred pounds and be a lot more athletic than I am.”
“Tyler doesn’t think he can make the jump to the NFL, either,” said Decker.
James leaned on the fence and watched Tyler run routes. “I think he has a shot. Or did.”
“What do you mean by that?” asked Decker.
“Tyler is super focused with discipline like nothing I’ve seen. His mom was a big part of that. She really believed in him. Now? He’s out here, but I think he’s just burning off some shit in his head. He usually does two hours in the weight room five days a week. He hasn’t been in at all lately. And he didn’t run with us the morning she died and hasn’t since. And we used to all go surfing a couple times a week. But he hasn’t done that in more than a month.”
“Why do you think that was?” asked White.
“I think he’s worried about his dad.”
“Why?”