Chapter Seventeen

Banks

“Preliminary report shows…” Gunner began while we all sat around the table in church, listening as the brother regaled us with everything he’d found so far concerning the high school.

“There are thirty-seven teachers at Rosewood High School, not including the office staff and Mr. Williams, the principal. So far, nothing is coming up. Scribe is still waiting on backgrounds for eight of them, but the school is clean, King. Rosewood High School is a good school. Since its establishment in 1952, the school has had a perfect record, not only with the town but the state as well. The high school surpasses the state’s benchmarks for educational requirements and needs every year.”

“What about the students?” King asked.

“Just the typical fights between kids, the occasional pranks and vandalism. Honestly, Scribe and I found nothing out of the ordinary. The school is clean.”

“Well, something is going on there,” I mumbled, leaning forward in my chair. “LeeAnn wouldn’t make this shit up. She is genuinely worried about Nash, and if she says it started after Nash began attending Rosewood High, then that’s where the problem is. What about the football team? The players themselves?”

“There are eighteen boys on the Rosewood Varsity Football team. Twelve on the Junior Varsity team. I personally talked with Coach Young since he was my former coach. Coach Young is a forthright man, honest yet stern. Coach allowed me to stay and watch practice, Banks. I saw nothing to be concerned about. Yes, he ran those boys ragged, but that’s nothing new. Most football coaches have a firm grip on their teams. Hell, he was way rougher on me when I played.”

Shaking my head, I growled, “You missed something.”

King frowned, leaning forward in his chair. “Banks. Listen to me. I know you’re worried. We all are, but if Gunner and Scribe found nothing, then, brother, there’s nothing there. We need to look elsewhere.”

I refused to let this go.

I couldn’t. They didn’t sit there and listen to LeeAnn talk. They didn’t see the worry in her eyes or the severity of her tone. She was adamant that it was the school.

“What if it’s a student?” Frank asked. “Someone not affiliated with the football team.”

“There are over five hundred kids that attend Rosewood High School. It’s the only high school in the entire county,” Gunner advised.

“What about the boosters?” Pyro asked.

“Local business owners and farmers who have kids on the team. All cleared by Scribe.”

“What about the kids Nash has been getting into trouble with lately?” Hawk spoke up.

“Tyler Hendrix and Sebastian Gibbons. Both popular kids were also on the football team. Like Nash, both boys were outstanding students when their grades dropped and they started acting up. Sebastian was on his way to being the Valedictorian this year. Tyler didn’t try out for the team this year, and Sebastian quit mid-season last year.”

Looking at King, I frowned. “King, that makes no sense. Why would three popular boys suddenly give up everything? I get teenage angst, but this shit isn’t adding up. All three boys played on the same football team. All were excellent students. Now they’re labeled as troublemakers? Bullshit. Where are Tyler and Sebastian now? Are they still enrolled?”

Gunner flipped through the folder, shaking his head. “No. Tyler and Sebastian are now part of the online program like Nash.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say someone wanted those boys gone,” Hawk whispered as we all looked at him.

“What do you mean?” King asked.

“Think about it. According to what Gunner and Scribe found out, three popular football players with good grades suddenly go stupid and start acting up? I’m with Banks on this, King. The math isn’t adding up. I played football in high school. Once I put that letterman jacket on, I was at the top of the food chain. One of the top dogs. I wasn’t giving up that status for anything. Yet, three boys did? Why?”

Leaning back in his chair, King nodded. “You’re right. I wore that same jacket in high school. So did Gunner. I wouldn’t do anything to risk that jacket. It meant everything to me.”

“School policy is clear, Callum,” Gunner said. “We can’t talk to the students without their parents’ permission, and we can’t do that without raising several red flags.”

“Don’t need to talk to the students.” King grinned.

“What do you mean?” I asked, looking at my president.

“We already have someone who knows everything going on in this town. Someone that flies under the radar and keeps his nose to the ground. Someone who everyone overlooks because they think he’s too damn fucking innocent to be a threat.”

Everyone smiled.

“Cameron.”

I sat in my chair looking at the boy sitting at the head of the table in King’s seat, shaking my head.

Nope.

Still wasn’t used to seeing him sit there. Just the thought of that brat taking over the club someday sent a chill of dread down my back.

God help us all.

Next to him stood his buddies, Benjamin and Kai. Both boys looked scared, unlike their fearless leader, who looked relaxed, like it was nothing for him to be in this room.

“Cameron,” King started, taking a deep breath. “I need to ask you something, and I would appreciate it if you would just tell me what I want to know.”

“Sure, King.” The brat smiled happily; leaning forward, he clasped his hands on the table. “What do ya need to know?”

“Tyler Hendrix, Sebastain Gibbons, and Nash McDonald.”

Cameron’s smile fell as his and Benny’s head whipped to Kai, who stiffened where he stood.

Kai whispered, “What about them?”

“What do you know?” King asked as a lone tear rolled down Kai’s face. Getting to my feet, I walked over to Kai and kneeled before him. Taking his hands in mine, I looked at the small boy and asked, “You know what’s wrong with Nash, don’t you, Kai?”

The young boy sniffed, nodding his head.

“Will you tell me?”

“He made me promise not to tell.” Kai’s voice wavered.

“Cameron, do you know?” King asked, looking at the young boy.

“No, D…” the kid stuttered, then whispered, “No. Kai just said it was bad.”

“Alright.” King frowned, getting to his feet. “You two, head on out. Go play. Stay on the grounds and don’t start any shit. I’m trusting you two to behave.”

Both boys slowly walked out of the room, leaving Kai behind.

Sitting in King’s seat, I picked Kai up and placed him on my lap. Holding him, I whispered, “I know you want to protect your brother, Kai. I feel the same way about my club brothers. Nothing I wouldn’t do for them, but, Son, sometimes keeping a secret only makes things worse. Nash is hurting and we only want to help him. Wouldn’t you like to have your brother back?”

Kai nodded.

“Kai, look at me,” King requested gently. “Son, no matter what you say, you are safe here. So is Nash. Please tell us what you know. Let us help you fix Nash.”

Kai sniffed, then whispered, “Someone spanked him.”

Looking at King, I frowned, and asked, “Spanked him?”

Kai nodded. “I saw the marks. Nash didn’t know I was in his room. He said he’d play World of Warcraft with me after school. I was waiting for him when he walked in crying. I never saw Nash cry. When Nash got undressed, I saw his back and legs. They were bleeding. I must have made a noise ‘cause Nash heard me, then started yelling at me. Told me if I ever told anyone, he’d beat me up.”

The second Kai stopped talking, he hugged my neck tight while I held him. Glaring at King, we all heard Priest, Scribe and Nash enter the clubhouse.

Getting to my feet, with Kai in my arms, I marched out of church into the main room, where Nash stopped dead in his tracks. Hearing his brother cry, my son sneered, “What the fuck did you do to my brother?”

Ignoring him, I said, “Lift your shirt and turn around.”

Nash froze, taking a step back.

“Now, Nash,” King ordered as my brothers all gathered around.

“What’s going on?” Scribe asked, looking from Nash to me.

“Someone beat the hell out of my son.”

“God damn it, Kai!” Nash shouted. “You promised!”

“Sorry, Nash,” Kai sobbed, hugging my neck harder.

“Not gonna tell you again, Son,” I sneered.

Before Nash could bolt from the room, Frank caught him and lifted the back of his shirt so we all could see. The second we all saw the marks, all the fight fled Nash as his body slumped against Frank.

There, on my son’s back were several healed belt marks.

Handing Kai over to Gunner, I walked over to my son.

Holding his face in my hands, I growled, “Who did this to you?”

Nash’s face paled as he tried to shake his head.

“I know you hate me, Nash, but right now, I hate myself more. But I swear to you. No one is ever going to touch you again and live. Please tell me who did this to you so I can make sure they never hurt another person ever again.”

“Why should I trust you?” he whispered quietly.

“Because when I get my hands on the motherfucker, I’m going to give that bastard a taste of his own medicine. Now, please. Who hit you?”

I watched his face while he thought about what I said. I thought for sure he would give me a snarky comment or act belligerent, but when I noticed his chin wobble and tears fill his eyes, something inside me shattered. I didn’t think, I simply grabbed him, holding him tight as his body shook in fear.

“Mr. Williams. It was Principal Williams.”

Holding my son tight, I looked at King and sneered, “I fucking told you it was someone at the school.”