Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Tex patiently waited for Chelsea to start. Hesitation stretched over her features. From the way she kept licking her lips. To how her gaze darted all over the place. To how she kept tucking her hair behind her ear.

Finally, she let out a sigh and glanced at him as they sat on the floor together. Her legs were crossed, her fuzzy red-and-green Christmas socks looking warm and cozy. Meanwhile, Tex leaned against the couch, his arms propped on his knees.

“The truth is that I’ve suspected something is going on with Gilbert for a while,” she started. “It’s no secret I’m not the man’s biggest fan. But cars have been coming to his house late at night. I’ve seen him meeting with a man dressed in all black on his porch. Their conversations looked heated. One night I thought it was going to turn into a physical altercation.”

Tex nodded slowly, trying not to jump to any conclusions. “I know that might be suspicious, but Gilbert could have an explanation for it.”

“I know.” Chelsea raised her hand as if to stop his thoughts. “Believe me, I’ve tried to think of this from every possible angle. But a conversation I overheard the other day really confirmed to me that something was going on.”

Tex shifted back, settling in to listen. “Tell me what you heard.”

“I was cutting some evergreen branches from my trees outside so I could decorate for Christmas.” She pointed to the greenery that had once been on her fireplace but now lay like a garland corpse on her floor. “I don’t think he saw me there. In fact, I’m sure he didn’t know I was there. At least not at first. I thought about announcing my presence. But . . . well, I guess you’ll understand why I didn’t when I tell you the rest.”

She paused again and licked her lips.

Tex waited for her to continue. He could see this was hard for her.

Finally, she drew in a deep breath and started again. “I didn’t see the face of the man he was meeting with. And I didn’t necessarily recognize the voice except that maybe the guy sounded younger. When I say younger, I’m not sure if he was a teen or in his twenties. It was hard to tell.”

Did she suspect it was one of her students? He kept the question silent for now.

“What were they talking about?” Tex asked instead.

“They were arguing about something. I heard Gilbert say, ‘I don’t know what else to tell you.’ Then the man with him said, ‘I can’t keep doing this.’ Gilbert replied with, ‘You don’t have much choice.’”

“So what do you think that means?” Tex asked.

“I only have assumptions, but no proof.” She hesitated.

“You can tell me your theories.” He could see that Chelsea didn’t want to start trouble, didn’t want her guesses to be incorrect. “I’ll listen with caution.”

She nodded as if his words had appeased her. “A lot is riding on the success of the school’s football team. It’s important that they win the championships again. I know some parents are banking on their kids getting football scholarships to pay for college. It has to place a lot of pressure on Gilbert.”

“So you think he’s doping them?” Tex cut right to the chase and filled in the blanks.

Chelsea opened her mouth. Closed it. Then she shook her head as if in an internal battle with herself. “I know the team lost the first couple of games they played this year. After that, they had a wild turnaround and won every game. The whole town was so ecstatic that they literally threw the football team a parade.”

Tex’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t know people got that excited over high school football these days. It wasn’t like that when I played on the team.”

“I didn’t know either.”

He continued to sort through what Chelsea had told him. “But football season’s over. Why would Gilbert still be doing these deals?”

“You know how it goes with drugs. You open the door to one, and people want more.”

“But if any football players are caught doing drugs, then they’ll be kicked off the team.”

She shrugged. “In theory. Unless there are people involved willing to turn a blind eye to what’s going on.”

He frowned at the thought. “That’s possible, I suppose.”

“I can only imagine that Gilbert is feeling panicked anyway,” she continued. “One of his star players got into a fight with a cop, of all people. He was kicked out of school. Everyone was in shock.”

“I bet. Too much testosterone, huh?”

“I guess.” Chelsea shrugged. “I told you it doesn’t make a lot of sense. I just have a feeling Gilbert is up to no good, and I’m afraid someone is going to get hurt. If it was only Gilbert putting himself in danger, that would be one thing. But if he’s somehow messing up the lives of high schoolers who have their whole futures in front of them, then I feel compelled to do something.”

Her motives were righteous. But Tex still didn’t like the position she was in. “You shouldn’t sneak into his house.”

Her expression tightened. “I know.”

He imagined what Gilbert might do if he really was doing something illegal and he caught Chelsea in his house. Tex didn’t want to think about the repercussions Chelsea might face. Even so, anger burned in him at the thought of anything happening to her.

“What should I do?” Chelsea looked up at him with wide eyes. “I can’t go to the police with this information. It’s all speculation. But I don’t want to sit back and watch this happen either, especially if my suspicions are correct.”

Tex didn’t say anything a moment. He wanted to give her advice. But it needed to be the right advice.

For that reason, he lifted a prayer before he opened his mouth. He was going to need some divine wisdom with this one.

Chelsea stared at Tex, curious about what he’d say.

The thing was, even after everything that had happened between them, she still trusted his counsel. Even though she hadn’t seen him in twelve years and couldn’t begin to imagine what he might have gone through in that timespan.

His eyes appeared haunted, proving that his military experience and everything he’d been through hadn’t been easy.

Plus, she’d seen a scar on the side of his neck earlier. There were more on the top of his arms.

She wanted to ask questions about them, but she didn’t. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Maybe it wasn’t her business.

“Let me see what I can do,” Tex finally said. “I’m staying with Gilbert for the next few days. Maybe I can find out something for you.”

Concern raced through her gaze. “I don’t want to put you in that position.”

“You aren’t. I asked you what was going on. I’m putting myself in this position.”

She nibbled on her lip a moment before saying, “Tex . . . if any of my theories are true, then I have no doubt about the lengths Gilbert will go to keep his secrets silent.”

“I get that. But I can do this.”

She still stared at Tex, wondering if his words were true. Would he help her? But what if he was hurt in the process?

“Chelsea . . . I worked Black Ops for the military. I can handle Gilbert.”

Her eyebrows shot up at his words. “Black Ops?”

He nodded. “I don’t tell many people that, but I know I can trust you not to say anything.”

Her heart caught in her throat. “That sounds dangerous.”

“You could definitely say my job was dangerous.”

“Is that how you got this?” She touched the scar on his forearm, tracing it with her finger.

Tex quickly pulled away and tugged his shirt sleeve down.

“I’m sorry.” She’d crossed a boundary she hadn’t intended on even tiptoeing toward.

What had she been thinking? The action had been instinctive, natural. For her, at least.

Clearly not for Tex.

Before any other words could leave her lips, he stood. “I should get back.”

Great. Chelsea had scared him away. Maybe it was better this way, however.

He paused. “But I really hate to leave you here alone.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll make sure I lock up. I think someone just wanted to scare me. Unfortunately, it worked.”

“Put my number in your cell phone.” He paused as if realizing how bossy he sounded. “Please.”

She pulled out her cell and as he rattled off the digits, she typed them in.

“Call me if you need anything. Anything at all. It won’t be a bother to me.” He locked gazes with her.

“Thank you, but I should be fine.”

At least, Chelsea prayed that was the case.