Long Shadows (Amos Decker, #7)(89)

“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.





Chapter 65



A?ROUND FOUR THIRTY THAT DAY Decker 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. I am the 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 my business degree,” 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?”

James looked at them. “Look, I don’t want to get anybody in trouble.”

“Just tell us what you know,” prompted White. “It goes no further.”

James looked back out at the field, his elbows resting on the fence top. “His dad never got over his mom. Tyler said his dad would sneak over there just to watch her.”

“Is that right?” said White, shooting a glance at Decker.

“And he was seeing all these young girls, but Tyler said his dad really had no interest in them. Tyler thinks he was just trying to make his mom jealous. He’d get drunk at night and cry about the divorce. I think it took a lot out of Tyler. I mean, a lot. He’d have to sit with his dad and listen to that. He’s only seventeen; he’s not going to know how to handle stuff like that.”

Decker studied him. “It’s rough what he’s going through, for sure.”

“Kid shouldn’t have to be a parent, too,” chimed in White.

“You ever been over to Tyler’s condo?” Decker asked him.

“Sure, lots of times.” He grinned. “The girls his dad dates? I don’t mind hanging out with them.”

“His dad conducts his business from there.”

“Yeah, even before COVID, he did that. He has clients all over the place, and he can’t travel to see them all so he does it online. I listened to him practice what he would say to clients sometimes. Tyler said his dad would record it, play it back, and then, you know, improve on it. Get it just right before he did it for real. He told me that’s what separates the winners from the losers.” He looked out at the field. “Sort of what Tyler is doing right now. So maybe his dad was teaching him some good stuff, too. Practice makes perfect.”

“Right,” said Decker.

“Yeah. Well, see ya. I gotta go do my protein shakes.” James walked off.

Tyler glanced over and saw them watching, White impatiently and Decker with interest. But he kept running his routes for another half hour.

He finished up and jogged over to them, toweled off, and guzzled down a bottle of water.

Decker said, “You’ve already made improvements on the dominant leg issue. Your cuts are more balanced, sharper, and cleaner.”