“Tell me how you want to handle it.  We could fly to Chicago and talk to him.  You shouldn’t have to tell him that alone, and it might be something better done in person.”

Lane leaned back to look at him, “You have a trial starting Monday.”

He ran the back of his fingers across her cheek, “We could leave from St. Louis Saturday afternoon and spend the night in Chicago, see Phillip Sunday, and fly back home Sunday evening.  I’d be back in plenty of time for court on Monday morning, but it’s up to you.”

She leaned into him again, “I love you.  I’ll call him this afternoon and then we can make travel arrangements. Now, I want to hear about what happened with the police today.”

He kissed her before he released the embrace and turned toward the stove.  “Duncan showed Jamie some pictures.  He tried to disguise things, but the pictures were of the Evans family, Lucas Evans’ father, mother and sister along with three strangers who very well could have been cops thrown in just to even out the photo lineup.”  He poured the stock into the stockpot and started dicing turkey before continuing, “It would seem that they suspect Lucas’ family.  Jamie was pretty upset at the thought.  I told him he just needed to concentrate on telling the police anything he could remember about what happened both Monday and Tuesday and let the police sort things out.” Ben held up some dark meat and looked questioningly at Lane.

She shook her head.  “Just the white meat.  Lucas is the second string quarterback, isn’t he?  Do you suppose he has anything to do with what happened to Justin?”

Ben continued dicing turkey. “No.  I can’t imagine Lucas being involved with anything that would harm either Justin or coach Ferguson.”  He looked at Lane, concern written on his face. “You remember that crazy mother in Texas in the early nineties?” Lane shook her head and Ben continued. “She hired a hit man to kill the mother of a cheerleader so the girl would quit the squad and her daughter could take the spot.”

Lane looked at him, “You’re right, that’s crazy.”

Ben took the turkey to the stove and put it into the stockpot.  “That wasn’t the defense she took though.  She was convicted of solicitation for capital murder.  She was sentenced to ten years, but it was later discovered that there was an issue with one of the jurors.  There should have been a second trial.  Anyway, she served six months in jail and the rest of the sentence on probation.”

Lane looked at him, “How do you know all of this?  You were in high school in the early nineties.”

Ben chuckled. “Well, I did go to law school.  We studied it and both Tanner and I thought about it when Jamie found Justin earlier this week, so I looked it up again. By the way, has anyone heard form Jake or Joey or Pauli today?  I know the noodles will keep, I just wondered how many we’d have for lunch.”

Jamie had come into the kitchen as Ben asked about the rest of the family.  “I can text Jake and see what he’s up to today.  When will we eat?”  He grinned and tried to disguise his hunger.  “He’ll want to know.”

The stock was boiling and Ben had begun to add the noodles. “Half an hour tops.” Ben replied.

Lane looked at Jamie, “If Jake’s coming, set the dining room table. And be sure to find out if he’s bringing Meg.”  She leaned into the hearth room, “Jess, call either Joey or Paul and see if they’re coming for lunch.  It’ll be ready in half an hour.”

“Joey and Pauli are on their way.”  Jess said a few minutes later as she entered the kitchen followed by Gabe.

Ben looked at his wife, “What do you have with turkey and noodles?  Do we need a vegetable, a salad?”

Lane smiled, “I’ll take care of it.”  She pulled a bag of frozen corn from the freezer and got a microwave safe bowl.  “I’ll have cottage cheese of course.  We’ll want bread and butter.  Do the Bellini brothers need salad?”

Ben laughed, “No, I’m sure they’ll be fine with what we have and if they aren’t, they can go buy lunch somewhere.”

“What can I do?”  Gabe asked.

Jess shook her head and as Lane sent Gabe to help Jamie with the dining room table, she got a basket for the bread.  Gabe was far too caught up in being a part of her family.  She didn’t object, but she did find it tremendously amusing.

A few minutes after the phone call to Jake and Parker House, Joey and Pauli came into the house through the garage.  Jake, Meg, and Abbey soon followed them and after Gabe took drink orders, everyone sat down to a leisurely lunch.  Friday was Jess’s turn for grace and she quickly rattled off the standard Catholic blessing.  It was nearing 12:30 when they sat down to eat, and Jamie had to be at school at two o’clock.

Lane wondered whether Jamie was nervous about the game.   She smiled inwardly; her three children were so different from one another.  She never had to guess about what Jake was feeling; he had always telegraphed his feelings in advance.  While both Jess and Jamie played their cards closer to the vest, Lane could usually tell when Jess was nervous about a role in a play or before a performance.  Her youngest child had always been much more difficult to read.  She wondered now if it could be genetic; Ben was often difficult to get a read on as well.  Gabe broke the silence bringing Lane out of her reverie.

“Jamie, are you nervous about the game tonight?  I used to get butterflies the size of pterodactyls before a concert.”

Jess looked at him; she couldn’t imagine Gabe Greer being nervous over anything.

Jamie smiled at Gabe and looked around the table as he spoke, “I wouldn’t say I’m nervous about the game.  Of course, I want to win, but I don’t have a college scholarship riding on the outcome like a couple of the other guys do.”

What is that saying, from the mouths of babes?  Ben looked at his son and suddenly the pieces had fallen into place.  Lucas Evans was a scholarship student at Rockhurst, and perhaps he had a college scholarship riding on his performance in the state championship game.  Lucas was a senior; Justin was a junior.  Unless the Hawkettes were up by several touchdowns, chances were, Lucas wouldn’t even get any time on the field, let alone have a chance to shine as long as Justin was in the picture.   Perhaps Lucas’s family was relying on a scholarship that depended on his performance in the game.  Ben stood and excused himself from the table.  He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Roy Tanner as he walked to his office.

“Tanner.”

“Jamie just said something that bears looking into.”  He repeated what Jamie had said about a scholarship hanging on the outcome of the game today.  “Duncan showed Jamie pictures of the Evans family, Lucas’s parents and sister along with a look-a-like for each of them.  Lucas is a scholarship student so it wouldn’t be much of a reach to conclude that he’ll need a scholarship for college too.  Maybe one or both of his parents mean to ensure Lucas gets time on the field tonight.”

“I’ll talk to Duncan, and see what else I can find out. Regardless though, unless there’s been an arrest, before the team leaves, I’m still following the bus.”

Ben chuckled. “I’d expect nothing less.  But if we can prove out this theory, then we know Jamie should be safe, he has no say in who plays in the game today.”

“I’ll call you if I find out anything.  In any case, I imagine I’ll see you at school in a few.”

Ben checked his watch.  Most guys these days didn’t wear a watch, relying on their cell phone for the time, but Ben always wore a watch.  Today he was wearing his favorite casual watch, a stainless steel, and ceramic Fendi he’d gotten in Rome last summer.  It was nearing one o’clock.

“We’re in the middle of lunch, and I’d better get back to the table, but we’ll leave the house between 1:30 and 1:45 to drop Jamie.  I’ll see you then.”

Ben stopped in the kitchen before joining his family in the dining room.  He carried a pie in each hand as he approached the table, “Who’s ready for dessert?”  He asked as he placed the pies on the table.