Chapter 3 - The Night Tyler Fell
The recording was dark and shaky.
Chloe had filmed from behind a row of folded bleachers, the camera peeking through metal supports.
Ryan stood at center court with three varsity players around Tyler Brooks.
Tyler looked terrified.
"Say it again," Ryan said in the video.
"I said no."
"Wrong answer."
Maya felt her stomach tighten.
Coach Danner appeared near the doors.
Not helping.
Guarding them.
Tyler held a small black notebook against his chest.
"I'm not changing the numbers," he said. "You guys sold way more fundraiser tickets than you reported."
Ryan shoved him.
"You're the team manager. Manage the team."
"That's stealing."
One of Ryan's friends reached for the notebook.
Tyler backed away.
Then Ryan hit him.
Not a wild punch. A quick one to the ribs.
Tyler doubled over.
Maya's mother covered her mouth.
On the video, Coach Danner said, "Enough. Get the book and let him go."
But Ryan did not stop.
He shoved Tyler again.
Tyler stumbled backward, caught his heel on the bottom bleacher, and fell hard against the steel edge.
The phone image jerked.
Chloe gasped on the recording.
Coach Danner rushed forward.
"What did you do?"
Ryan stared down at Tyler.
"He slipped."
The video ended.
Elena looked at Chloe. "Did you show this to anyone?"
Tears filled Chloe's eyes. "I tried."
"Who?"
"Assistant Principal Weller. He took my phone for 'evidence.' When I got it back, the video was deleted."
Maya frowned. "But you still have it."
"I had auto backup on. I was too scared to tell them. Ryan found out I was there. He said if I talked, he'd make sure my little brother got kicked out of the youth league."
Elena took a slow breath. "We need the police."
Chloe grabbed her arm. "Wait."
"Why?"
"Because Tyler's dad tried that."
Maya stared at her.
Chloe wiped her face. "My mom works at the county clerk's office. She heard his family filed a report. Two days later, they withdrew it and moved."
"People don't move because a teenager says something mean," Maya said.
"No," Chloe whispered. "They move because Gordon Mercer owns their mortgage."
The room seemed to shrink.
Maya had heard rumors about Mercer's company buying distressed properties all over the county. She had never connected them to school.
Elena straightened. "We're making copies. Several copies."
They sent the video to three private email accounts and saved it to a flash drive.
Then Maya's suspended-school notification buzzed on her phone.
A second message came immediately after.
Unknown number.
NO SCHOOL FOR THREE DAYS. GOOD.
A photo loaded beneath it.
It showed Maya's house from across the street.
The message continued.
May you like
STAY HOME.
OR YOUR MOM'S NEXT SHIFT COULD GET INTERESTING.
