Chapter 5 - The Coach's Son
Seth Danner was a junior who spent most of his time in the sound booth during assemblies and almost never spoke in class.
Maya had seen him a hundred times without really seeing him.
Now he wanted to meet at the public library.
"Absolutely not alone," Elena said.
So Maya went with Luis while Officer Bennett waited two blocks away in an unmarked car.
Seth was already in the back corner, hood up, foot bouncing under the table.
"You brought your brother," he said.
"You commented under a viral bullying video about a kid who got hurt in a locked gym," Maya replied. "You're lucky I didn't bring a marching band."
Seth almost smiled.
Then he put a manila envelope on the table.
Inside were photocopies of bank deposit slips, booster-club receipts, and handwritten totals.
"My dad keeps records," Seth said. "He thinks paper is safer than computers."
Luis flipped through them. "These numbers don't match."
"Exactly. The basketball program raises around eighty grand a year. Officially, it raises about fifty."
Maya looked up. "Where does the rest go?"
Seth's jaw tightened. "Mercer Athletics Foundation."
"Ryan's dad?"
"Technically a nonprofit. Actually a washing machine. Donations come in. Equipment invoices get inflated. Cash disappears. My dad gets a cut for keeping the team winning and quiet."
Maya thought of Coach Danner watching Ryan torment students.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Seth stared at the table.
"Because Tyler was my friend."
He swallowed hard.
"And because my dad told the school Tyler was unstable. He signed a statement saying Tyler attacked Ryan first."
Luis swore under his breath.
"You can prove that?" Maya asked.
Seth nodded. "I have the draft."
He pulled out another paper.
It was an incident report with corrections in Coach Danner's handwriting.
Original line: RYAN MERCER SHOVED TYLER BROOKS.
Changed line: TYLER BROOKS LOST BALANCE DURING HORSEPLAY.
Maya felt cold.
"Why keep this?"
"Guilt," Seth said. "Maybe stupidity."
He looked toward the library windows.
A dark SUV rolled slowly through the parking lot.
Seth went white.
"That's my dad's car."
Luis stood. "Back exit."
They moved through the stacks.
Seth grabbed Maya's sleeve.
"There's more."
"Tell me outside."
"No. You need to know now. Ryan isn't doing this just because he likes power."
Maya stopped.
Seth's voice dropped.
"Your father knew Gordon Mercer."
For a second, Maya forgot the parking lot, the receipts, the threats.
Her father had been dead for seven years.
"What did you say?"
Seth looked terrified.
"Your dad was the building inspector who tried to shut down Mercer's first school project."
May you like
Then the library's back door opened.
Coach Danner stepped inside.
