“And you believed he liked you, that he was showing interest in you as a friend. As a coach. Isn’t that right?”
“Okay, yes.” Jordan shrugged uncomfortably. “Why are you acting like a lawyer? You sound like a lawyer.”
“I’m trying to understand how you feel. Don’t you feel angry that you were lied to? That he lied to us both? Did he ever ask you questions about Evan or the other boys on the team?”
“Yeah, I guess. Once.”
“So he was using you for information. He was pumping you for information. He was only pretending to be your friend, and mine. Doesn’t that make you angry?”
“Um, it’s not great, I admit.”
“It’s more than not great, Jordan. It’s a lie. I teach you not to lie. I don’t like people who lie. But he lied to us, and I’m mad at him, so you’ll understand if I don’t want to watch the stupid press—”
“That’s not what I think,” Jordan interrupted her, which he rarely did, especially to offer his thoughts.
“What do you think?”
“I know he lied and all, and that’s not right, but I still think he liked us.” Jordan blinked sadly, and Heather felt a wave of guilt for her son, let down not only by his father, but by his father figure.
“Maybe he did, I’m sure he did. But I don’t like being lied to.”
“Mom, he had to lie, don’t you see?” Jordan gestured at the TV, where Wolf Blitzer was counting down. “He saved Evan’s life and he saved the lives of all those people. Like they just said, thousands of people would have been killed.”
“But he deceived us. He pretended to be somebody he wasn’t.”
“He had to, for the greater good. He did what he had to do to save people’s lives. It’s like he really was a coach, and we’re all the team. Mom, he did the right thing for the team.”
“But he’s not a coach,” Heather said, softening, thinking back to that night in this very kitchen, when Chris had coached her to think about her skill set.
“It doesn’t matter if he really was. He did what a coach would do, a really great coach. He went to the standard, Mom. The standard did not go to him. It’s seventeen inches, Mom.”
“What?” Heather had no idea what he meant.
Jordan shook it off. “It doesn’t matter. All I’m saying is, he flew upside down through the air holding on to Evan. He rescued him. He achieved excellence.”
Heather felt a glimmer of new pride in Jordan. “You know, you should express yourself more often. You make sense.”
“So you agree?”
“No.”
“Mom, come on.” Jordan took her hand and tugged her into the living room, where they sat down in front of the TV, side by side, something they hadn’t done for some time.
Wolf Blitzer continued, “We take you directly to Philadelphia, where the press conference is beginning.” The screen morphed to a man in a suit standing behind a lectern with a cluster of men in suits. To the man’s right was a tall ugly guy, a shorter older man, and on the end, Chris.
“There’s Coach!” Jordan leaned forward, resting on his knees.
“Not a coach,” Heather said reflexively, though her gaze went immediately to Chris and stayed there. It was so strange to see him in such a different role, on TV to boot. She couldn’t deal with the fact that it was the same man. She couldn’t help but think, If nothing he said was true, is it the same man? Then she answered her own question, Of course not, you idiot. But he’s still hot.
“My name is Ralph Brubaker, Chief of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. I’m here to brief you on the thwarting today of an act of domestic terrorism whose goal was to destroy the James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse and the William J. Green Federal Building in Philadelphia, murdering the persons inside and causing considerable property damage. The plot was foiled by JTTF and many other law-enforcement agencies, but first mention goes to the Philadelphia Field Division of ATF, headed by Group Supervisor Alek Ivanov, Special Agent David Levitz, and the hero of Operation Varsity Letter, Special Agent Curt Abbott.”
Jordan hooted. “Woohoo!”
Heather grumbled. “Hmph.”
“… Law enforcement scored a major victory today in our ongoing battle against domestic terrorism. We have no reason to believe that there are other conspirators or participants in this plot, so the City of Philadelphia and the region remain safe. Structural engineers are inspecting the Ben Franklin Bridge, and it will remain closed until further notice. We will retain the severe threat level, out of an abundance of caution. Most important, no confirmed lives were lost today in connection with this plot, except the perpetrators, brothers James and David Shank of Headley, Pennsylvania.”
Jordan looked over. “Mom, can you believe Madame Wheeler sent Evan that selfie? I knew I should’ve taken French.”
Heather rolled her eyes. “Spanish is more useful.”
“Ha!”
“I’m just wondering why Evan was dumb enough to send you all her picture. Why didn’t he just keep it to himself?”
Jordan snorted. “Mom, are you kidding? Did you see her? If I got a girl who looked like that, I’d send it around, no doubt.”
“Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
Chief Brubaker continued, “We have taken into custody Ms. Courtney Shank Wheeler, the younger sister of the Shank brothers and a teacher at Central Valley High School in Central Valley, Pennsylvania. We also have in custody a seventeen-year-old junior at Central Valley High School. Neither Wheeler nor the minor have been charged, as yet. We are investigating their participation in the plot and it is unclear at this time.”
Jordan looked over with a worried frown. “What does that mean? Why don’t they say his name?”
“Privacy, I guess? Because he’s a minor? Anyway, it means they haven’t figured out what Evan did yet.”
Jordan grimaced. “Do they really think he’s one of the bad guys? He doesn’t know Madame Wheeler’s brothers. They beat him up. You could see his face in the videos.”
“Shh, let’s listen.”
Chief Brubaker continued, “There are many details of this Operation Varsity Letter that we do not have or cannot make public for security reasons. We are holding this conference before we have the totality of the facts because we want to inform the press and public, giving correct information rather than the rumors circulating online or in social media.”