Page 42 of Campus Muscle

“According to whom?”

And there I was, thinking he would make it easy for me. That didn’t mean I couldn’t push through this though. I’d dealt with far worse in my time, and none of it had outmatched me.

“According to—” I stopped myself as I realized how ridiculous that really sounded. “Patterns…”

Harris’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. “You’re digging.”

“Perhaps, but I’ve never known you to be the kind to shy away from a challenge.”

“Yeah, but you’re looking for something that could have major implications for everyone. That’s not something I’m willing to get involved in.”

“I’ve already found it,” I said cautiously.

The blood drained from the coach’s face as he scanned mine. I tapped my pen on my notebook, and his eyes flickered down for a brief moment before returning to mine.

Harris sighed before rubbing the back of his neck. “Dakota…”

“He’s arranging academic help,” I pressed. “There have been private conversations with guys on your team, and he has influence over—”

“Please stop,” he pleaded.

There hadn’t been a day this year that Coach Harris looked so afraid. It was as if Delaney held something over his head that forced him to comply, and it was just sad because the man was so much better than that.

Coach Harris met my gaze. “Can I give you some advice?”

“I really don’t need any.”

“Just stay out of it,” he said anyway.

His words had more of an impact than I thought they would, and I couldn’t help but wonder why that was. Did Delaney really have this much influence? Was that how guys like him got away with the things they did?

“You don’t even know what I’m—”

“I know enough, and I also know that this team needs stability more than it needs whatever it is that you’re trying to uncover.”

“That’s not how it works,” I groaned.

“It’s how it works here.”

I was glad that Harris finally opened up, but I couldn’t believe he was treating the situation this way. If he didn’t agree with it, he needed to stand up for himself and his team. He needed to do something to protect his guys.

I shook my head. “So you’re just going to ignore it?”

“I’m going to coach my team,” Harris said, sounding as defeated as he looked. “And I suggest you focus on your job.”

“This is me focusing on my job.”

“No, it’s not. Your job is to cover football, not chase ghosts.”

Oh, that was a low blow, but it just caused a shift in my attitude. He wasn’t the first to say I was fishing, and he wouldn’t be the last either. I’d just deal with him like I did with everyone else.

“There’s definitely something going on here.”

“If you believe it, then prove it,” Harris said calmly. “Until you do, you’re just making noise where we don’t need it.”

He didn’t wait for me to respond. He just walked off. So I stood there for a moment and let the echo of what he said settle as uncomfortably as I thought it would. Then I turned and found Trace watching me. Of course, he had to be the one studying me while I did the same to everyone else.

He stood a few yards away with his helmet in hand and an expression that gave away far more than it should’ve. He’d seen all he needed to see, so I decided to just step toward him and get it over with.