Chapter 3
“I’m glad that you found it necessary to bring us into this little secret of yours. I think that we have the young lady to thank for that. Otherwise, you probably would have done this on your own and that would’ve been foolhardy. I think for the time being that we should keep this to only those that need to know. I can’t stop you from telling anybody, but I would greatly stress that it’s possible that this is somebody that you know.” Detective Graves had been on the force for 20 years. He looked at these two kids and knew that they were in love. There was no hiding that kind of thing from his seasoned eyes. It didn’t come from being on the force and it came more from the dedication that he had for his three ex wives. He hated them and loved them at the same time.
“I feel like I’m going out of my mind. They said that they would call and we are less than 2 hours away from the game commencing. I would have done everything that they said, but you have convinced me that you can keep those that I love safe. They targeted Samantha, because they thought that I had feelings for her. I didn’t at the time or maybe I did, but I really wasn’t ready to admit it.” Judson didn’t feel right about bringing the police into this, but Samantha was adamant that they allow them to do their job.
“They’ll most likely contact you closer to when the game is about to begin. They won’t want you to have any doubts. By coming to you before the game begins, they prevent the possibility of you changing your mind.” The detective was wearing a blue suit with a white shirt with no tie. He had always thought that they were homemade nooses that were probably invented by a woman to make a man suffer. He didn’t mean to be jaded, but losing his heart three times had given him food for thought for trying it a fourth time.
“I think that if I have a police escort someplace private in the stadium that I will be perfectly fine. I don’t need to be in the players’ box or anywhere that will make it easier for somebody to target me. I’ve never been much into football, but I do want to see him in action on the field. Give me a television and that’s all that I will need.” “I want there to be no delusions about how I feel about him. I may not like the sport, but I’m starting to think that it’s growing on me. It does remind me of gladiators in roman times, but at least the bloodshed is down to the bare minimum. They fight for the Glory of their respective cities. I can see the reason why people get caught up in the hype. It takes them away from their dull and boring lives for at least a few hours.”
“I would rather that I see her, but I understand the need to keep her sequestered someplace private.” His phone rang and he knew without looking at it that it was probably the person responsible for this.
“I want you to keep him on the nine for as long, as possible. I know that I’m asking a lot, but I’ve seen you do interviews and you do have the gift for gab.” Detective Graves didn’t like this pompous kid, but he did know the power of what a woman could bring to the table. His callous ways were over. Even if he didn’t know it now, he was about to find out. “Agree to everything that they want you to do and hopefully we can deter them from acting, until after the game. Maybe then, they will announce themselves by showing their true colors by coming after her.” He didn’t like using either one of them as bait, but it seemed necessary. He had no doubt from personal experience that whoever was doing this was never just going to slink away into the tonight.
“I do hope that you haven’t gotten the police involved. It really doesn’t matter if you have or not. I can get to her any time and any place. It won’t matter if she is being protected or not. Tell me if you think that I’m lying.” The voice was garbled and had some kind of digitization to mask the identity of who was doing this.
“Just tell me what you want me to do. I know this has something to do with the game. I’m sure that you need me to do something that I’m probably not comfortable with.” He could’ve just said that he would do whatever they wanted, but he was trying to stretch this out, so that the police could zero in on the suspects location. “You have my undivided attention.”
“I’m sure that the police are trying to figure out where I am, so I’m going to make it easier on them. I’m right here in the stadium and you can probably feel my hot breath on the back of your neck. I know how to get you and I know how to get to the pretty little thing that you care for. I have spies everywhere and I know exactly how much that woman means to you. I have to say that some of the video that has been obtained makes me very happy in my pants.”
“I don’t need to hear about your perversions. Just tell me what you want me to do.” Judson didn’t like that this person was that close to him. He could almost hear the venom in their words.
“I need you to make sure that you lose by only one touchdown. I don’t care what the score is, as long as you lose by seven points.” The line went dead and the look on Detective Graves face told him that they had found out exactly where this person was. It didn’t surprise him when they began to bring reinforcements in, as the perpetrator was right there underneath their noses.
“This is highly unusual and for him to be right here means that he’s not very worried about getting caught. He thinks that he has the upper hand, but I can assure you that my men are up to the task of bringing him down. Don’t do this and I know that I can’t force you, but I’m asking you to think of the purity of the game.” Detective Graves could see that the young man was thinking, but he was sure that the woman meant more to him than just the game.
Judson looked towards Samantha wearing that white dress with blue flowers. “I’m going to do what is best for everyone. I don’t really know what that is. Either way I’m taking a risk of either disappointing my team and the city, or putting you in grave danger.” He wanted to scream in frustration, but he needed to show Samantha that he was strong.
Samantha got up and hovered over him with her two hands on his broad shoulders. She knew that in this position that her bosom was easily seen by both Judson and Detective Graves. He was sitting there with a smile on his face. “I want you to go out there and play your heart out and don’t worry about me. I mean it and you will never forgive yourself, if you play differently. Who knows, maybe you will lose by seven points and you won’t have to worry about this.” She jabbed him on the shoulder making light of the situation. “Whoever this is has already tried to kill me once. They’ll probably work the angles. I’m just going to have to be careful. I want him to say that he will throw the game by seven points, but I also want him to be true to himself.”
“I’m not sure that you mean what you say. I don’t need this right now and I have a lot on my mind. I am glad that you are cracking jokes. That shows me that you don’t think of this, as being serious. It’s also possible that you’re trying to make me think that you don’t think of this, as being serious. I have to go and it’s almost that time.” Judson would need some time with the team to go over plays with the coach. The stadium was to full capacity with standing room only. Scalpers were making a fortune offering those unfortunate souls that had found themselves in the position of needing to acquire tickets.
“This game will determine if you go to the Super Bowl. I know that’s a big deal and the holy grail of football. You also know that I hold no love for the sport, but that doesn’t mean that I want you to do something that’s going to haunt you for the rest of your days.” Samantha hugged him, holding him close and letting him feel the warmth and comfort of her body. “I want to tell him that he should break a leg, but I don’t think that I would want to wish that on him or anybody on the team. I feel that the right thing to do is to let the police handle this. I’m going to put myself in their capable hands and hope that I’m not making a grave error.”
“I think that it’s best that we don’t tell you where we are keeping her, Judson. That way, you can’t be coerced in any way. The less you know the better.” Detective Graves was dressed in a suit, but he also had two undercover police officers in casual wear. He called the two men into the room. “These two men will be on her protection detail. I will be coordinating with the rest of the team from up in the players’ box where I can see practically everything.” He motioned for the two officers to take Samantha into their custody.
“I still don’t feel good about this. I’ll be happier when this is all over and done with. I’m tired and this is the game that will finally make my mark in the sport. They are counting on me and I’m going to have to get this out of my head, so that I can do what I need to do.” He walked out and went down to the locker room to come face to face with his agent to be Sarah and her underling Jennifer.
“I hope that you are ready for this, Judson. I have calls from many sponsors that are looking to capitalize on your fame and notoriety. They have been clamoring to get your name out there and they’re willing to back up a boatload of money into your back yard to get you on board. Hostess is one of the biggest ones, but I’ve also been fielding offers from Nivea.” She looked at Judson and could see that he didn’t exactly look alert. I need you to get your head in the game and to make the most of this opportunity. It’s not every day that you get these kinds of offers, but they can disappear in the blink of an eye. You don’t even have to win, but you need to give them something to chew on. I don’t think that a flamboyant show is out of the realm of possibility. Put a huge show on for them and that should be more than enough to get them to sign on the dotted line.”
“Sarah, you have no idea what kind of stress I’m under. I don’t need this on top of everything else. I’ll do my best and that’s all that I can do. You can’t ask for anything more.” Judson didn’t like being ambushed and the fact that she had come here personally was a little galling. “You could’ve easily called me on the phone and told me all of this. Getting in my face is not going to make me adhere to your wishes. I don’t have time for this and this is either going to be the biggest game of my life, or it’s not.” He pushed past the both of them, going into the locker room and leaving them with their mouth hanging open in shock and confusion.
“I don’t know what has gotten into him, but he better not disappoint me, or he will find himself looking for another agent. After contending with him, I can practically write my own ticket.” Sarah looked at Jennifer and she wanted nothing more than to throw her down right here in front of everyone and take advantage of her. She was young and impressionable and the very thought of a voyeuristic act was very appealing. Sarah had never done anything like that before and feeling Jennifer struggle in discomfort would give her a thrill like never before.
“I don’t know what to tell you, but maybe he just needs to get his game face on. I’m sure that once he talks to the team and gets into the right mindset, he’ll be able to do what he needs to do.” Jennifer was not completely immune to the way that Sarah was looking at her. That fire was still burning and she had to hug her blazer, just to make herself feel like she wasn’t exposed in a dirty way.
“I hope that you’re right. He will rue the day that he ever tried to talk to me like that. He might think that he has upper hand, but I can crush him at a moment’s notice. I can get him blacklisted and turn him into a pariah to any other sponsor that might want to consider taking him on. He’s mine and he’s always going to be mine. He’s just going to have to get that through his thick skull. Call those sponsors and tell them that we will have a meeting with them after the game.” Sarah had creditors to answer to.