Page 58 of Fastball Fever
"We need to get a sample."Amy glances around the room, then unzips her bag and pulls out a small evidence collection kit.At my surprised look, she shrugs."I came prepared."
"Of course you did, baby.You're the smartest person I've ever met."
Using a small scraper, she collects residue from the bat grip into a tiny vial.Her movements are quick and precise, as if she's done this before.Maybe Coach Keller has more secrets than I realized.
"We should check the batting gloves too," I suggest."If they're coating those, the effects would be even more direct."
"Smart idea."
We move to a locker where batting gloves are stacked in neat piles.She carefully examines a pair, turning them inside out.
"Bingo," she whispers, holding the gloves up."They've treated these too."
I inch closer to take a look.The interior palms have a faint sheen to them, barely perceptible unless you're looking for it.The pieces are falling into place, and it makes me want to punch something—or someone, preferably the slimeball who did this to our team.The Altitude's sudden improvement, our team's collective slump…it wasn't in our minds.This was deliberate sabotage.
"Jared," I growl."This has his fingerprints all over it."
Amy collects another sample, securing it in her kit."We have what we need for now."
Just as she zips her bag closed, voices echo from the hallway.My heart slams against my chest.Amy's eyes widen in panic, and we both freeze, listening intently.
"—checking inventory before we head out."That male voice is unmistakably the smug tone of Jared Morris."Coach wants the trophy bats packed special for tomorrow, so we'd better do this quick before anyone misses us."
Amy seizes my arm, her fingers digging into my bicep as she drags me toward a storage closet at the back of the room.We squeeze inside just as the door to the equipment room swings open.Through a narrow crack, I can see Jared and one of the equipment managers entering.
"These babies are our secret weapon," Jared laughs, picking up a torpedo bat we'd examined a minute ago."The Admirals don't stand a chance."
Another male voice chuckles."Braddock looked like he was swinging underwater today."
I can't figure out who the other voice belongs to.The guy isn't quite mumbling, but I have to listen hard to make out the words.
"Yeah, well, that's what happens when you mess with the best," Jared sneers, twirling the bat."Plus, our little enhancement doesn't hurt."
I tense, ready to burst out of the closet and confront him, but Amy's grip on my arm tightens.Her eyes flash a warning in the darkness: Not yet.
"You sure this stuff is undetectable?"Jared's accomplice asks.
"Completely," Jared says with smug confidence."The lab guys say it metabolizes so fast there's no trace after a few hours.By the time anyone might think to test, there's nothing to find.And the beauty is, those idiots don't even know why they're playing so badly."
My jaw clenches so hard my teeth might crack.Amy's breathing is shallow beside me, her body pressed against mine in the tight space.I can feel her heartbeat racing as fast as mine.I'm torn between rage and something else—a fierce admiration for the woman beside me, who figured this out when everyone else was looking in the wrong direction.
Morris's collaborator is packing the bats into a special case, handling them with exaggerated care."You think they'll ever figure it out?"
"By the time they do, we'll be World Series champions," Jared says with a laugh that makes my blood boil."Besides, it's not technically illegal.It's just a little…competitive advantage."
They continue gathering equipment, joking about our team's struggles.Every word fuels my anger, but I stay put, knowing we need to leave here with our evidence intact.
Finally, after what feels like hours, they finish their task and head toward the door.
"Let's grab a beer," Jared suggests."I'm buying.We have a lot to celebrate tonight."
When the door finally clicks shut, I exhale, realizing I've been holding my breath.Amy and I remain frozen for several more seconds, listening for any sign of their return.
"Clear," I whisper, easing the closet door open."We need to get out of here."
Amy nods, her expression a mix of triumph and fury."We've got them, Charlie.We've actually got them."
"Not until we can catch Jared and his pal juicing our equipment in the dugout or our locker room."
