Page 10 of Silent Trail

"Sounds like she was quite the competitor," Sheila said, remembering her own drive to succeed in the sports world.

Claire nodded. "Coach Richards pushed all of us hard, but she saw something special in Kristen. I think that's why she was always getting on Kristen's case."

"Getting on her case?" Sheila asked, casting a troubled glance at Finn. "What do you mean?"

Claire shifted in her seat before continuing. "Well, Coach Richards could be pretty tough on all of us, but with Kristen...it was different. She would yell at her, sometimes even call her names. It was like she had it out for her."

Sheila's heart skipped a beat at the revelation. "Did Kristen ever talk to you about how she felt about Coach Richards?" she asked.

Claire hesitated, biting her lip. She glanced at Rita and then looked back at Sheila. "Not really, no. But I could tell it bothered her. Sometimes, after practice, she'd just sit there on the bench, staring at nothing. Like she was trying to figure out why Coach Richards was so hard on her."

"Did it ever escalate beyond words? Ever get physical?"

Claire hesitated. "This one time, Kristen talked back, told Coach Richards it was unfair how she was being treated. The two started arguing, and then Coach Richards shoved her. Kristen fell backward onto the court, and everyone just froze. It was like no one knew what to do."

Sheila's blood boiled at the thought of a coach physically harming a player. "Did anyone report it?" she asked.

Claire shook her head. "No. We all just kind of...pretended it didn't happen. Kristen didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so we respected that. I think she was embarrassed. Besides, it was just a shove—we all get a little out of hand sometimes, don't we?"

Sheila frowned, saying nothing. Was it possible there had been another incident between Kristen and Coach Richards, one that had gone much further than a shove?

One that had ended in blood?

CHAPTER FIVE

Sheila frowned as she knocked on the door to Coach Richards' office. She was still thinking of the conversation she'd had with Claire Hutchinson and Rita Cohen, and Claire's words about how hard Coach Richards had pushed Kristen Lee—even to the point of literally shoving her.

Was that simply fostering a competitive spirit in the players, or had there been genuine hostility involved? And what other lines might have been crossed when Claire wasn't around to see?

"Come in," a voice called, sounding a touch impatient. Sheila turned the doorknob and let herself in, with Finn close behind. The office was surprisingly neat, the walls lined with shelves filled with trophies and photographs of various volleyball teams. A large window allowed sunlight to filter in, illuminating the room and casting shadows on the hardwood floor. At the far end, behind a massive oak desk piled high with papers and sports-related paraphernalia, sat Coach Richards.

The stern-faced woman looked to be in her early fifties, with short-cropped, graying hair and a strong build that spoke of years spent coaching and playing sports herself. Her eyes bore into Sheila and Finn with an intensity that matched her reputation.

"Have a seat," Richards said, gesturing toward two chairs in front of her desk. Sheila couldn't help but feel like she was back in school herself, facing a headmistress for some minor infraction.

Sheila squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and began. "Ms. Richards, my name is Sheila Stone, and this is Officer Finn Mercer. We're investigating the death of Kristen Lee."

The coach's eyes narrowed at the mention of Kristen's name, but she said nothing.

Sheila continued, "We'd like to ask you some questions about her, if that's all right."

"Fine," Richards replied curtly, her fingers drumming impatiently on the desk. "Fire away."

"What was your relationship to Kristen?" Sheila asked.

"My relationship?" Richards said, arching an eyebrow. "I was the coach and she was the player. Simple as that."

Sheila pursed her lips, composing herself. This was going to be more challenging than she'd thought.

"What kind of a player was she?" Sheila asked.

"Oh, she was an excellent volleyball player," Richards said, her voice softening ever so slightly. "She worked hard, never complained, and gave everything she had on the court." Her gaze shifted to the various team photos behind her, lingering on one where Kristen stood proudly among her teammates. "I'm very proud of my volleyball team, and it's devastating to lose a player like her."

Was the pain in the coach's eyes genuine, or just an act? Sheila couldn't tell, but either way, she sensed the woman was holding something back. She decided to probe a bit further.

"Did you notice any changes in Kristen's behavior recently?" she asked. "Anything that might have indicated she was going through a rough time?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Richards answered after a brief pause, her eyes flicking away from Sheila's probing stare. "Student-athletes like Kristen face a lot of pressure, but she seemed to handle it well."

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