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get and the more you can do physically. Heck, most college coaches don’t care if you’re smart as long as you look good gettin’ off the bus, so where do you think an athlete who wants to play in college is going to spend his time? It ain’t studying after school, that’s for sure.”
    Miller’s straight talk stunned Cal into silence. Coaches always had standard answers for his questions, but Miller was off script. It was refreshing – and shocking.
    Kelly noticed Cal was entranced by Miller’s honesty. She continued her line of questioning.
    “So, how long did you know Cody was using?”
    “It started last summer, probably just as a way to help him gain an edge in the weight room. But it wasn’t too long before he was addicted. He impressed enough college coaches in the fall to get a handful of scholarship offers, but I didn’t suspect he’d ever really make it to campus.”
    “That bad, huh?”
    “Yeah, he was going south in a hurry. Physically, you couldn’t tell. But mentally? He wasn’t nearly as sharp as he was his sophomore year or even last season. I even considered moving him to running back so he wouldn’t have to remember so much. But this town would’ve gone nuts. Even I would’ve lost my job over a coaching move like that.”
    Cal smiled. Miller might be grieving, but his sense of humor – and grip on reality – was intact. It was enough to break him out of his catatonic state.
    “But isn’t this unusual, Coach? I mean, three guys in 24 hours by using meth and all overdosed? I’m not a drug expert, but that seems highly improbable.”
    “So, you think it was the mountain lion that got them?”
    Kelly and Cal shot glances at each other, recalling Mrs. Washburn’s crazy rumor.
    Kelly played dumb. “Mountain lion? What are you talking about?”
    “You guys haven’t heard that yet? I thought you were the reporters, not me.”
    “Where did you hear that?” asked Kelly, feigning surprise.
    “Oh, it’s just a rumor I heard, but somebody told me that they heard Cody and Devin’s bodies looked like they had been mauled by a mountain lion. I don’t know any drugs that will do that. I know it’s a crazy rumor, but it might be something that the parents of those boys need right now to make sure they don’t go crazy with feelings of regret, like they didn’t pay enough attention to their sons.”
    “According to you, they didn’t.”
    “Look, I’m just processing this stuff out loud with you two, but can I trust you not to report anything I’ve said?”
    Cal sighed. He had been capturing the whole conversation on his digital recorder. He hit the stop button.
    “OK, Coach. I promise not to attribute any of this information to you. But if this turns out to be something more suspicious, I might call you and ask for your permission to reveal some information as an unnamed source. Deal?”
    “Only if there’s a killer involved and it’ll help catch him. I don’t want to speak ill of the dead or the parents of the dead, especially in this town.”
    Cal stood up.
    “Thanks for your time, Coach. And I’m really sorry for your loss. I know your job in the days ahead is going to be tough, but I’m sure you’ll get through it.”
    “Thanks, Cal. Kelly. You two have a nice day.”
    Neither reporter spoke until they got into Kelly’s car.
    “A mountain lion?” Cal asked. “Are these people for real? Why would anyone think a mountain lion could kill three teens in three different places in a day’s time?”
    “I don’t know, but there’s only one way to find out.”
    “Yeah, good luck with that. Sheriff Jones won’t give us a thing, much less an accurate coroner’s report.”
    Kelly was already hitting high RPMs in second gear when she shifted into third and smiled.
    “Did you forget that my cousin is the coroner?”

CHAPTER 12
    GUY DRUMMED HIS FINGERS on his desk and contemplated what to do next. Three suspicious deaths in one day. That’s the reason he left The Tribune