Page 58

“Yeah,” Rebecca says. “I’m good.”

Then Lexa stares at me with the face she makes on the field when she’s worked out where the ball’s going before anyone else has. Rebecca must have said something.

Not today. I give her a small nod that means later, and after a second she gives me one back.

I close the door behind me and join them at the table, sitting next to Esme. Rebecca takes the seat across from us, and Lexa sits next to her, holding her hand. I’m glad she’s here. She’s been there for both Rebecca and me, and it’s been great to have my sister back.

“Ready?” Esme asks, turning on the laptop.

Rebecca nods. “Let’s do this.”

A red light comes on, indicating we’re recording.

“Hello, and welcome to The Long Ball,” Esme says, speaking into the microphone. “This is the third episode of our five-part exposé. Make yourself comfortable because we’re about to blow up the most explosive scandal in women’s football with the exclusive interview with Declan Woods’ latest victim.”

Esme didn’t want to make one super long episode so she decided to break it up into five episodes. They’ll all be released a few hours apart, as soon as we’re ready.

With Kayla’s notebook guiding us, we built a timeline that gives listeners who’ve never heard of Declan the context they need to understand his past and why we’re here.

“Today, I’m joined by Rebecca Harris, the former forward of the Scarlet Tide, who has a shocking story to tell about her relationship with her former coach. Rebecca, thank you for being here.”

“Thank you for having me,” Rebecca says, her voice clear and steady.

Esme starts asking questions. She’s professional, but also empathetic. She makes Rebecca feel safe. And most of all, she doesn’t interrupt. She listens intently when Rebecca speaks.

Rebecca tells her story, from the beginning to the end. She tells her how she met Declan, how he seduced her, how he manipulated her. There were gifts, trips, and promises. That was the good part.

I don’t get to listen to the bad part because I receive a text from my father.

I’m in the parking lot.

I quietly slip out of my office, careful not to disturb the podcast, and shut the door behind me. Then I call my father.

“Hey,” he says when he answers. “I’m here.”

“Here where?” I ask.

“Dawnbreak Athletic’s parking lot,” he clarifies. “I have a box full of papers that might interest you.”

Extra material to bring Declan down.

“Be right there.”

His car is parked a couple of rows away from the entrance. I knock on the window. He rolls it down.

“Hey, Lyss.”

“The box,” I say, not wanting to do this with him. I know he’s trying to do better, but it takes more than one action for me to forgive him.

He nods, then hands me a large cardboard box full of folders and envelopes. At a quick glance, I see the Apex logo and the Predators’ crest.

Then I spot familiar names among the contracts and financial records. I see evidence of corruption, of money changing hands where my Dad and I would never find out.

And Declan has been working for them, selling us out, and lying to us all along.

It’s what Esme wanted when she first approached me.

“Why are you doing this?” I ask. “What’s in it for you?”