Chapter 30
Like most teachers that day, Rachel tried to maintain the students’ focus, but the excitement and horror of having a popular senior collapse with convulsions and being taken away by ambulance was the topic of every conversation and on everyone’s minds.
Finally, the bell rang for lunch, and her class rushed from the room.
She sighed, unable to believe the day was only half over.
She gathered her lunch bag and walked toward the teacher’s lounge.
As she looked through the library windows from the hall, she noticed Tyler Morrison sitting at one of the back tables with his phone out, his fingers flying over the keyboard.
When Rachel approached, he looked up, and his face went pale.
“Tyler,” Rachel said quietly, pulling out the chair across from him. “Can we talk?”
Tyler glanced around the library, checking to see who might overhear. The librarian was at her desk helping another student, and the few other kids scattered throughout the space were absorbed in their own work.
“Um… sure,” Tyler said, his voice low and uncertain.
“I know you're scared,” Rachel said gently. “But Tyler… Terrance is in the hospital. And if other students are taking what he was taking, they could be next.”
Tyler's throat worked as he swallowed hard. He set his phone down with shaking hands. “Am I in trouble?”
“No. You're not in trouble. But I know you know something about Terrance. Whatever you know, you need to talk to the detectives. Tell them what you know.”
His face crumpled, the weight of denying anything too heavy to carry any longer. “My parents—” Tyler's voice cracked. “The others…”
“Your parents are going to be called either way, because the detectives will want to talk to the team,” Rachel said.
“But Tyler, this is your chance to tell the truth before anyone tries to twist it. I don’t know what is happening or who is doing what…
but I think you do. You need to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. ”
Tyler stared at his hands for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly. “Okay. I'll talk to them.”
“Thank you.” Rachel pulled out her phone. “I'm going to call Detective Hudson right now. Is that okay?”
Tyler nodded again, looking like he might throw up.
Jack answered immediately, his voice tense. “Rach? Is everything okay?”
“I have Tyler Morrison here. He's a senior wrestler and is willing to talk to you. But his parents need to be called first.”
“We'll take care of it. Can you have him at the office?”
“I can take him now. “
“Perfect. We'll have his parents meet us here.”
Rachel hung up and turned back to Tyler. “Detective Hudson will have your parents meet us here. Okay?”
“Okay,” Tyler whispered.
Rachel squeezed his shoulder. “You're doing the right thing.”
Rachel walked Tyler into the office, where the secretary immediately nodded toward the conference room. His parents came soon, moving into the room with worried expressions. Tyler's mother rushed over to pull him into a hug. Principal Martine walked in and introduced herself to the Morrisons.
“What's going on?” Mr. Morrison demanded, looking at Rachel with frightened eyes. “The detective said Tyler needed to talk to them, but wouldn't tell us why.”
“Mr. Morrison, I think it's best if we let the detectives explain,” Rachel said carefully.
Jack and Mark appeared from the hallway.
For a second, Rachel forgot why she was there, so totally mesmerized by Jack.
He was dressed in dark-blue slacks, a light-blue button-up shirt with a navy tie.
His suit jacket fit across his broad shoulders.
His detective badge was clipped to his belt, and she realized it was the first time she’d seen him while working.
As they approached, she forced her thoughts back to the matter at hand. Jack’s and Mark’s expressions were professional but not unkind.
“Mr. and Mrs. Morrison, thank you for coming in,” Mark said.
Jack added, “Tyler, thanks for being willing to talk to us. Why don't we all sit down where we can be comfortable?”
“Can Ms. Ayers stay?” Tyler asked.
Jack’s gaze shot to her, and she nodded. They each sat at the long table in the conference room. Rachel took a seat near the door, wanting to stay out of the way but also wanting to be there for Tyler if he needed support. The principal quietly sat next to Rachel.
Jack and Mark sat across from Tyler and his parents. Jack pulled out a notepad and set it on the table, then looked at Tyler with an expression that was both serious and gentle.
“Tyler, you're not in trouble,” Jack said. “But we need to understand what's been happening at the school, specifically with the wrestling team. We will be talking to all the members and appreciate you coming forward voluntarily. Can you tell us what you know?”
Tyler looked at his parents, then at Rachel, then back at Jack.
He took a shaky breath. “I never saw it happen. But Terrance was getting so cut. His body looked strong, but he was… twitchy. When I asked him why, he just said he had a new workout regimen. He said the coach made sure he had the training, the diet, and the supplements that he needed.”
Jack's pen moved across the notepad. “Did Terrance say what kind of supplements?”
“No. He just said he knew what he was doing. He knew other wrestlers got scholarships by taking these supplements.” Tyler's voice was barely above a whisper. “Terrance was so excited about it. He said his dad told him he had real potential, but he needed to bulk up and get stronger.”
“Did he say his dad gave him the supplements?” Jack asked.
Tyler shook his head. “No. He never mentioned who gave them to him, and when I asked, he wouldn’t say. I guess I thought it was the head coach, but his dad is an assistant coach.”
“Did anyone else on the team mention taking supplements?” Mark asked.
Tyler sighed miserably. “Not really. It was like this secret thing. Like, if you were a good enough wrestler, you’d get a special regimen to make you better. If you weren't, you were on your own.”
Rachel felt sick. This wasn't just one man distributing drugs. This was a systematic manipulation of vulnerable kids who just wanted to succeed.
“There was another student,” Tyler continued, his words coming faster now like a dam had broken. “Brad Simpson said he took diet supplements that had been given to him, but they made him sick to his stomach. So he stopped taking them.”
Tyler shook his head, blowing out a long sigh. “The pressure was constant. The coaches… parents… they want the best to make it all the way.”
Tyler's mother made a small sound of distress. His father's jaw was clenched so tight Rachel could see the muscle jumping.
He jerked his head to the side to look at his parents. “Not you guys. Just some of the parents.”
“Tyler,” Jack said gently, “did anyone ever give you anything?”
“No.” Tyler scoffed. “I wasn't good enough. I was just... average. I mean… whoever is giving out whatever the fuck they’re giving… it only goes to the top members of the team.”
And there it was, Rachel thought. The twisted logic of it. Tyler felt like he'd failed because he hadn't been offered the special supplements. Because he hadn't been deemed worthy of the “help” that had put Terrance in the hospital.
“You didn't fail,” Rachel said quietly from her seat by the door. “You were protected by being… average. Do you understand that?”
Tyler looked at her, swiping at the tears spilling down his cheeks. “Yeah… I guess that makes me lucky.”
“Did you ask Terrance about what he was taking?” Mark asked.
“He wouldn’t say… just said the supplements would help him. He said it was legal. He said he wouldn’t take anything dangerous.”
“Terrance believed that because he was told to believe it,” Jack said. “But Tyler, what the students are being given is illegal. And dangerous. And now we need to make sure no one else gets hurt.”
The interview lasted another twenty minutes. Jack and Mark asked careful questions, and Tyler answered them as best he could. His parents sat in stunned silence, occasionally reaching over to touch their son's hand or shoulder.
When it was over, Jack stood and extended his hand to Tyler.
“Thank you for being brave enough to tell the truth. You may have just saved someone's life.” He turned to Mr. and Mrs. Morrison and said, “If you’d like to take Tyler home for the rest of the day, that’s fine.
We’ll know how to get in touch if we have any more questions. ”
Principal Martine stood and smiled gently at Tyler. “I think that’s an excellent suggestion. Take today and rest. It’s been a harrowing morning.”
Tyler nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.
As the Morrisons started to walk out the conference room door, Tyler paused at the door and looked back at Rachel. “Ms. Ayers? Thank you. For believing me.”
Rachel felt her throat tighten. “My pleasure, Tyler.”
When they were gone, Rachel stayed in her chair, suddenly exhausted. Jack sat down beside her, his expression weary but determined.
“You okay?” he asked.
“No,” Rachel admitted. “But I will be.”
Jack reached over and took her hand. “You did good, Rach. Getting Tyler to talk. Being there for him. That took courage.”
“He's the one with courage,” Rachel said. “All of them are. These boys who are terrified but willing to speak up anyway.”
Jack squeezed her hand. “He was willing to speak up because he has you. Because you made him feel safe enough to tell the truth.”
Rachel thought about the students she'd taught. All the kids who'd come to her with problems they were too scared to share with their parents or other teachers. She'd always tried to be the adult who listened, who believed, who helped.
But this felt different. Bigger. More personal.
Because she remembered what it was like to be a teenager, scared and unsure who to trust. She remembered Isaiah and the fear that had consumed her until Shiloh had finally given her the courage to take a step of faith and leave.
These boys deserved the same chance she'd had. The chance to be believed. To be protected. To know that the adults in their lives would fight for them.
“What happens now?” Rachel asked.
“We keep investigating.”
She nodded, knowing that would be all he could tell her. Looking into his eyes, she whispered, “Be careful.”
“Always.” Jack leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I’ll call you tonight.”
Rachel watched him leave, then sat alone in the conference room for a few more minutes.
When she finally stood and walked out of the office, she was glad that Jacqueline had another teacher cover her period right after lunch.
Now, she headed back down the hall to continue her day of teaching.
She’d done what she could and just hoped it was enough.