RedZone

  “This person, this asshole, this arrogant son-of-a -bitch on this screen...that ain’t you man.” Angel said looking Trey in the eyes.

  Trey looked up at the screen. He saw that it was him but didn’t recognize himself. He walked towards Angel and sat on the chair beside him.

  “Look, I’m sorry for my behavior.”

  “What you apologizing to me for? Apologize to yourself. Apologize to Bryce.”

  Trey put his head down and began to sob. It surprised Angel. He hesitated to reach out to Trey but he could see the tears were real and coming from a dark place. “Yo Trey. My bad about what I said that day.” Angel said patting his chest with one hand and Trey’s shoulder with the other.

  “It’s cool. I was being a prick. I had to come talk to you face to face.” Trey said wiping his tears with his hoodie. Angel laughed in agreement. They hugged each other in forgiveness.

  “I was going to call you but I lost my phone, so I didn’t have your number.”

  “It’s cool man, hey, I wasn’t expecting you to reach out at all.”

  ***

  Detective Hart sat in his car. He stared at his notes from the last few weeks. “Something is still missing!” He claimed to himself. He looked over the conversation with Trey and Angel and also the statement Michele made. He needed Sevynn.

  “Hi, Sevynn, this is Detective Hart, if you could give me a call back at 215-689-9542, I would like to speak with you about the investigation.” He hung up after the voicemail and started his car.

  Trey headed back to his dorm to finish packings for winter break. He smiled to himself, feeling better about the future and his attitude. As he was packing his most important items to take home.

  He came across the picture of him and Bryce again. It had fallen behind the desk the night he was drunk. It was dusty and the glass had cracked in the frame. Trey ran his fingers across the picture and his eyes teared up.

  “Bro, we about to be stars!”

  Fourth Quarter

  0:15

  Everyone returned back for the Spring half of the year. It had snowed frequently during Christmas break so campus looked like a winter wonderland. Students migrated in and out of dorms and Educational buildings. The football team all sat in the cafe, loudly and laughing amongst themselves. Things were back to normal with Angel and Trey. They had even hung out during their break.

  Trey checked his watch, he had to meet with Coach Booker at 2PM. They were going to discuss what his Spring training plans and academics. As he headed over to the gym, he spotted Detective Hart walking towards Michele’s dorm hall. He shrugged it off, “Dude might as well get a damn dorm on campus as much as his ass is up here.” He had joked to Angel once. Trey and Detective Hart caught each others eyes but Trey quickly turned his head and proceeded to Coach Bookers office.

  ***

  “Detective Hart, what a wonderful surprise!” Michele said sarcastically, she also joked about him being on campus so much in the last few months.

  “Hello, Michele.” He laughed at her humor, “May I come in?” She opened her door and gestured him to come in. He had never stepped foot in her dorm, even with him exploring the campus. She lived in a single and had it set up like a teenage girls room, with pompom’s and photos of her and friends, and some of Bryce. He also noticed she had Bryce’s obituary sitting up on her desk.

  “That Henson, was a nice looking young man.” He started small talk.

  “Yeah, he was.”

  “So, I am here because I know you are friends with Sevynn Baker.” He changed the subject almost instantly.

  “Wasfriends with her.” Detective Hart raised his brow and she continued. “I know you’ve heard by now that she tried to sleep with Bryce.”

  Detective Hart chuckled a little, he heard the story and saw the video online.

  “Did you talk to her yet, so she can lie and say Bryce raped her?” Michele asked.

  “Excuse me?” Detective Hart was surprise to here this, it was the first time a rape was mentioned.

  “It was a lie. He didn’t rape her. Everyone found out what happened once the video was posted.” Michele continued talking as she unpacked her things.

  “Well I’ve been trying to reach her since December. She hasn’t returned any of my calls.” Detective Hart said still digesting the rape accusations.

  “I’ve heard she left the school. Guess she was too embarassed to face everyone again.” Michele said casually.

  ***

  “Pittman, this is Brady Watts, he’s the sports Writer

  I was telling you about in December. Brady was a young white man, he was slightly shorter than Trey and wore his hair slick with gel. He had a face like a underwear model, chisseled and hard.

  “Hey man, I’ve been watching you this season.” He began.

  “Yeah, Hey man, nice to meet you.” Trey shook his hand excitedly.

  “I want to write an article on you.” Brady sat down and crossed his legs. Brady figured with how his season went and him being invited to the combine that early on, he thought it would be a good idea for Trey to tell his story.

  “Are you truly ready to leave school?” Brady asked starting the interview.

  “I was born ready. No offense Coach, but it’s nothing else for me to do here at S.U. I’ve been dreaming of going pro since I was a child.” He continued as he looked over to his coach. “I feel like everything happens for a reason, it may sound bad, but I think my friend died so that I could get my chance.” Coach Booker gave Trey a look of surprise. “He knew how much I wanted this opportunity, and when I received it I showed out.”

  “Yes you did. This is going to make you look good!” Brady praised Trey while jotting down some notes. He gave a grin to both Trey and Coach Booker.

  “Well here’s my card. I have another interview in Virginia this evening. I will be in touch.”

  As he was leaving, Coach Booker closed the door behind him and folded his arms. “You need to be quite careful of how you express you gratitude for Bryce. You sound like you are happy he’s dead.”

  “Shit! Not you too Coach?” Trey said slamming his arms on his legs.

  “No. I am not accusing of killing him, not at all. But your nonchalant behavior as if he didn’t matter, it’s a little obvious.” Coach Booker stated. “I know I was rough on you your first few years, but don’t blame Bryce. He did his part, he played the position he had always played. He was a great player, talented.” he cleared his throat and continued. “But you, you’re a hard worker. I’ve seen you study the playbook, go to the gym faithfully. That’s why you earned his position, not because he died.”

  “Coach, I never felt like I mattered til now. I was always his sidekick.” Trey confessed to his coach.

  “Ha, you chose to be his sidekick. This, right here, is the real you Antonio. You’ve put yourself in his shadow because you were afriad it would interfere with your friendship if you both were popular.” Trey thought hard. He realized it was his lack of self-esteem. He tried to out do his friend instead of just being his friend.

  “Now my best friened is gone.” Trey said putting his head in his lap. Coach Booker put his hand on his shoulder.

  “I know you didn’t kill him, Trey. You were angry, but you’re no murderer.”

  ***

  Detective Hart walked back into the station. His mind was filled with questions after speaking with Michele. As he walked in the station he saw up on the bulletin board, a photo of a beautiful young woman with the words missing in bold red colors. He snatched the picture off of the wall and recognized the name. Sevynn Baker.

  “How long has then been up here?” He asked the officer at the front desk.

  “Shit, since around Christmas.” The officer said looking up over her glasses.

  “I’ve been trying to find this woman since December.” Detective Hart folded the piece of paper and put it in his coat pocket. He rushed back out of the door and dialed the number on the flyer. “Hi, is this the mother of Sevynn Bak
er? This is Detective Hart.”

  Detective Hart pulled up to the drive way of the house where Sevynn’s mother lived. The woman, who looked eerily similar to Sevynn stood in the glass door, holding her arms to shield her from the cold.

  “Have they found my baby?” She asked with red eyes and tear stains on her cheeks.

  “No, how did you discover she was missing?”

  “I went to her apartment because she didn’t come home during break she stays there. No one had seen her. Not a trace.”

  “Have you found her car or any-”

  “Nothing! I keep calling her phone it’s off, it’s been off for the last 3 weeks. I-I just want my child.” The woman began crying again.

  “Ms. you do know your daughter is a part of an investigation, a murder that-”

  “That boy who was killed in October. Really? You are concern over someone who died in October and my child is out there somewhere, missing?”

  “Ma’am, I am going to make it my duty to get your child home, I swear, but right now she is still a potiential suspect in this case.”

  ***

  Detective Hart return back to the station. He was exhausted. The case was starting to wear on him.Before he could sit at his desk a woman, called out his name. It was Bryce’s mother.

  “Yes, I don’t know if you remember me but-”

  “Miss Henson, Bryce’s mother.” Detective Hart interrupted.

  “Yes. I just wanted to know if you have any leads on my son’s murder?”

  “We’re trying the best we can miss.” He said faintly.

  “Well, I heard that you were looking for his phone. I don’t know if this will help.” She pulled out a green folder. “It’s his phone records.”

  Detective Hart’s eyes lit up in disbelief. He finally had another break in the case. Miss Henson continued. “I’m not too savvy with the computer so it took me a long time to figure out how to download it and print it out.”

  Detective Hart smiled. He wanted to kiss her and give her a tight hug. “Miss, I think we are another step closer to finding your son’s killer.”

  0:16

  Detective Hart looked through the records carefully. He highlighted every number that was repeated multiple times. He looked up the two numbers that repeated more often than others. Trey’s and Michele’s.

  They were the most recent calls on his log in and out. “So good ol’ Pittman wasn’t lying!” He said out loud to himself. Trey’s number was the last to receive a call from him.

  ***

  “Yo Trey, you heard about Sevynn?” Angel said holding the missing person flyer. He handed it over to Trey.

  “Word? I thought she just left out of humiliation.” Trey responded looking at the piece of paper. “Where did you get this from?”

  “Her peoples are out there passing them out. They claim she been missing since before break.” Trey began to feel nauseous.

  “You good man?” Angel asked seeing Trey’s reaction. “You don’t look too good.”

  “I’m fine. I gotta find Michele, I wonder if she knows.” He raced out of the lobby of his dorm hall and ran over to Michele’s room.

  His heart was racing and his palms were sweaty. When he made it to her room before she could even get her door open all the way he pushed his way through.

  “What the fuck!? Trey what’s wrong?” Michele screeched. Trey began to vomit. He held his hand out with the piece of paper that Angel handed to him.

  “What’s this?” Michele said snatching it out of his hand.

  “Did you know she was missing?” He asked finally pulling himself together.

  “I had no idea. I haven’t talked to her since, wow!” Michele sat on the bed holding her head in her hand.

  “She’s been missing since before break.” Brice pointed. “This can’t be happening.”

  “First Bryce now Sevynn.” Michele said with a whisper. “You don’t think she’s dead do you?”

  “I don’t know. I feel bad. I treated her like shit even after all the times she apologized to me.”

  ***

  “Hart! Phone.”

  “Who is it?” Detective Hart grabbed the phone holding it to his chest before speaking.

  “It’s about that Sevynn chick.”

  “Yes.” Detective Hart answered finally. “Really? I’m on my way.” He hung up and gathered the officers in the station together.

  “We have a body found on Route 304. It is believed to be that of Sevynn Baker, age 22, who has been reported missing since the first part of December.”

  There was traffic all on the southbound side of the highway. Drivers were curious as to what was going on as the rubbernecked their way down the road. Police cars and camera crews filled the area. Blue plastic floated in the wind and sparklers lit the road.

  Detective Hart arrived finally after speeding through the traffic with his sirens on. He put on some rubber gloves and walked directed towards the body. Sevynn’s body. He pulled the sheet back to reveal a blue frozen body. “It looks like she’s been in this snow for sometime. Now that it’s been a little warm the last fews days her snow grave started to melt.” One of the coroners explained to Detective Hart.

  “Who found her?” Detective Hart asked keeping his eyes on Sevynn.

  “Some Trucker stopping to take a piss. Said he pulled over over there and was about to pull his dick out and saw a hand.”

  “Thanks.” Detective Hart said a little disturb by the story. “Did she have anything on her, keys, phone...?

  “Nope. Her car was found in a ditch close to the campus. By the creek.”

  “Wow.” Detective Hart shook his head, he leaned in closer to examine the details of the body. He noticed a string of hair on her coat. It didn’t match the texture of hers. He picked it up slowly with a tweezer and put in a small zip lock. He handed it to the coroner. “Take this down to the lab.”

  “Sir, looks like we found a cell phone!” Someone shouted from a couple of feet away from the body. Detective Hart rushed over to the area. “The battery died and it’s probably water damaged.” someone mentioned. He pulled out another plastic bag and slide the phone in it.

  ***

  “Breaking news a body has been found on Route 304...It is not clear but it suspected to be the body of missing Schuylkill University student.” The anchor announced

  “Shit turn that up!” One of the students yelled out across the cafe. They all turned to the televisions hanging off of the wall in the area.

  “Yes, we have an unidentified body..”Detective Hart responded to the new anchors question.“We are investingating this death is tied into the case of Bryce Henson.”

  “You can forget us being on the top University List.” Someone joked.

  The vibe in the room fell somber. Some students cried in silence some made remarks like “She must’ve commited suicide.” or “She was tricking on the side of the road.” Trey and the football team sat at their regular tables, just shaking their heads.

  “You cool man?” Someone asked Trey.

  “Yeah I’m good. I gotta go I need to clear my mind.” Trey said quietly getting up.

  ***

  Detective Hart received a call from the coroner the hair that was Sevynn’s jacket did not belong to her. He sat at his desk looking through her phone records just as he did Bryce’s. His phone began to vibrate in his pocket. The number came up blocked.

  “I’m calling anonymously.” The voice said. “I wanted to report what I saw the night that girl disapeared.”

  “I’m all ears.” Detective Hart sat up in his seat and grabbed a pen and note pad.

  “She was down by the creek behind my house, I was wondering what they were doing back there.”

  “Can you describe who ‘they’ are?” he asked.

  “It was a tall girl. She looked like the one on the flyer and a guy.”

  “Okay, so what this guy look like?”

  “Tall, He had on a leather jacket, and his hair hung from his hat.”
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  “Could you hear anything, an argument something?” He asked the person on the line.

  “No just saw the body language very angry.” The voice responded. “The jacket I do remember had a number or something on it.”

  “Shit.” Detective Hart mumbled.

  0:17

  Coach Booker invited Trey and a few of the other guys on the team to train with him. There were going to be scouts out and it was to help him practice for what was to come in the combine. They all gathered at the stadium, although it was cold.

  Detective Hart and a few other police man rushed on to the field as Trey began to stretch.

  “What’s going on here gentlemen, we’re having a training session!” Coach Booker pointed out.

  “I understand that coach, and you can go back to that, I am here for Trey.” Detective Hart said pulling out his handcuffs. Coach Booker looked puzzled and then stepped to the side.

  “Antonio Pittman, you are under arrest for the murder of Sevynn Baker and Bryce Henson. You have the right-”

  “What I haven’t talked to that girl?!” Trey yelled out as he was held to the ground and handcuffed.

  “That’s not what forensics tell us.” Detective Hart chirped. “Come on.”

  Back in the police station the police took Trey’s fingerprints and mugshot. They placed him in a dark cement wall room with a two way mirror and a table. He was still handcuffed.

  “I wanted to have faith in you Pittman.” Detective Hart greeted as he entered the room. “I wanted to believe you weren’t the arrogant asshole that you truly are.”

  “I did not kill that girl or Bryce.” Trey said calmly.

  “Well what I have here are the results of Sevynn’s autopsy.” Detective Hart said slamming the paperwork down on the table. “Blunt force trauma. Maybe a pool ball?”

  “I didn’t hit that girl with a pool ball. I haven’t had any contact with her.” Trey pleaeded.

  “That’s not what your team mate told me.” Detective Hart smirked. “Your friend Angel Hernandez. Yeah, I met up with him the night of your fight with Sevynn.” Trey had a look of disapointment. He didn’t know that Angel had called Detective Hart. He felt betrayed, especially since they had made up.