Undercover Tailback (9 page)

“I didn’t know who it was,” Parker repeated. “It happened so fast. I just saw this blur of a person in a gray sweatshirt.
It wasn’t until later that I thought it was Spike.”

“Why?” asked the coach.

“Remember that paperweight?”

“The gator?” asked the coach. “You said you found it in your locker.”

“Yes, sir,” Parker continued. “And that same day, after I brought it back to you, Spike mouthed off to me in class. He said,
‘How can you trust a guy who lies —
and steals!
’ I never stole anything in my life. No one can say I did!”

“Ah, so when he said that, you figured he set you up to look like a thief.” Stubbs nodded.

“Lying’s just as bad as stealing.” Spike sniffed.

“We’ll let someone else be the judge of that, young man,” said the coach sternly. “Get dressed and wait outside. It’ll be
up to the school authorities to see what’s to be done with you. Rook, see if you can get in touch with the principal.”

When Spike had left, Coach Isaac turned his attention back to the team.

“Mitch, you’ll have to take over —,” he started to say when Parker interrupted him.

“Uh, Coach, uh, there’s one more thing I ought to tell you,” said Parker.

“Who else has a copy of our plays?” Coach Isaac sighed.

“No, it’s not that. It’s something else,” said the young tailback.

He told the coach about his failing grade in math. And, more important, he confessed that he should have told him about it
before the game.

“That means you’re ineligible to play today,” said the coach.

“Yes, sir,” admitted Parker. “I would have told you, but I had to be here to find out who the thief was. It’s the only way
I could prove I wasn’t lying and … well, you know, help out.”

“Parker, I’m not sure that was the only way or the best way,” said the coach. “I do believe, however, that you were honest
about wanting
to help out. Still, I have to abide by the school rules. You’re suspended for the rest of the game.”

“I understand,” said Parker.

“You can stay in uniform and watch the second half from the bench,” said the coach.

“Some game it’s going to be without our starting quarterback — and now our tailback, too,” groaned Stacy.

“Hey, guys,” said Coach Isaac, “what’s the matter with you? Are you all a bunch of cream puffs? Or are you football players?”

“Let’s go!” they shouted.

“Let’s hit that field and show them that we can play fair and win!”

The locker room walls almost burst from the explosion of cheers that rang out. The Kudzus were ready to give Coach Isaac their
answer loud and clear.

Parker straggled out after the rest of the team.

“What about the youngster on the Piranhas who paid Spike? And the one on the Leopards?” he asked Coach Isaac.

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll find out who they were,”
answered the coach. “The authorities will deal with them eventually.”

“But what about today’s game?” Parker asked.

“I don’t think that knowing our plays will do them much good,” said the coach. “Once they see that Spike is gone, they’ll
know they’re in trouble. I suspect that will be enough to even up the odds.”

“Well, it sure will make for a different kind of game.” Parker smiled. “I can’t wait for the rest of this one.”

W
hen Coach Isaac and Parker came out of the locker room, Parker planted himself down at the far end of the bench.

“No way,” shouted Mitch Crum. The new acting quarterback grabbed Parker by the jersey. He dragged him over to Perry McDougal.
Perry would be filling in at tailback for the first time. “Parker, you’re going to have to help Perry,” said Mitch. “Whenever
we’re off the field, you guys stick together like glue. Keep going over the plays with him — and the changes in signals. Okay?”

“Sure,” answered Parker. “Good idea.”

As the two teams took to the field, Coach Isaac called Parker over to his side.

“Parker, I want you to keep your eyes open,” he said. “Maybe you’ll be able to give us a different perspective on what’s happening
on the field. Could be useful. Let me know if you come up with anything.”

The coach was asking him to help! That meant he trusted Parker.

A few scattered snowflakes had started to fall. Parker didn’t even notice them. Even though he was benched, he still felt
like part of the team. And the coach was counting on him to help out!

There was no way he could sit on the bench. He knelt down with one knee on the icy ground near the sideline.

The minute the Kudzu offense took over the ball, there wasn’t just snow in the air — there was excitement. It was the first
chance the Piranhas had to notice the change in the roster.

Mitch gave them their first surprise right off.

As the two teams got ready on the Kudzus’ twenty-five yard line, Parker studied the Piranha defense. They’ll probably count
on a typical
running play, he thought. Still, they appeared ready to move in on the quarterback if it looked like he was going to pass.

What was going through Mitch’s mind? he wondered. Where would he put the ball? On the ground or in the air?

Parker could hear Mitch call the switched signal.

“Nineteen! Eleven! Seven! Hike!”

The replacement quarterback skipped back two steps — and then lunged forward! He never gave up the ball. Instead, he carried
it himself through a hole opened up by Tru Ballinger and Morris Comer.

Racing by the surprised defensive line, Mitch made his way across the midfield stripe. He was brought down by a Piranha safety
who just managed to outrace him.

Watching from the sideline, Parker could see the confusion in the Piranhas’ defense. Their captain gathered them in a huddle.
It looked as though they were arguing.

Whoever bought our plays from Spike is probably
getting some flack, he thought. I wonder who it was — and if they all paid him to get the plays from Spike? They’ll probably
never trust him again.

Trust, yeah, that’s what’s important, he thought.

Another thought burrowed deeper in his mind: the only way to gain someone’s trust is to tell the truth. Always. Not just once
in a while. Not just “shaving the edge off.” No fibs or white lies. Just the plain old truth.

A loud cheer from the stands brought his attention back to the field.

The Kudzus had brought the ball down to within scoring distance. A series of running plays kept the ball safely in their own
hands.

But by this time, the Piranhas’ defense had wised up. They couldn’t depend on inside info anymore. Instead, they just played
the best they could. Since they hadn’t used up much of their energy yet, they had plenty of stamina left. Enough to keep the
Kudzus from simply coasting into the end zone.

The next two plays went nowhere, and Mitch called a time out.

Parker had been watching the game carefully — and thought he noticed something. When Mitch came over to the sideline to talk
to Coach Isaac, Parker joined them.

“Their nose tackle is reading my mind,” Mitch complained. “Even with the changed signals, they’ve been in on the last two
plays.”

“You’re telling them with your head,” Parker piped up. “Remember what Terry noticed about the Leopards’ quarterback? If it’s
a pass or a run to one side, you turn in that direction when you come out of the huddle. It’s a dead giveaway.”

“Right,” said Coach Isaac. “And then the nose tackle shifts a little to that side when you line up. The rest of the defense
takes their signals from him.”

“Wow! I’ll just look straight ahead from now on,” said Mitch. “Thanks a lot!”

He ran off to the Kudzus’ huddle.

“Nice spotting,” said Coach Isaac. “Could make a big difference.”

It did.

On the next play, Mitch looked straight ahead when they broke from the huddle.

The Piranhas shuffled around as they lined up. Confused and overeager, they made a mistake. Before Mitch finished calling
signals, a whistle blew.

Offside: Piranhas.

The penalty was half the distance to the goal.

“If Perry could get behind Mitch, he could almost hoist him over,” joked Rook.

“That’s just about what they’ll look for,” said Parker. “Another quarterback sneak. I’d stick with the screen pass to Moose.”

“Let’s see if that’s what Mitch has in mind,” said the coach.

It was.

Moose snagged the ball standing up for another Kudzu touchdown.

“I guess we’re all on the same track.” Coach Isaac smiled. He looked over at Parker and added, “You’d better get that brain
of yours
working in your math class. I need my number-one tailback out there.”

Parker couldn’t remember anyone saying anything like that to him in a long time. Not since his dad had died.

After making the extra point, the Kudzu offense came off the field.

Mitch was all smiles. Perry looked pretty happy, too. He had made a couple of good runs.

“Looks like I’m going to have my work cut out to keep my slot,” said Parker.

“Naw, Park,” said Cris. “We miss you in the huddle. Nobody tells us any stories anymore.”

Parker tried to snap a damp towel at the wise-guy receiver. Instead it crunched, frozen in the cold.

The guys all laughed as Cris gave Parker a friendly punch on the arm.

The Piranha offense wasn’t giving up on the field. Their quarterback was calling a terrific game. Between short quick passes
and running plays, he gave the Kudzu defense something to think about.

Parker looked at the clock on the scoreboard. There was less than a minute to play.

The Piranhas had the ball on the Kudzu thirty-two yard line. It was their third down.

With his blockers holding off the Kudzu defense, the Piranhas quarterback drew way back, positioned himself, and hurled a
long pass to his wide receiver deep in the end zone.

It was a perfect spiral, aimed right at his target.

But Damien Roberts, the Kudzu safety, was all ready for it. He swooped by the surprised Piranha receiver and grabbed the ball
in midair.

Then he took off down the field. He was knocked offside by the tailback Lee Wasser, the only Piranha within range.

The Kudzu offense took over with seconds left and let the clock run out. When the final whistle blew, the score stood Kudzus
21-Piranhas 7.

There was so much cheering and excitement in the locker room, Parker thought he’d never be able to get dressed and leave.
Every time he turned around, someone would pour soda pop
all over him — as if it were the Super Bowl or something!

But finally he managed to shower and escape along with Mitch, Cris, and Huey.

“That was some game,” said Joni, catching up with them. “But what happened during the half? Did you try the envelope? Did
it —”

She was interrupted by the arrival of Melissa.

“Parker, what’s wrong?” asked the shivering fifth grader. “Aren’t you freezing? You didn’t even play the second half! Did
you break something?”

“Oh, boy.” Cris laughed. “Here come’s a good one. Go ahead Parker, tell her how it was.”

“Yeah,” added Huey. “I can’t wait to hear the Parker Nolan version.”

“What are you guys talking about?” asked Joni.

“Hold your horses, everyone,” said Parker. “There is only one story, and that’s the one I’m going to tell. You see, I did
break something.”

“You did?” they all asked at the same time.

“Yep,” he admitted. “I broke something real bad. I broke my … my pattern.”

“Your running pattern? Or your storytelling pattern?” asked Joni.

“You can be sure it wasn’t my running pattern,” he said.

“What, no more lies?” cried Melissa.

“I don’t know what else I can say.” Parker smiled. “Except I’m freezing. Let’s go get some hot chocolate. I’ll treat.”

“You heard him,” shouted Huey.

“I’m a witness,” agreed Cris.

“Hey, Melissa, do you have any money?” asked Parker in a loud whisper. “I’m broke.”

Melissa looked over at Joni, who burst out laughing.

Parker was standing behind his sister. In his hand, he was waving a five-dollar bill.

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