When it came to competition, Nancy could see that Zip Williams didn’t mince words. Winning obviously meant a lot to him.
“Ooh! Sounds scary,” Bess put in. “I can see why they call you a shark on the field.”
Tamara’s expression lightened a little as she tapped her boyfriend playfully on the head. “Zip may be a shark when he’s playing football, but he’s a marshmallow when he’s with me.”
“Don’t tell them that!” Zip exclaimed, an expression of mock horror on his face. “You’ll ruin my rep.”
Despite Zip’s arrogance, he had a certain charm. Nancy could see why Tamara liked him. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t responsible for the threats to Randy.
“Well, after seeing the pep rally here the other night, I think the Wildcats are ready for you,” Nancy commented.
“Ha!” Zip scoffed. “Randy practically went up in flames, and that’s just what’s going to happen to him on Sunday.”
Nancy blinked. Zip was talking as if he’d been at the rally himself! “Did you actually see the accident?” she asked him.
Zip shifted uncomfortably, then said, “Yeah. I came to see Tamara cheer.” Turning to Tamara and Susannah, he said brusquely, “Don’t we have to be someplace?” With a quick goodbye, the threesome walked away.
Turning to Bess, Nancy said in a low voice, “Did you see how weirdly he behaved when I asked him about the pep rally?”
Bess nodded. “And he sure acts as if he would go pretty far to ensure a win for the Pirates—to guarantee it, as he said himself.” She and Nancy headed toward the football field, on the far side of the sports complex. “Do you think he set that fire?”
“I don’t know, but I think I have to find out more about him.” Nancy plucked at her ivory-colored sweater as another thought occurred to her. “We’d better keep an eye on Susannah and Tamara, too,” she said. “Susannah’s certainly got a grudge against Emerson.”
“And Tamara is Zip’s girl,” Bess said, finishing Nancy’s thought.
Nancy nodded. “They could be working with him. I have to consider the other guys on the Russell team, and I still haven’t checked out any of the Wildcats.”
Bess said, “The only Wildcat I’m interested in checking out is Jerry McEntee. I’ll leave the rest of them to you, Nan.”
The girls passed through the gate at the far side of the sports center that led directly to the football field. Nancy could see the Emerson team down at one end of the field, dressed in their scrimmage uniforms.
“There’s the drill team,” Bess said, pointing to a grassy expanse beyond the playing field, where rows of girls were marching. She climbed halfway up the bleachers and took a seat. Resting her elbows on her knees, she stared intently at the players. “I don’t see Jerry.”
Nancy scanned the group of players as she sat down next to Bess. “Isn’t he number thirty-four?” she said, pointing to a tall guy. Jerry’s slender, angular frame stood out among the huskier players. “That’s him at the end of the line.”
Bess jumped up and waved. “Yes, you’re right.”
Cupping her chin in her hands, Nancy studied the players closely. Randy had said none of the players had a grudge against him, but she knew he couldn’t really be objective about his teammates.
Still, as she watched, Nancy didn’t notice any sign of anger or unnecessary roughness toward Randy. Judging by the friendly nudges and pats he received, Randy had a good rapport with his teammates. He played most of the scrimmage, except for defensive plays, when he sat with other players on the bench, wiped his face with a towel, and grabbed drinks from his water bottle.
“Looks like practice is over for the drill team,” Bess said, dragging Nancy from her thoughts. “Hey, there’s Kristin.” She waved at the pretty blond majorette, who was passing in front of the bleachers.
“How’s the float going?” Bess called.
Kristin glanced up and waved. “It’s almost finished,” she called back. Tucking her baton under her arm, she jogged up into the stands and sat down next to Bess. “The rose pattern you guys came up with looks terrific.”