"Come on, Caleb. Pa.s.s the ball." While ten little boys raced up and down the court, I limped up and down the sidelines and watched the Miners' score slowly creep up on that of the Grizzlies. The wounds from my battle with Kerry Hendrix had been healing for weeks, but I still ached in places I hadn't even known I had.

After Jawarski led Hendrix away in handcuffs, I'd been promoted to the chief volunteer position on the Miners. Without Kerry Hendrix and his ego in the way, I found that I enjoyed coaching the team more than I'd thought I could.

I glanced at the scoreboard again, but faster than the score could change, the time clock wound inexorably toward zero. The bleachers weren't exactly packed, but everybody who mattered had come to the game to cheer the boys (and their coach) on.

Someone whistled. Someone else shouted out one of the boys' names. The ball left Caleb's hands and met Brody's with an accuracy that both pleased and startled me. "Great job, Caleb. Way to pa.s.s."

Brody dribbled, searching for an opening into the key where Nathan Whitehorse, the Miners' center, battled the Grizzlies center for position.

"Shoot it," I heard Wyatt shout from the stands.

Wyatt's not an easy man to ignore, but Brody did it. "When you're ready," I whispered. "Not until you're ready." We'd gone over this drill a hundred times in the past two weeks, slowly and surely building his ability to retain focus. It was a common problem for all the boys, but they were getting better.

One minute thirty seconds. Brody found his opening and lobbed the ball to Nathan. Nathan backed into the opposing center, ducked, and then quickly jumped over the other boy and shot the ball.

It arched delicately toward the basket, and a collective gasp came from every onlooker in the stands. The ball seemed to hover over the basket, then it dropped, hit the rim, and bounced off the backboard into the waiting hands of the Grizzlies' center.

Both teams raced to the other end of the court, but the Miners were no match for the Grizzlies, and as the time clock ran out, the score read 37 to 34.

"Good job, Miners," I said as the boys wandered dejectedly off the court. "Great effort. Good hustle. You did good, Brody. Your focus was incredible. Caleb, that pa.s.s was right on the money. Terrific play."

My encouragement didn't do much to soothe their battered egos, and they straggled off the court with their shoulders slumped and their heads down. They'd been struggling since the news of Coach Hendrix's arrest hit the grapevine. It had to be unsettling to realize that the coach they'd all admired had killed two people in cold blood.

Someone jumped to the floor behind me, and a second later Wyatt put a hand on my shoulder. "They almost did it this time."

"One of these days, we're going to surprise you," I predicted.

"I have no doubt," Wyatt said. "Listen, I heard they set a trial date for Ingersol and Escott. Are you really going to testify?"

"I have to," I said, meeting my brother's concerned gaze. "My testimony alone won't be enough to put them away, but maybe it will help."

Wyatt shook his head in exasperation, but he didn't argue with me. "What about Ginger? Are you testifying against her, too?"

I shook my head. "I don't actually know anything."

"You know what she was doing. You're the one who figured it out."

"But I never bought anything from her. She never actually scammed me. Jawarski thinks she'll probably strike a deal with the DA, anyway. Just having phony pieces in her store isn't actually a crime."

Wyatt shook his head slowly. "What a mess." We watched the kids for a moment, and when he spoke again, his mood had lightened. "You still coming by the house after? Elizabeth says that she bought all the stuff you told her you needed. What are you making, anyway?"

I grinned, antic.i.p.ating his reaction. "You remember Aunt Grace's Candy Bar-Stuffed Baked Apples?"

Wyatt's eyes grew wide, and he looked about six years old. "With ice cream?"

I laughed and stuffed dirty towels into a bag. "Of course with ice cream. What do you think?"

With a whoop of excitement, my big, bad brother hurried off to find his wife, and I turned around to look for my a.s.sistant coach. I found him serving sports drink to a couple of players who'd spent most of the game on the bench.

He straightened when he saw me coming, and his blue eyes sparkled with appreciation. What can I say? I think it's the whistle I now wear around my neck. A powerful woman drives him crazy. Who knew?

"Good game, Coach."

"Yeah. I was proud of them. I wish for their sakes they could have won, but I think they felt good about the effort. I hope they did, anyway."

Jawarski wrapped his arms around me, and I realized that my head fit snugly under his chin. "You win some and you lose some," he said softly.

Yeah.

I'd done a little bit of both in the past few years, but as long as I kept winning the ones that mattered, I knew I'd be okay.

Candy Recipes

Chocolate Nut Sour Cream Coffee Cake Makes 16 servings WALNUT MIXTURE.

2/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

3 tablespoons cocoa

14 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

BATTER.

cup b.u.t.ter, softened (1 sticks)

1 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cups sour cream

peel of 1 orange, grated

3 eggs

confectioners' sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.

Mix walnuts, cocoa, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using mixer at low speed, beat b.u.t.ter with 1 cups sugar until blended. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy. Add the flour and remaining ingredients (except confectioners' sugar) and beat at low speed until mixed. While mixing, constantly sc.r.a.pe the bowl with a rubber spatula. Change speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes, occasionally sc.r.a.ping the bowl.

Spread half the batter in the pan, sprinkle with nut mixture, and top with remaining batter.

Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes.

Serve warm, or if cooled, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Chocolate Raisin Rum Drops

Yields about 48, depending on how big you make them 3 cups seedless raisins

1 cup light or dark rum