Chapter 6
“Can we go to the library, Jo? Can we, can we?” Henry begged.
Jo was babysitting again, and going to the library sounded like a great way to pass some time.
“Olivia, what do you think?” she asked the toddler cheerfully. “Books?”
Olivia hopped up and down. “Books!” she shouted.
“Okay, guys, into the wagon!” Jo said, heading for the front door.
She loaded the kids into their wagon and pulled them along the sidewalk. The library was only a few blocks away, near the park where she and Delia went to practice.
As they passed the park, Jo noticed a couple of players from the Red Angels tossing a ball around in the field.
Jo felt a twinge of jealousy, but before she could give it too much thought, they’d reached the library doors. The kids quickly climbed out of the wagon. Henry tugged the big glass doors open, and they all filed inside.
After a few minutes of reading, Olivia looked up from the pile of picture books and made a face at Jo. “Need potty,” she said.
Jo sighed. “Okay, Henry, you stay here while I take your sister to the bathroom,” she said.
She took Olivia to the bathroom and helped her into a stall. The bathroom door squeaked open and thumped shut again.
“I mean, it’s almost too easy,” a voice said. “You’d think they’d at least leave some decent players on the other teams so we could have a real game once in a while.”
“Well, when your dad runs the league, I guess you get whatever coach and teammates you want!” another voice said. “Besides, who cares? Wins are wins.”
The water ran for a minute and then stopped. “Yeah, for real,” the first voice said. “I’m not saying I want to be stuck on the Devils or anything. Ugh.”
“All done!” Olivia announced loudly.
The voices immediately stopped, and the door squeaked open and shut again.
Jo realized she was holding her breath, and let it out slowly.
Those must have been the Red Angels from the park! she thought as she helped Olivia to the sink.
She couldn’t believe it. The Red Angels weren’t getting all those wins because they worked harder than the other teams. They were taking the best players and coaches for themselves.
No wonder no one can beat them, Jo thought angrily.
As much as Jo wanted to win, she wanted to earn it. What the Angels were doing almost sounded like . . . cheating.