“I know what you think it means.” He let out a long breath. “It means a player could certainly risk a few days without being tested, because we have that much warning, at least.”

“Yes. It also means that there’s going to be athletes who use it to cheat the system. Which in the long run means falsifying records, encouraging kids to—”

“Whoa, hold up. Tucker isn’t a professional athlete.”

“No, but he’s likely supplying them with this stuff.” And here’s what was bugging her. “Why don’t you sound surprised at this?”

“Holly.” He sounded tired. Frustrated. “You’re thinking you’re sniffing out a story, but you don’t have one.”

“Yes, I do.”

“You have no proof that he’s given the stimulants to anyone.”

“You tested positive, Pace. And you don’t know how.”

“So, what, you’re suggesting that a lifelong friend drugged me?” he asked incredulously. “Without my knowledge?”

“I don’t know what I think. All I’m saying is that you tested positive for a drug you don’t use, a drug he has in his possession.”

“Okay.” Pain was clear in his voice, and she knew it wasn’t all physical now—her fault. “I’ll get to the bottom of this, Holly. You—”

“Stay out of it?”

“Please.”

“Pace, this isn’t something I can hold back on like I did your injury. This crosses the line.”

“What line?”

“My personal line of right and wrong. And hopefully yours, too.”

“Don’t, Holly. Don’t even try to line my morality up with yours, because I’m not sure I could measure up. I’m not sure anyone could measure up.”

“I have to do this,” she said quietly.

“So what was that line you fed me about not walking away? Because to do this, you aren’t just walking, you’re running.”

“No, I’m not. I’m just doing my job. It’s what I’m doing here, Pace. I have to. But I’m not walking away from you.”

He was quiet a moment. “I guess that’s a matter of opinion,” he finally said.

“Pace—”

“I’ve got to go.”

She shut her phone, throat so tight she could barely breathe. She’d been right to tell him, right to insist that she had to do this. She just hated that she did.

And that was very new.

And very unwelcome.

Pace tossed the phone aside. Swore. Then struggled out of bed and staggered to the spare bedroom, where he slapped on the light.

Tucker blinked like an owl and sat up. “Dude.”

“Wake up.”

“You okay? You need something?”

“You have anything to tell me?” Pace asked.

“What do you mean?”