Chapter 52: Puck Me Secretly: Chapter 51

THAT DAY IN THE HOSPITAL, was the worst day of my life. Dad went in for quadruple by-pass surgery. Mom showed up, half-hysterical. The nurse called his GP, who reported that he had diagnosed Dad with advanced blocked heart valves and he had recommended to Dad that he should take immediate action, but for reasons only Dad could answer, he ignored his doctor’s advice.

Dad survived surgery. Now he lay, in critical condition, in the intensive care unit. Mom was beside herself. Barely functioning and not speaking.

After hours of tending to her, I went home to retrieve some items for her, some clothes, a book, her toothbrush. I booked her a room in the hotel across the street, in case she wanted to go lie down for an hour, or take a shower, but she refused.

The media stalked the front of the hospital. Dozens of well-meaning friends called Mom’s cell, all of which I fielded.

At ten PM, I watched in disbelief as Baxter showed up and hugged Mom.

“How’s he doing?”

Mom fought tears. “They don’t know. They said that the next 48 hours are touch and go.”

Baxter gave Mom a sympathetic smile that made my stomach roll. “What can I do to help?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“The timing is terrible, Helena, but we’ve got February trade deadlines looming.”

“I don’t care about hockey.”

“Your husband does.” He rubbed her shoulder. “Let me handle this for you.”

She lifted her tear-stained face. “Would you do that?”

“Mom,” I cut in. “I can handle that.”

“Rory, your place is here with your father.”

“Mom.”

“Enough!” She silenced me with her steely eyes.

Baxter pressed his lips together. “I’d need you to give me legal proxy.”

“Whatever you need.”

He patted her hand. “I hoped you’d say that. I’ve already asked our lawyer to draw up some paperwork.”

I crossed my arms. “I’d like to talk to my mom alone for a moment please.”

He hesitated.

“Now,” I commanded.

His smile made me sick. “I’ll wait outside.”

I shut the door after him. “Mom. You’re making a big mistake.”

“Your father trusts Baxter.”

“And that trust is misplaced.”

“Stop! Your father is hanging onto his life and you are worried about hockey?”

“I’m asking you to not put Baxter in charge. He could cause reprehensible damage.”

“He’s a good man, and he’s trying to help.”

“I can handle it.”

She stood up. “I think your judgement is skewed.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m giving Baxter the power to handle the team until your father is on his feet.”

A tap sounded on the door. Brian poked his head in. “Baxter called me a couple hours ago to draw up paperwork to give him the power of proxy?”

“Well, that vulture didn’t take long to get his claws in,” tears clogged my throat.

Mom ignored me. “Thank you, Brian. I want to sign those papers.”

Brian sat next to her. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? You will be giving Baxter complete legal authority over the team.”

She raised her eyes to my face. “I’m sure.”

I WALKED Brian down to the main lobby of the hospital. There were so many bad things happening today, I couldn’t even focus.

“How’s Max?”

“Bail hearing has been set for tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll be there.”

“I can handle it.”

“I need to be there, Brian.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“How’s he doing?”

“He refused to tell anyone you were with him.”

That shocked me. “Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know. I told him you were vouching for him, but I don’t think the cops are buying your story.”

“When are the cops going to interview me?”

“They will send someone down to the hospital tonight.”

I couldn’t believe this was happening. “I’m not suggesting the woman wasn’t assaulted, but she is mistaken. She’s blaming the wrong man. Max is innocent.”

“She’s sticking to her story. She’s adamant it’s Max. She even picked him up out of a lineup.”

“Why would she do this? She knows this isn’t true. I was with him. This is a complete fabrication.”

“She isn’t aware that Max has an alibi. And the prosecutor can’t drop the charges until they are certain he is innocent.”

“Has she provided any physical evidence?”

“She is refusing to give up her clothes or let anyone examine her.”

“Why would she do this? Why would someone try to set Max up?”

“Money? Publicity?”

I thought about that. “Even if they drop the charges, this is going to devastate his career.”

His lips thinned with regret. “Do you want me to hire a private investigator?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“What happens next?”

“Well, based on the fact that they don’t have any physical evidence, I’m hoping that the charges will get dropped.”

“How did they arrest him with no evidence?”

Brian ran his hands through his hair. “Sometimes you get a trigger happy cop, who makes the arrest and then the defense attorney has to decide on whether they will follow through. They might drop the charges if they can’t make it stick, but now they are stuck with the arrest.”

“This is bullshit!”

He put a hand on my shoulder. “Stay with your dad. Two officers will come down in about an hour.”

“My Mom made a big mistake handing over proxy to Baxter.”

“Hockey can wait. We can sort that out later.”

I nodded, fighting tears. “Yeah, okay.”

THE INTERVIEW with the cops left me exhausted. They repeated the same questions over and over, with a disbelieving tone. I could tell they doubted me, doubted that I was with Max. They suggested that I was only trying to cover up for the team, to ensure that our star player didn’t get arrested. By the time the interview was over, I was in tears.

They wouldn’t answer any of my questions or tell me what was going on with Max.

Finally, I made my way back to the waiting room where Mom was curled up in a chair.

“How’s Dad?”

“He hasn’t woken up yet.”

I dropped into a chair, exhausted. “Have the doctors come by?”

“The nurses are pleased with his vitals.”

“Okay.”

“Where were you?”

“They arrested Max Logan. I am his alibi, so the police came by to interview me.”

“Is that why your father had a heart attack?”

I didn’t understand or like the accusation in her voice. “Max Logan is innocent. I know because I was with him at the time of the alleged incident. So, he’s not to blame for this.”

She shook her head and rested it on her fist. “You told me Dad was upset.”

“Dad ignored sound medical advice about his blocked arteries. That is the reason he is here.”

She turned her face away from me. “Don’t blame your Dad for this.”

“I’m not blaming anyone.”

We sat while angry silence swirled around us.

I scrubbed my face with my hands. I wasn’t being fair to Mom. “I’m sorry.”

“What was he so upset about?”

My voice sounded weary, “I spent the night with Max Logan. Which is when this alleged attack took place.”

“Rory!”

“Dad was upset. He screamed and kept calling Max by the name of Garrett.”

Mom’s head shot up, her eyes were wide. “Leave that alone.”

“Leave what alone?”

She refused to answer.

“Who is Garrett?”

“No one.”

“Mom!”

“Someone from your father’s past.”

“Is that who Max reminds him of? Is it this Garrett person?”

“I don’t know.”

I could tell she was lying. “What’s with the secrets?”

“Leave that alone.”

To prevent myself from making things worse, I excused myself and locked myself in a bathroom stall. I sat down on the toilet lid, covered my face with my hoodie and wept. Big, heaving sobs. Would Dad be okay? What would happen to Max? The two men I loved the most were in the worst trouble of their lives. Dad lay in a hospital bed surrounded by tubes and in a cement cell at the mercy of the legal system, Max was locked up.

I felt helpless. I was doing everything in my power to make sure they were okay, but nothing I did was enough.

When I couldn’t cry anymore, I washed my face and went in search for a cup of tea. Mom needed taking care of, and that was my job tonight.