“That’ll work,” Hawkeye said. “Who would I talk to about rescheduling practice sessions before the exhibition game? We have to replace Flynn and give the new player time on the ice to get used to playing with the rest of the team before the match.”
“You’ll have to talk to the arena manager about that,” Monte said. We don’t have say so over anything like that.”
“Okay then,” Hawkeye said.
“You haven’t seen anyone looking for us have you?” Brand asked.
“Like whom?” Monte wanted to know.
“Our new player,” Jett said.
“He was supposed to meet us down here, but he wasn’t out back when we arrived,” Rookie said. “Which is odd because he called us saying he was here before we came.”
Monte’s eyes widened when Rookie said that. “Sorry. Haven’t seen anyone around. This place is usually dead when there aren’t hockey games or skating tournaments or free skate times scheduled.”
Loverboy walked over to Monte and shook his head. “Funny thing is, we don’t believe you.”
Don Juan walked over as well and stood on his other side. “We think you’re lying to us.”
Hawkeye held up the evidence bag with Graves phone inside. “And we have the proof that you smashed his phone for some reason.”
Brand pulled out his own cell phone and started typing on it. “And I have CTV footage of you dragging him inside the arena, so why don’t you cut the crap and tell us where our guy is? Didyou get spooked and then he was following you or something when all he was doing was meeting us here?”
“Do you have something to hide, Monte?” Jett asked.
“You gotta be freakin’ kidding me,” Monte said. “How the hell do you guys do it?”
The security manager looking angry came around the corner helping a dazed Graves who’s clothes looked disheveled and his pupils dilated try to walk straight. “Monte Adams, do you want to explain to me why this poor man was knocked out and tied up in our supply closet?”
Monte’s facial expressions wilted and he looked between Loverboy and Don Juan as if sizing up his chances of making a run for it.
“Don’t even try it,” Loverboy told him.
“Ah hell,” Monte said and held out his wrists. “You might as well cuff me.”
“Adams, you’re fired,” the security manager groused. “And don’t think you’ll get a reference from me either.”
Hawkeye handed a pair of handcuffs to Loverboy and then walked over to Graves. “Are you alright, detective? We got here as soon as we could.”
“I will be. You wouldn’t have some aspirin?” Graves asked, blinking his eyes, trying to clear his vision.
“Not on me, but we’ll get you an ambulance,” Hawkeye said. “I think you might need one.”
“Calling for one now,” Rookie said.
“And a patrol car,” Jett added
While waitingfor the patrol car to arrive, Hawkeye was pleased to read Monte Adams his Miranda Rights and read off the numerous charges against him.
“Yea. Yea,” Adams said. “I did it. You know I did it. If Dugan hadn’t got into that fight with Flynn on the ice I would have gotten away with killing him. But Rogers had to go and mess things up big time.”
“Is that why you killed him too?” Hawkeye asked.
“Sure is hell right,” Monte said. “Anyone that stupid doesn’t deserve to live, and he thought we were pals, ha!”
“Did he really buy the rat poison for you?” Brand asked.
“He did to help me get rid of the infestation in my building,” Monte said. “But there wasn’t one.”
