“I got the guy fired,” Dad reports. “The first thing I did when I went downstairs was speak to the manager on duty while I waited for the police officers. A lot of hockey teams use this hotel. I’m going to sound the alarm that it’s no longer safe. I don’t care what kind of changes are made.”
“What’s the point of key carded elevators if they’re handing out keys,” Officer Minnerly says as the girl pushes herself up to a sitting position on the ground.
“Nooo. What are you doing here?” she whines.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
“Fuck you,” she replies.
“Wrong answer,” he says, pulling out his hand cuffs. “You have the right to remain silent..”
Officer Minnerly pulls her up so she’s standing and binds her wrists behind her back.
“I’m going to walk her down to the car,” he says as he finishes reading her rights to her. “Meet me downstairs when you’re done, Walters?”
“Yep. Mr. Freedman, I have everything I need from you and your daughter. It sounds like you were both in the right place at the right time,” Officer Walters says. “You’re free to go.”
Glancing at the alarm clock on one of the night stands, I sigh internally as I see that it’s closing in on midnight.
Standing, I pick up my forgotten backpack. I think it was one of the first things I dropped.
“There’s too much leniency in sexual assault within the law,” I murmur. “I hope she doesn’t get away with it.”
“No, ma’am,” the officer says. “From what I’m hearing, this is an open and shut case. Even if she doesn’t get sent to prison for a long time, she’ll be shipped off to life in a mental hospital without parole.”
Taking a deeper breath to dispel the little black dots in my vision, I nod.
“Thank you, officer. Troy, please let me know if you need anything. Even if it’s to speak to your wife,” Dad says.
“Thanks, Coach. I’m still having trouble trying to figure out what I’m going to tell her,” Troy confesses.
“The truth,” I say without thinking.
Dad escorts me out of the hotel room, and I can feel fatigue pulling at my body as we walk.
“Did he seem worried to you?” I ask.
“He has a good reason for it,” Dad admits. “Ella is very jealous. They were recently on the rocks about his travel schedule.”
“That sucks,” I say. “This wasn’t his fault in any way.”
“No it wasn’t,” he says, letting me into our room. “We’re still going for a run in the morning. Get some sleep, kiddo.”
It unfortunately takes me way too long to drift off, and even then, my dreams aren’t kind to me.
12
SANTO
My head is a mess as I watch Roger dart through the room to get an ice pack for one of our players. I want to ask him if he can get Caelia’s number for me. I don’t know how such a short interaction managed to rewire my brain chemistry, but it has.
I’m on autopilot as I make my rounds with the players, massaging aching muscles for players after the game and getting them into ice baths. We’re still in Georgia tonight, but I have more time before traveling again tomorrow to make sure everyone is taken care of.
“Hey, make sure you use the hotel pool tonight,” I tell Deacon as I watch him rub his shoulder. “I saw it’s open late, and you shouldn’t have any problems running into fans.”
“Yeah, Doc. Thanks,” he says. Deacon had a rough game tonight, and the water will help stretch and relax those muscles.
Once we’re home, he’ll be able to use other facilities, but traveling always means we have to use what’s available.
