Chapter 51: Puck Me Secretly: Chapter 50

I STARED at my phone in disbelief. What the actual fuck. This was a horrible mistake. There is no way that Max had assaulted anyone. Brian must have gotten the player’s name mixed up, because I had been with Max all night.

I called Max’s cell, but it went to his answering service.

Shit.

“Lady, we’re at your destination.”

“Sorry,” I apologized, handing the driver a fifty-dollar bill for an $18 ride. I got out.

“Your change, Miss.”

“Keep it.”

I braced myself heading into the building. Using the side door, I avoided the media. I worked my way through the maze of hallways until I found Dad pacing near the front entrance.

“Where’s Brian?”

Dad shook his head and pointed at some offices. “He’s in there.”

“Who’s the player.”

“Max Logan.” Dad spit out the words at me.

“What? That’s impossible.”

“No, it’s not. And now we’ve got a shit storm on our hands.”

My breath felt erratic, as if someone had sucked all the oxygen out of the room.

“Where’s Max? Is he okay?”

“Who gives a shit? He assaulted a woman. I knew he was trouble. I never should have brought him on. Look at this mess he’s put us in!” Dad’s voice escalated to a near shout.

“Dad, calm down.” I stepped closer and rubbed his arm. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “This is a big misunderstanding.”

Brian walked towards us. “I found us a room to talk in.”

Dad and I followed him into a small room.

I tried to keep the panic out of my voice. “Where’s Max? Is he okay?”

“They’re processing him. Haven’t started the interviews yet but they’re not allowed to talk to him without me in the room.”

“Let him rot!” Dad slammed his fist into the table.

Ignoring Dad, I held Brian’s gaze. “What are they charging him with?”

“A level 1 sexual assault. He met a woman, left the bar with her last night and she is asserting that she said no and he forced her.”

“That’s impossible.”

“The police say otherwise.”

“Brian,” I licked my lips. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me.” Dad’s voice filled the room.

“Dad. Trust me.”

“Rory, spit it out!”

I swallowed in fear. Dad looked apocalyptic. “There is no way that Max Logan could have assaulted anyone, since I was with him last night.”

Brain’s eyebrows went up.

“No! Rory no! I will not have you protect that animal.”

I turned to Dad. “He’s not an animal, Dad. He’s the man I love.”

“Okay, okay.” Brian soothed. “Why don’t you tell me what happened last night.”

“Max and I left the stadium together after the game. We drove back to his place. We ordered some food around 1 AM. I left around 9 AM.”

Brian nodded. “Did he leave the apartment?”

“No. We arrived there together and neither of us left.”

“This is bullshit, Rory,” Dad blustered. “You will not protect Garrett, okay? He’s an animal and you don’t need to sacrifice yourself to protect him.”

“Who is Garrett?” I turned to Dad. “I was with Max.”

Dad’s breathing sounded labored. “You don’t have to cover for him. Our team can do without him.”

“Dad! I’m telling the truth.”

“Did anyone else see you together?” Brian interrupted.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember if the doorman was there. I didn’t see the delivery guy, Max paid for the food.”

“This is not happening!” Dad slammed his fists on the table. “This is not happening!”

Brian pinched his nose. “Rory. If you’re trying to cover for him.”

“I’m not. I’m dating Max Logan and I spent the night with my boyfriend. Trust me. He assaulted no one.”

“Okay, this is good. You’re a credible alibi.”

“You will not cover for him!” Dad’s voice trebled.

Brian held my gaze. “The police will need to interview you. Can you do that?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t have it. Garrett will no longer ruin this team and this family.”

I turned towards Dad. His face was white, and he was yanking at his tie. Beads of sweat poured down his face.

“Dad, are you okay?”

“It’s hot in here.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I’m fine,” he wheezed. “I need some air.”

“Dad, you don’t look fine.” I moved to his side.

He held his left arm against his chest. “I need some air.”

I grabbed him as he slid to his knees.

“Dad!”

Then his eyes rolled back, and he fell against me.

“Brian, call an ambulance.”

I worked to lower Dad to the floor. “Dad, dad! Talk to me. Are you okay? What’s happening?”

I heard Brian shouting. Then two officers rushing into the room. One pushed me out the way while the other touched Dad on the neck.

“This man is having a heart attack.”

“What?”

“Go get the AED machine!”

The other officer took off.

“Medics are 5 minutes out,” Brian spoke.

Hand over my mouth, I watched as the officer ripped open Dad’s shirt and started compressions.

“Oh no. Oh no.”

The other officer returned to Dad’s side. He attached wires to Dad’s chest.

“Charging.”

“Clear.”

“Set, go.”

Dad’s body jerked.

Brian pulled me up to my feet, but I couldn’t take my eyes of Dad’s lifeless body. “Rory.”

Please wake up, Dad. Please wake up.

“Rory!” Brian’s face loomed in front of mine.

“What?” I felt dazed, like I was in a bad dream. This wasn’t happening.

“Rory,” Brian snapped his fingers in front of my face. “You need to call your mom.”

“What?”

“She needs to meet you at the hospital.”

“Okay, good idea.” I stumbled to the table, dug through my purse and dialed.

“Hello, darling. How was your night last night?”

I squeezed my eyes tight. “Mom. Something’s happened. I need you to stay calm.”

“Rory, you’re scaring me.”

“Is the car there?”

“No, your father took it.”

I heard shouting and behind me, two paramedics pushed a stretcher into the room. I got distracted by their conversation.

“What do we have?”

“A 56-year-old man, unresponsive. No pulse. One AED charge.”

“Okay let’s try again.”

“Charging.”

“Clear.”

“Set, go.”

Dad’s body jerked.

“No pulse.”

“Okay, resuming CPR.”

“I’m bagging him.”

“I’m starting a line.”

“Rory!” Mom’s voice commanded in my ear. “What is going on?”

My voice sounded thready and weak. “Mom, I need you to call a cab and then go to the hospital.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s Dad.”

“Rory. What is going on?”

“He collapsed. And the paramedics are here. They are working on him.”

“What? What is going on? Rory, talk to me.”

“I don’t know, Mom. He was yelling and so upset and then he dropped to his knees.”

“What’s happening?”

“They are putting him on the stretcher and they are doing CPR.”

“Oh my God!” Mom cried.

Brian stood beside me. “I called her a cab.”

I spoke into the receiver. “Brian called you a cab, okay? So, get your purse and your shoes and go outside to wait for it. We will meet you at the hospital.”

“Which hospital?”

“What hospital are you taking him to?”

“VGH.”

“Mom, tell the driver to take you to the VGH.”

“I don’t know where that is,” she sounded so panicked.

“The driver knows, Mom. Do you have your purse?”

“Rory, don’t let him die. You can’t let him die.”

Brian put his arm around me. “Come on. You can ride in the ambulance.”

“Mom, I have to go. I’m going with Dad.”

“Rory,” she was crying, “Don’t let him die.”

“Mom, I’ll take care of him. I’ll see you soon.”

I followed the stretcher down the hallway. I looked at Brian. “Are you coming?”

“I’ll stay with Max.”

Oh shit. Max.

The panic must have shown on my face.

“Go with your Dad. I’ll handle this.”

THE RIDE to the hospital was a nightmare. I sat in the front with the driver while the sirens screamed and we swerved and weaved around traffic. The paramedic in the back continued to perform CPR on Dad.

At the hospital, they took Dad away, and a nurse stopped me, asking me questions I didn’t have answers to.

Did Dad have a history of heart disease?

Had he had an EKG in the last 6 months?

Was he on any medication?

Did our family have a history of heart disease?

What was his cholesterol count?

“I don’t know,” I repeated.