16. Beckett
Beckett
M y eyes move over the crowd searching for the familiar curls of my daughter.
She spent about five minutes at my side before Oakley introduced her to Chase Hawkins’ twin sisters. The twins go to Whit’s school and the three of them instantly hit it off.
Within minutes Whit was begging to take off with them to check out all the carnival type stalls spread out over the practice rink.
I have no idea how much effort it took to cover the ice and put all this together but I have to admit it’s been a fantastic night.
The fans have been nice, enthusiastic, but respectful. And not one of them called me out on hiding a daughter for seventeen years.
There are a couple of reporters and photographers, although I think the latter are with the team not the reporters. I’ve spoken to three so far, all of them sticking to my game and how I feel about living somewhere so hot when I spend my working hours on ice.
I had a good chuckle over that question because it honestly hasn’t affected me. I’m sure when we’re in the thick of summer, and Whit and I only caught the tail-end of it when we arrived in Baton Rouge, I might have something to say but for now, it’s work as usual.
I spot Ray Denim walking my way and wait for him to reach me. The head of security is in his forties and looks like a man you don’t want to mess with. I heard he’s an ex-SEAL who started his own security company and now works for the Rogues.
His hand is already out when he gets a couple of feet away and I stretch mine out to meet it.
“Hey.”
“Mr. Higgison.”
“Shit, none of that. It’s Beckett or Bex.”
“Okay, Beckett. Call me Ray.” His eyes are on a constant sweep, scanning the area and coming back only to do it again and again. “I hear you need some security at your house. What did you have in mind?”
“Everything.”
His gaze snaps back to me. “Any particular reason why?”
“I have a system but Cami pointed out the garage isn’t connected to it and the door between it and my kitchen isn’t either.”
“Huh. Well, that’s dumb. May as well leave the front door open.”
“Yeah, anyway, there was a reporter on my doorstep earlier today that Cami didn’t like and I’ll be honest, the thought of my daughter being home alone now doesn’t sit well. I want to know she’s safe inside our house. Then there’s the incident with her car.”
“I heard about that. Oakley has me looking into some things with Amos on that.”
“Oh?” This is news to me.
“He found something and wanted me to take a look.”
“What? What did he find and why don’t I know about it?”
“Calm down. If it was a threat you would know; it’s not. But we think we’ve found the culprit in the tire incident. Amos is checking on one more thing, then he’ll report to Oakley. ”
“Jesus.” I scrub a hand down my face. “How soon can you get something set up at my house?”
“I can get it done tomorrow or the next day. I’ll need to see what I’m working with then order the gear. I’ve probably got most of what you’ll need but it’ll have to come up from New Orleans.”
“Okay. I can give you a key now. The code for the less than brilliant alarm currently fitted. You can go in whenever you have the time.”
“All right. I’ll grab one of my guys and head over there now.” He looks at his watch. “This thing is supposed to go for another few hours. We should be finished before you get home and if I need any info, I’ll call.”
“You have my number?”
He gives me a look that says that was a stupid question. Then he grins and it transforms his face completely. He’s no longer as intimidating. “I could probably get in without the key…”
Leaving the words hanging, he tips his chin and holds out his hand. Except with his words my brain has hit on a thought I can’t move past.
“Do that. Get in without a key. Find all the places you can to get inside and then fix them so you can’t.”
“Is there something you’re not telling us?”
“No. But my daughter is the most precious thing in my life and until now I haven’t had to worry about her safety because she wasn’t known as Beckett Higgison’s daughter.”
“Ah, I get it. No problem. I’ll make a call, you’ll get one after I do, from someone on the Baton Rogue PD. Don’t want to have to call Oakley James to come bail me out for breaking and entering,” he explains with a grin.
Laughing, I nod. “I’ll be waiting. And I won’t offer my address because…”
“Yeah, don’t bother with that either.” He offers his hand again. “I’ll talk to you when I know what you’re up for.”
“Don’t worry about cost. Whatever it is I’ll cover it. ”
“Figured you would. Enjoy the rest of your night.”
In seconds he’s gone, disappearing into the crowd which is a feat because the guy has an inch or two on me and I’m six-three.
The crowd isn’t large, but it’s not small either. I’d say there are twenty people to each player and I’m not counting front office or arena staff. There’s about seven hundred people by my estimation and with the way management has set everything up, we’re not all crowded inside the boards of the practice rink.
Some of the players are holding court on the seats rising up on all sides of the ice. I’m sure others are out in the foyer where the food is set up. I spot Whit racing toward me and smile.
She’s out of breath when she reaches me but the grin on her face tells me she’s having a great time and I’m glad. I worried about moving her when she’d barely established connections with her schoolmates back in Toronto.
But my daughter had rolled her eyes and said there was no one she’d miss that much and if she did, they could always stay in contact by phone. I had no choice but to take her word for it and so far I haven’t seen any negative changes in her the move may have caused.
“Dad!”
“Whit!” I mimic her tone with a grin.
“Can I go to Mr. Hawkins’s place tonight?” Before I can protest it’s a school night, she’s steamrolling over me. “I know I’ve got school tomorrow but so do they and we can all go together. I can drive us. Actually, I said I’d pick them up for school and drop them off every day from now on. They walk! ”
I can’t help laughing at her distress over them walking to school. It’s all I did as a kid. Even at five I was walking. On my own.
That thought brings up some memories I can do without thinking about so I look past her to see if I can see Chase. “Did Mr. Hawkins offer up a sleepover or have you kids decided on your own?”
“He did. He wants us to get to know each other better and he has to go home now because the baby needs to get to bed. Natalie is coming with us. She lives next door or something. Anyway, she said she’d run me by home so I can pick up my car then let me follow her to where they live even though I already know.”
Her words are rushed and her volume rises with her level of excitement. “I’d rather you not drive the car yet.”
“What? Why? The mechanic said it was fine.”
“Yes, he did, but I’d like to run you to and from school until I have to leave town for the next away game.”
“Daaaaad…”
“I know. But humor me. Please. Plus, the security people will be putting in a new alarm system tomorrow or the next day and I want to walk you through it the first few times you use it.”
It’s not necessary. She’s smart enough to remember after being shown once but I can’t seem to shake the niggle of fear in my chest.
I don’t know if it’s Cami’s concern playing into my own or that Ray said they may have found the person responsible for letting the air out of Whit’s tires.
She quietly stares at me as though she can change my mind and I have to smile. “Please, Whitbee.”
“Fine. But can I go home with the twins?”
“Where’s Mr. Hawkins? Let me have a quick word with him before I decide.”
“He’s out where the food is.”
“Lead the way.”
I follow Whit off the rink and up the stairs until we hit the corridor that winds around the edge of the building to the foyer. A few people stop me to talk, to ask for an autograph, but most let us pass with a smile or in the case of most of the men, a chin lift.
“Hey, Hawkeye. Whit tells me you’ve lost your mind and want to add another kid to your bunch for the night,” I say when we’re close enough I don’t have to shout.
“Hey! Yeah, the twins are loving hanging out with her and as I’ve dragged them away to this ‘godforsaken hell’ away from all their friends, I figure I should at least help them out when they find a new one.”
“Godforsaken hell?” I ask with a grin.
“Cassidy’s words. She’s the one I’m having the most trouble with.” He glances around to make sure his little sister isn’t close. “If it wasn’t for the fact I know this is the best thing for all of us, I’d pack up and go back to Minnesota.”
“You know if you need help with anything you can call me. I might not have had three kids to deal with at your age but I had Whit so I might be able to offer some advice on things.”
“Thanks. Gem’s been a huge help. She’s the reason I’m ducking out of here early. She knows the little one doesn’t sleep at all if she’s not in bed by nine.”
“Need help getting everyone to the car?”
“Nah, we’re good. Gem’s on her way. She just needed to tell Oakley something.” Chase looks at the twins talking excitedly with Whit. “You letting her come with us? I’ll make sure she’s up and ready for school.”
“Yeah. But I’ll swing by in the morning and pick them all up. I want to speak to the principal anyway.”
“Oh? Whitney’s not in trouble, is she? She seems level-headed to me.”
“No. There was an incident with her car while we were away and he helped her. I just want to thank him in person.”
“Ah, right. Okay, well, I’m good with that plan if you’re cool with it.”
“I am.”
“Here’s Gem now.” He tips his chin to indicate someone behind me.
When I turn around, I’m shocked by who he’s referring to. I thought Gem was a nanny or babysitter or something but it’s Natalie Redding. GM of the Rogues…and the name clicks.
I have no idea when Chase started calling her that or if he does it all the time and I’m not sure I want to ask although my curiosity is definitely tripped.
“Beckett. Do I need keys or anything for Whitney to collect her car?”
“Ah, no, I’ll come by Chase’s in the morning and pick all the kids up for school.”
“Are you sure? It’s no trouble driving to your house then home,” she assures me in her no-nonsense manner.
“I’m sure. I’ve got some business at the school in the morning and I’d rather let Ray and his man have the house to themselves right now to work out what I need to update the alarm system.”
“Did Detective Clark call you yet?”
“No.” As if her words conjures him, my phone rings with an unknown number. “This is probably him.”
“Take it. We’ve got Whitney handled. If you come a little earlier in the morning, I’ll have some breakfast for you and I’m sure she’ll need clothes and her school bag.”
“Shit. I didn’t think of that.”
She waves me away with a hand and says, “Answer that, bring her things tomorrow morning. I’m sure we can find something for her to wear tonight and that’s all she needs.”
“Are you sure?” I bounce my gaze between them as my phone continues to ring.
“Of course,” Natalie says with a smile.
Chase gives me a chin lift before he heads over to his siblings and Whit.
“She’ll be fine, and it’ll be good for her to spend some time with some of her Rogues family.” Natalie cocks her eyebrow in a way that says don’t argue, you know I’m right.
Holding up a hand, I chuckle. “Okay, okay, I get it. We need to make the effort to build connections.”
“You won’t regret doing it. Now go call the detective back before he arrests my head of security.”
“Shit. Sorry.” I bobble my phone for a second before I pull up the recent calls and hit the last one that came in. Lifting a hand, I wave to Whit who’s paying me no attention as I move toward a quiet corner to take this call.
“Mr. Higgison?”
“This is Beckett.”
“I understand you have given permission for Ray Denim and his man to break into your house to test for weak spots in your security.”
“Yes.”
“All right then, now that you’ve confirmed that, I’ll let you get on with your night. I know it’s a big one for the Rogues.”
“Okay, thanks.”
He hangs up without a goodbye and when I turn to look for Whit to give her a kiss goodnight she’s already gone. With a huff, I head back inside to do my duty as captain of the team. I want to check on some of the younger guys, make sure the attention isn’t too overwhelming or they’re not getting themselves into trouble.
I didn’t notice any puck bunnies, but you can never tell who’s on the lookout for a hook up.
Kallan is the first one I spot and the color of his face tells me the women surrounding him are either embarrassing him or he has no idea what they’re saying.
Picking up my pace, I make a beeline straight for him. The relief in his eyes as I draw closer says I probably should have sought him out sooner.
“Hey, Kallan, ladies.” I force a friendly smile when I’m not at all in my comfort zone in this type of situation. I’m even more uncomfortable when one of the women steps closer and puts her hand on my chest, purring my name as she looks up at me.
Shit. Looks like Kallan isn’t the only one who needs rescuing from this.
And just as I think that, the woman who has proven to be on the spot for me and Whit walks up. Slipping her arm through mine, she leans her head on my biceps and looks at the group around us.
“Well, isn’t this cozy? Are you all enjoying your night? ”
She doesn’t take them to task, just gives of subtle vibes and body language that has the women murmuring their answers before dispersing with words about needing food or the restroom.
I grin down at Cami. “You woman, are a life saver.”
“You both looked like deer caught in headlights. How are you doing, Kallan? Do you need a break from all this?”
His nod is enough to get her moving away from me and to him. Hooking her arm in his the same as she did me, she motions me to follow as she soothes him with words too quiet for me to hear.
And like some kind of sap, I trail behind her.