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other end of the line. When he hung up, he sighed and a chime sounded on his phone. She watched as he pushed a button and asked to speak to the wife of Harrison Clarke. Leslie feared the worst.
     

Chapter 7
     
    By the following day, things seemed to have improved at least a bit. Clarke was in stable condition with no permanent damage, though he would be out of the game for the rest of the season due to the location of his wound and the concussion he had suffered. Everything seemed like it would be fine. Then, things took an unexpected turn.
     
    “I’m being sued by Harrison Clarke,” Shane told her on the phone.
     
    “Sued? For what?” Leslie asked incredulously.
     
    “Loss of livelihood,” he grumbled.
     
    “That is ridiculous. He caused that incident himself. Surely, anyone can see that.”
     
    “I wouldn’t be so sure. That isn’t all though.”
     
    “Good grief! What else?”
     
    “The coach says the district attorney here is involved. Clarke is trying to have criminal charges brought against me for assault with a deadly weapon. His wife has already been up to his office to discuss the matter with him while Clarke gets better.”
     
    “You’ve got to be kidding. Your skate accidentally cut him. Who could possibly think you did something like that on purpose?”
     
    “His take is that I intended to do physical harm to him to take him out of the game and, in that case, my skate was used as a weapon.”
     
    “That is unbelievable. How can he get by with that?”
     
    “Hopefully, he can’t, but in the meantime, I can’t play. So, we are both out of the game for as long as this drags out. I’ve been suspended indefinitely.”
     
    “Shane, I’m so sorry. This is so horrible that you have to deal with this over something that was just an unfortunate accident.”
     
    “Thanks. I have an appointment tomorrow to speak to an attorney about the civil case and to review the criminal case. If the district attorney decides to go through with formal charges, I’ll need solid representation for both.”
     
    Leslie couldn’t help but notice how sad he sounded as he discussed the situation with her. Hockey was important to him in a way that it might be hard for most to understand. Not only was it his career, but he loved the game. That is what made him one of the best, his enjoyment of it. How sad that a simple accident could threaten everything for him.
     
    ‘I guess there is nothing to do but wait and see what happens, then,” she told him.
     
    “All I can do. Listen, I need to get out of here but I have reporters camping outside my gate. If I sneak out over the back fence later, do you think you might pick me up and let me hang out at your place for a while?” he suggested.
     
    “I’d love to help you run away from home. I’ll even make you dinner,” she told him.
     
    “Okay. Just call me when you are ready. I’ll time my escape for whenever you’ll be happening by on the back street,” he told her with a laugh that revealed his inner anxiety.
     
    ‘I’ll be there just as soon as I can. Keep your phone handy and I’ll call you when I’m on the way,” she said.
     
    “Perfect. See you later then,” he said, hesitating for a moment as if he wanted to say something else. Then, just “thank you” and a click from the other end as he disconnected the call.
     
    Leslieknew that this must be terribly difficult for him. Not only was he not the sort to be forced into downtime, but he was going to have a hard time dealing with the stress and the inability to vent his frustration on the ice. She could only hope for him that it didn’t get drawn out for very long. The day seemed to crawl by as she tried to get some work done; she was anxiousat leaving him alone all day with this. He was in a bad place and she hated that she couldn’t be there to support him while she was at work.
     
    By five thirty, she was out the door and on her way to the smaller alley road that ran behind the