Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ All Star Dreams (Ver. 3) ❯ Chapter Thirty Two ( Chapter 32 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: bekka_mouri_hibiki 
Robert calls his lawyer to find out Pauline's not going to play nice. Branslav overhears something that rattles him to the bone.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sports / Romance / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.27.2009 | Pages: 10 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 163 | Status: Completed
Robert calls his lawyer to find out Pauline's not going to play nice. Branslav overhears something that rattles him to the bone.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sports / Romance / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.27.2009 | Pages: 10 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 163 | Status: Completed
All-Star Dreams: Chapter Thirty-Two
By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
© Bekka Mouri-Hibiki 2007
Branslav slowly opened his eyes, unable to sleep any longer. The team had arrived in San Francisco at six-thirty and bedded down in the Gold Miner's practice gym. He checked his watch, finding it was nine forty five. By his estimations, he had been asleep for just a shade less than three hours.
He frowned, mad that he had woke up so soon. Practice wasn't until noon but he knew he wouldn't get back to sleep the way he felt. He looked over at Daniel then decided not to bother the younger man. Branslav sighed, deciding to take a walk around the facility to waste time.
He had just stood up when Daniel stirred, opening his eyes a bit then furrowing his brow. " Why are you up man? " He said quietly.
“ I can't sleep, “ Branslav whispered as he sat back down.
" What time is it anyway? " Daniel asked as he sat up.
Branslav looked at his watch again, " Nine forty seven. "
Daniel frowned, “ Did you sleep at all? “
“ A little, “ Branslav said. “ I can't sleep any more though. I've got too much going on in my head. “
“ Yeah well that's why you can't sleep. You're thinking about too much, “ Daniel muttered then yawned.
“ I tried not to but I think I have part of my problem figured out, “ Branslav kind of smiled.
“ Which part? “ Daniel arched an eyebrow.
“ Betty, “ Branslav said.
Daniel rolled his eyes, “ Man. You're obsessed. “
“ Listen to my plan though, “ Branslav started.
“ No. Look man. You need to stop making plans about stuff you can't control, “ Daniel whispered sharply.
Branslav narrowed his eyes, “ I can control this. “
“ No. No you can't. If she wants to be with you that great but if she doesn't, just let her go and move on, “ Daniel knew he was going to piss off Branslav but he had to say what he thought. “ You have to remember she's got a part in this too. “
Branslav's frown deepened, “ I can't let her get away a second time. I should have went to the hotel after the banquet and found her instead of waiting this long. “
Daniel sighed and patted Branslav on the shoulder, “ Hey. If things work out they work out. If not, don't take it too hard, okay? “
Branslav glared at Daniel again, “ Things will work out damn it. “
Daniel put his hand up, “ Fine then. I was just telling you what I think. “
Branslav looked across the gym and sighed as he carefully picked his words. “ I've never met anyone so sweet and so beautiful. I barely know her but I want to. So many things are happening to keep us apart and I can't stand it, “ His tone was a bit sad as he spoke.
Daniel sighed; pretty sure he wasn't going to get through to Branslav at all. He was focused on getting what he wanted. It was good thing for playing ball but not exactly great for getting a girl. He was totally forgetting that Betty had something to do with it as well. Everything that had happened so far made him feel like things wouldn't work out but he couldn't get Branslav to accept that possibility.
“ I need to take a walk, “ Branslav said. He looked at Daniel; “ I'll be back later. “
“ Okay, " Daniel yawned. " I'm going back to sleep. "
**
Robert walked out to the living room, drying his hair with one of Betty's towels. After Betty took her shower, she took her pain medicine and it had made her tired. Robert put her to bed then took his shower. Though he had teased her about taking their showers together, he decided the stall just wasn't big enough for them both and that her ankle would need to heal before even attempting what he had joked about.
There were so many things he wanted to do with her but knew he had to take his time. The prospect wasn't so bad but he didn't know when he'd see her again after the game. Whenever he tried to fathom even the near future, he became overwhelmed with 'what-if' so he decided not to think about anything past his divorce hearing. Once he was through it, he could think about other things.
As he thought about the hearing, he realized he hadn't told his lawyer where he was. He felt the need to give Mr. Reiss a heads up before any more time passed. As he reached the coffee table, his phone began to vibrate and he picked it up to check the caller ID. He frowned at the unfamiliar number, pretty sure it was Pauline.
~I don't have time for you this morning bitch, ~ He thought as he opened the phone, picked up then hung up and snapped it shut again. It rang again and he did the same. He growled when it rang another time, switching it off after he opened it. He went to the hall table and picked up his wallet, getting into it for Mr. Reiss' card.
He turned his phone back on and dialed the number. Since it was ten thirty, he was pretty sure someone would be in the office. The phone rang three times when the secretary answered. “ The offices of Nicholas Reiss. How may I direct your call? “
“ This is Robert Hughes. I need to speak to Mr. Reiss, “ Robert flipped the card around in his fingers.
“ Mr. Reiss has been trying to get a hold of you, “ The secretary replied. “ He urgently needs to speak to you. “
“ Really? “ Robert was a little surprised.
“ Let me transfer the call, “ The secretary said then the 'on-hold' music came on.
Robert wondered why Mr. Reiss wanted to speak to him so badly. The music was on for all of ten seconds when Mr. Reiss answered and didn't sound happy. “ Where are you Mr. Hughes? I tried to call you but the cell number you gave me is either busy or doesn't work. “
“ Something came up and I had to go out of town. What's wrong? “ Robert replied. He figured Mr. Reiss had tried to call while he had been on the phone with Jakob or Pauline. He then recalled the unfamiliar number, wondering if he had been hanging up on him instead.
“ I need to know where you are, “ Mr. Reiss said. His tone was very sharp.
“ Settle down, “ Robert said. “ I'm in Reno. “
“ Why are you in Reno? “ Mr. Reiss sounded shocked.
“ It's a long story, “ Robert started but Mr. Reiss cut him off.
“ Then tell it to me. “
Robert glanced at Betty's bedroom, “ A friend of mine was injured and she didn't have anyone else to take care of her. “
“ Her? “ Mr. Reiss asked. “ As in a woman? “
Robert nodded, “ Yeah. “
Mr. Reiss sighed heavily, “ This looks bad. Your wife's lawyer called here saying you were with another woman and that could hurt our case. “
“ There's nothing going on, “ Robert told him as he scratched the side of his neck. “ I'm just here taking care of my friend because she doesn't have anyone else to do it. How can that look bad? “
“ Considering the things she's claimed about you in her amended divorce papers, " Mr. Reiss started.
“ What amended divorce papers? " Robert was shocked. " I didn't know she filed amended papers against me. "
“ Because you've been out of town, “ Mr. Reiss sounded like he didn't like being interrupted.
Robert frowned, “ That explains why you've been trying to find me. “
“ Yes. Her lawyer ended up having to deliver your copy of her papers to my office. Do you know what she's claiming you did? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
“ No but I can guess, “ Robert muttered.
“ Did you ever hit your wife Mr. Hughes? “ The sound of rustling papers could be heard as Mr. Reiss spoke.
Robert was shocked. He had never raised a hand to Pauline. She, on the other hand, had hit him often before Alex was born and several times afterwards too. In some of their more heated arguments, she had thrown things at him.
She had even bit him more than a couple of times with scars to prove it. When she would get that violent, he had no other choice but to grab her and hold her to him until she calmed down. “ No, “ Robert said. “ I may have grabbed her a few times so she didn't hurt herself or me but I've never hit her. “
“ There's a police report from when you lived in Colorado Springs, “ Mr. Reiss started.
“ Fuck, “ Robert muttered. “ Did she have to go and get that? “
“ Care to explain? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
Robert recalled the incident all too clearly, “ She was five months pregnant and wanted me to go out a three in the morning to get her something she had a craving for. I can't even remember what it was but it was something impossible to get at that time of night. I told her 'no' and she went ballistic on me. “
“ How do you mean ballistic? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
“ She was hitting me and said I didn't give a damn about her or the baby. I was really scared she was going to hurt herself or Alex so I grabbed her to hold her and make her calm down. She wasn't going to let me hold her and elbowed me in the gut then tripped over her own feet as she tried to get away from me. She hit her head on the coffee table on the way down and I took her to the hospital because she knocked herself out, “ Robert explained.
“ And why did the police investigate it? “ Mr. Reiss really didn't sound like he was believing Robert.
“ Because it was a domestic issue, “ Robert sighed. “ Honestly I never did anything to my wife except restrain her when I thought she'd hurt herself or really hurt me. That little hellcat bit me, scratched me and left bruises until she was too far along and was afraid she'd hurt Alex. She started right up again after he was born though so I would just leave until she cooled off. “
" Why didn't you divorce her sooner then? " Mr. Reiss asked.
Robert opened his mouth to answer then shut it. He had never been asked the question before though he knew the answer. He shut his eyes, " Because I thought I loved her and I didn't want to tear our family apart. "
" I see, " Mr. Reiss said shortly. " But that's all changed now. "
" Yes, " Robert said. " Everything I thought it was isn't what it is so what's the point. You have to understand I was doing it all for Alex. "
“ Still, the physical altercations don't look good considering how big you are compared to her, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ Do you have any proof of her violent temper? Perhaps something to prove you were within your rights to protect yourself that way. “
Robert ran a hand through his hair, “ How many witnesses do you want? She's went psycho on me in front of God and everyone as long as Alex wasn't around. “
“ Just a few will do, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ She still thinks you owe her something for being together for so long. “
“ She doesn't deserve anything after all the Hell she's put me through, “ Robert said sharply.
“ And we have to prove that to the judge, “ Mr. Reiss shot back.
Robert hung his head, “ What does she want anyway? I don't recall her mentioning that. “
“ For starters, she wants to keep her car and have your name taken off the title, “ Mr. Reiss sounded like he was rifling through the papers again.
“ I think I can do that, “ Robert said. “ I hate that gas sucking beast anyway. “
“ She also wants you to make a down payment on a place for her to live, “ Mr. Reiss continued.
Robert scoffed, “ She can kiss my ass on that one. Her mother's a millionaire from all the old farts she's married. Tell her to go ask mommy for some of the insurance money. “
Mr. Reiss sighed, “ And she wants alimony to the tune of three thousand dollars a month. “
“ Oh Hell no. Hell the fuck no, “ Robert said. “ I only make four thousand a month between the team and local endorsement deals. “
“ Well I don't think the court will even give her that much, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ They might want you to give her something though. “
“ I'm not giving her anything, “ Robert growled. “ Where does she get off making those kind of demands? “
“ You were married for five years, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ Even if that child isn't yours, she thinks you owe her something. “
Robert slammed his fist down on the couch, “ Damn it. “
" Maybe we can get her to settle for some kind of lump sum. Perhaps what her stolen belongings were worth? " Mr. Reiss suggested.
Robert sighed, " We can throw that out there though that stuff was legally mine. It was my money that bought it. "
“ I'll get to work on that. Now, do you want to know what else she's charging you with besides the physical abuse? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
“ Sure, “ Robert said. " What else did she come up with? "
“ Multiple counts of infidelity, “ Mr. Reiss replied. “ She states you have cheated on her constantly since you were married. “
“ I know. She had that in the first set of papers. I haven't cheated on her ever, “ Robert said. “ She's made it all up in her mind. "
" So you're saying you've never looked twice at another woman since you married her? " Mr. Reiss prodded.
" Not a one. The only contact I've had with any other women was purely business. Damn it, why do think they call me White Bread? “ Robert pointed out.
“ Well I'll remember to add that to my argument, “ Mr. Reiss said. He then muttered, " White Bread. "
Robert shut his eyes, “ I stayed true to her and this is what I get. “
“ I understand your frustration, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ When are you coming back to Taos? “
Robert ran his left hand through his hair, “ I'm coming back Thursday so I can be in court Friday morning. “
“ What airline are you coming in on? I'll need you to come to the office so you can see these papers, “ Mr. Reiss said.
“ It's on a private jet into Taos, “ Robert said. “ I'm coming straight in from Reno. “
“ A private jet? “ Mr. Reiss sounded surprised.
Robert took a deep breath, “ Yeah. The team owner made the arrangements so I could get here to take care of my friend. It was that urgent. “
Mr. Reiss was silent for a long moment then asked, " Was her life in danger? "
" I'd say so, " Robert replied. " My friend Branslav found her on her kitchen floor with a concussion. If he hadn't found her, she would have died. "
" Why isn't the man who found her taking care of her then? " Mr. Reiss sounded suspicious.
Robert opened his eyes, " He's a basketball player like me and he had to go out on a road trip. Since I'm on leave and she has no friends that can care for her... "
" I understand, " Mr. Reiss cut him off. " It guess it couldn't have been avoided. "
" Not really, " Robert muttered.
“ About that flight, “ Mr. Reiss changed the subject back to Robert's return. “ I assume it's going to be landing at the airstrip north of town? “
“ Yeah, “ Robert said. “ My car is there and I'll come straight to the office once I get in. “
“ Call me as soon as you land so I know when you're back, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ We need a game plan to play down these things your wife is charging you with. “
“ Sure, “ Robert said.
“ Is there any particular reason you were calling me? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
Robert furrowed his brow then remembered he did have a reason he was contacting him. “ I was just checking in. Well, that and I was going to ask if I could get a restraining order against Pauline. She keeps harassing me on the phone and won't leave me alone. “
“ Change your number and that should stop that, “ Mr. Reiss said.
Robert frowned. He had a lot of contacts on his phone and he would have to call them all to give them his new number. He growled when he realized it was the easiest thing he could do, “ I suppose you're right. “
“ If she keeps on harassing you in other ways then we'll consider a restraining order, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ I want to avoid that if at all possible. She'd probably put one on you and that will just make the whole thing look worse. “
“ True, “ Robert nodded. “ I'll call the phone company and get it changed in a bit then I'll call you with the new number. “
“ Please do, “ Mr. Reiss said.
“ I will, “ Robert said. “ I got to go now. “
“ Alright. I'll see you when you get back, “ Mr. Reiss said and hung up.
Robert snapped his phone closed, his vision turning red as he looked at the floor. He wanted to scream or break something. He couldn't believe, even after admitting her concussion was her fault, she had drudged up the police report. He wondered what she was going to try to convince the judge of with the potentially damning piece of evidence.
Robert flung his phone down on the couch and covered his face with his hands. He stayed that way for a very long time before looking towards Betty's door. He stood up, walking back to the bedroom. He looked in on Betty then decided to finish getting dressed and take a walk so he could think.
**
Bransla v had just gotten comfortable under the sinks in the shower area, deciding the locker room was too bright to sleep in. He had gotten tired again from wandering around and decided to see if he could get a little more sleep. He was just about to doze off when he heard the locker room door open.
He was about to roll out when he recognized Martin's voice. By the tone, he could tell he was talking to the blackmailer. “ What do you mean you want me to wire the money to an offshore account TODAY? “ Martin sounded very angry. “ Our deal was for you to wait until I came back to Reno. “
Branslav scrunched up against the wall the best he could as he listened. To him, it sounded like the blackmailer was getting very demanding. Martin was huffing and puffing like an English bulldog like he always did when he was angry. “ No. Don't do that. I'll make the arrangements right now. Tell me the routing and account numbers so I can transfer it from my personal account. “
“ OF course it will be discreet, “ Martin insisted. “ It'll be from one of my offshore accounts. Just don't mail that envelope. “
Branslav heard Martin snap his phone closed then someone else came into the room. “ Was it him? “ It was Coach Sweet.
“ Yes, “ Martin said sharply. “ Have you figured anything out? “
“ No, “ Coach Sweet replied. “ We haven't fired anyone and no one quit in the time frame before the final game last season. There's absolutely no one that would know besides those that were involved. “
“ No one? “ Martin asked. " Do you think it's one of the referees we paid off getting greedy? "
“ They wouldn't dare, “ Coach Sweet said. " They know there's too much at stake if they did talk. "
“ What about the players we traded in the off-season? “ Martin asked. " Maybe they knew something about it. "
Coach Sweet sighed, “ Not even them. None of them had access to the office. They wouldn't have known. “
Martin growled, “ We have to find out who this man is and quickly. He's demanding the money be transferred to an offshore account today or he'll mail that information to the league in the morning. “
“ Today? “ Coach Sweet asked. He took a sharp breath, “ I just got an idea. “
“ I'm open to any suggestions you might have, “ Martin didn't sound like he was but he also sounded desperate.
“ Give him the money and then have your private investigator track down the owner of the offshore account, “ Coach Sweet snapped his fingers. “ Boom. We've got our man. “
Martin was silent for several second then said, “ I think you're onto something Fox. “
“ Thank you sir, “ Coach Sweet said.
“ The only potential flaw I can see with that plan is if the account has a fake name on it, “ Martin said.
“ But how could the blackmailer have access to the account if there's a fake name on it? “ Coach Sweet sounded confused.
“ Simple. A debit card. As long as they use an ATM and know the PIN, they can have access to the money, “ Martin explained. " However, if there's a fake name on it then we'll have trouble tracking down the blackmailer unless my investigator does some fancy hacking and tracks the blackmailer through transactions. "
“ Oh. That makes sense, “ Coach Sweet replied.
“ Come. I have to make the arrangements for the transfer so it will be in his account by the time we return to Reno, “ Martin said. “ Then I have to call my investigator. “
Branslav listened as the two men left the locker room, wondering exactly what was going on. He thought about what he heard, the most likely answer coming together in his mind. He felt his heart sink as his blood ran cold. He started to shake as his conclusion resonated in his mind and wanted to vomit.
~Has this all been a lie? ~ He thought. ~Did he really fix the finals so we would win? ~
By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
© Bekka Mouri-Hibiki 2007
Branslav slowly opened his eyes, unable to sleep any longer. The team had arrived in San Francisco at six-thirty and bedded down in the Gold Miner's practice gym. He checked his watch, finding it was nine forty five. By his estimations, he had been asleep for just a shade less than three hours.
He frowned, mad that he had woke up so soon. Practice wasn't until noon but he knew he wouldn't get back to sleep the way he felt. He looked over at Daniel then decided not to bother the younger man. Branslav sighed, deciding to take a walk around the facility to waste time.
He had just stood up when Daniel stirred, opening his eyes a bit then furrowing his brow. " Why are you up man? " He said quietly.
“ I can't sleep, “ Branslav whispered as he sat back down.
" What time is it anyway? " Daniel asked as he sat up.
Branslav looked at his watch again, " Nine forty seven. "
Daniel frowned, “ Did you sleep at all? “
“ A little, “ Branslav said. “ I can't sleep any more though. I've got too much going on in my head. “
“ Yeah well that's why you can't sleep. You're thinking about too much, “ Daniel muttered then yawned.
“ I tried not to but I think I have part of my problem figured out, “ Branslav kind of smiled.
“ Which part? “ Daniel arched an eyebrow.
“ Betty, “ Branslav said.
Daniel rolled his eyes, “ Man. You're obsessed. “
“ Listen to my plan though, “ Branslav started.
“ No. Look man. You need to stop making plans about stuff you can't control, “ Daniel whispered sharply.
Branslav narrowed his eyes, “ I can control this. “
“ No. No you can't. If she wants to be with you that great but if she doesn't, just let her go and move on, “ Daniel knew he was going to piss off Branslav but he had to say what he thought. “ You have to remember she's got a part in this too. “
Branslav's frown deepened, “ I can't let her get away a second time. I should have went to the hotel after the banquet and found her instead of waiting this long. “
Daniel sighed and patted Branslav on the shoulder, “ Hey. If things work out they work out. If not, don't take it too hard, okay? “
Branslav glared at Daniel again, “ Things will work out damn it. “
Daniel put his hand up, “ Fine then. I was just telling you what I think. “
Branslav looked across the gym and sighed as he carefully picked his words. “ I've never met anyone so sweet and so beautiful. I barely know her but I want to. So many things are happening to keep us apart and I can't stand it, “ His tone was a bit sad as he spoke.
Daniel sighed; pretty sure he wasn't going to get through to Branslav at all. He was focused on getting what he wanted. It was good thing for playing ball but not exactly great for getting a girl. He was totally forgetting that Betty had something to do with it as well. Everything that had happened so far made him feel like things wouldn't work out but he couldn't get Branslav to accept that possibility.
“ I need to take a walk, “ Branslav said. He looked at Daniel; “ I'll be back later. “
“ Okay, " Daniel yawned. " I'm going back to sleep. "
**
Robert walked out to the living room, drying his hair with one of Betty's towels. After Betty took her shower, she took her pain medicine and it had made her tired. Robert put her to bed then took his shower. Though he had teased her about taking their showers together, he decided the stall just wasn't big enough for them both and that her ankle would need to heal before even attempting what he had joked about.
There were so many things he wanted to do with her but knew he had to take his time. The prospect wasn't so bad but he didn't know when he'd see her again after the game. Whenever he tried to fathom even the near future, he became overwhelmed with 'what-if' so he decided not to think about anything past his divorce hearing. Once he was through it, he could think about other things.
As he thought about the hearing, he realized he hadn't told his lawyer where he was. He felt the need to give Mr. Reiss a heads up before any more time passed. As he reached the coffee table, his phone began to vibrate and he picked it up to check the caller ID. He frowned at the unfamiliar number, pretty sure it was Pauline.
~I don't have time for you this morning bitch, ~ He thought as he opened the phone, picked up then hung up and snapped it shut again. It rang again and he did the same. He growled when it rang another time, switching it off after he opened it. He went to the hall table and picked up his wallet, getting into it for Mr. Reiss' card.
He turned his phone back on and dialed the number. Since it was ten thirty, he was pretty sure someone would be in the office. The phone rang three times when the secretary answered. “ The offices of Nicholas Reiss. How may I direct your call? “
“ This is Robert Hughes. I need to speak to Mr. Reiss, “ Robert flipped the card around in his fingers.
“ Mr. Reiss has been trying to get a hold of you, “ The secretary replied. “ He urgently needs to speak to you. “
“ Really? “ Robert was a little surprised.
“ Let me transfer the call, “ The secretary said then the 'on-hold' music came on.
Robert wondered why Mr. Reiss wanted to speak to him so badly. The music was on for all of ten seconds when Mr. Reiss answered and didn't sound happy. “ Where are you Mr. Hughes? I tried to call you but the cell number you gave me is either busy or doesn't work. “
“ Something came up and I had to go out of town. What's wrong? “ Robert replied. He figured Mr. Reiss had tried to call while he had been on the phone with Jakob or Pauline. He then recalled the unfamiliar number, wondering if he had been hanging up on him instead.
“ I need to know where you are, “ Mr. Reiss said. His tone was very sharp.
“ Settle down, “ Robert said. “ I'm in Reno. “
“ Why are you in Reno? “ Mr. Reiss sounded shocked.
“ It's a long story, “ Robert started but Mr. Reiss cut him off.
“ Then tell it to me. “
Robert glanced at Betty's bedroom, “ A friend of mine was injured and she didn't have anyone else to take care of her. “
“ Her? “ Mr. Reiss asked. “ As in a woman? “
Robert nodded, “ Yeah. “
Mr. Reiss sighed heavily, “ This looks bad. Your wife's lawyer called here saying you were with another woman and that could hurt our case. “
“ There's nothing going on, “ Robert told him as he scratched the side of his neck. “ I'm just here taking care of my friend because she doesn't have anyone else to do it. How can that look bad? “
“ Considering the things she's claimed about you in her amended divorce papers, " Mr. Reiss started.
“ What amended divorce papers? " Robert was shocked. " I didn't know she filed amended papers against me. "
“ Because you've been out of town, “ Mr. Reiss sounded like he didn't like being interrupted.
Robert frowned, “ That explains why you've been trying to find me. “
“ Yes. Her lawyer ended up having to deliver your copy of her papers to my office. Do you know what she's claiming you did? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
“ No but I can guess, “ Robert muttered.
“ Did you ever hit your wife Mr. Hughes? “ The sound of rustling papers could be heard as Mr. Reiss spoke.
Robert was shocked. He had never raised a hand to Pauline. She, on the other hand, had hit him often before Alex was born and several times afterwards too. In some of their more heated arguments, she had thrown things at him.
She had even bit him more than a couple of times with scars to prove it. When she would get that violent, he had no other choice but to grab her and hold her to him until she calmed down. “ No, “ Robert said. “ I may have grabbed her a few times so she didn't hurt herself or me but I've never hit her. “
“ There's a police report from when you lived in Colorado Springs, “ Mr. Reiss started.
“ Fuck, “ Robert muttered. “ Did she have to go and get that? “
“ Care to explain? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
Robert recalled the incident all too clearly, “ She was five months pregnant and wanted me to go out a three in the morning to get her something she had a craving for. I can't even remember what it was but it was something impossible to get at that time of night. I told her 'no' and she went ballistic on me. “
“ How do you mean ballistic? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
“ She was hitting me and said I didn't give a damn about her or the baby. I was really scared she was going to hurt herself or Alex so I grabbed her to hold her and make her calm down. She wasn't going to let me hold her and elbowed me in the gut then tripped over her own feet as she tried to get away from me. She hit her head on the coffee table on the way down and I took her to the hospital because she knocked herself out, “ Robert explained.
“ And why did the police investigate it? “ Mr. Reiss really didn't sound like he was believing Robert.
“ Because it was a domestic issue, “ Robert sighed. “ Honestly I never did anything to my wife except restrain her when I thought she'd hurt herself or really hurt me. That little hellcat bit me, scratched me and left bruises until she was too far along and was afraid she'd hurt Alex. She started right up again after he was born though so I would just leave until she cooled off. “
" Why didn't you divorce her sooner then? " Mr. Reiss asked.
Robert opened his mouth to answer then shut it. He had never been asked the question before though he knew the answer. He shut his eyes, " Because I thought I loved her and I didn't want to tear our family apart. "
" I see, " Mr. Reiss said shortly. " But that's all changed now. "
" Yes, " Robert said. " Everything I thought it was isn't what it is so what's the point. You have to understand I was doing it all for Alex. "
“ Still, the physical altercations don't look good considering how big you are compared to her, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ Do you have any proof of her violent temper? Perhaps something to prove you were within your rights to protect yourself that way. “
Robert ran a hand through his hair, “ How many witnesses do you want? She's went psycho on me in front of God and everyone as long as Alex wasn't around. “
“ Just a few will do, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ She still thinks you owe her something for being together for so long. “
“ She doesn't deserve anything after all the Hell she's put me through, “ Robert said sharply.
“ And we have to prove that to the judge, “ Mr. Reiss shot back.
Robert hung his head, “ What does she want anyway? I don't recall her mentioning that. “
“ For starters, she wants to keep her car and have your name taken off the title, “ Mr. Reiss sounded like he was rifling through the papers again.
“ I think I can do that, “ Robert said. “ I hate that gas sucking beast anyway. “
“ She also wants you to make a down payment on a place for her to live, “ Mr. Reiss continued.
Robert scoffed, “ She can kiss my ass on that one. Her mother's a millionaire from all the old farts she's married. Tell her to go ask mommy for some of the insurance money. “
Mr. Reiss sighed, “ And she wants alimony to the tune of three thousand dollars a month. “
“ Oh Hell no. Hell the fuck no, “ Robert said. “ I only make four thousand a month between the team and local endorsement deals. “
“ Well I don't think the court will even give her that much, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ They might want you to give her something though. “
“ I'm not giving her anything, “ Robert growled. “ Where does she get off making those kind of demands? “
“ You were married for five years, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ Even if that child isn't yours, she thinks you owe her something. “
Robert slammed his fist down on the couch, “ Damn it. “
" Maybe we can get her to settle for some kind of lump sum. Perhaps what her stolen belongings were worth? " Mr. Reiss suggested.
Robert sighed, " We can throw that out there though that stuff was legally mine. It was my money that bought it. "
“ I'll get to work on that. Now, do you want to know what else she's charging you with besides the physical abuse? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
“ Sure, “ Robert said. " What else did she come up with? "
“ Multiple counts of infidelity, “ Mr. Reiss replied. “ She states you have cheated on her constantly since you were married. “
“ I know. She had that in the first set of papers. I haven't cheated on her ever, “ Robert said. “ She's made it all up in her mind. "
" So you're saying you've never looked twice at another woman since you married her? " Mr. Reiss prodded.
" Not a one. The only contact I've had with any other women was purely business. Damn it, why do think they call me White Bread? “ Robert pointed out.
“ Well I'll remember to add that to my argument, “ Mr. Reiss said. He then muttered, " White Bread. "
Robert shut his eyes, “ I stayed true to her and this is what I get. “
“ I understand your frustration, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ When are you coming back to Taos? “
Robert ran his left hand through his hair, “ I'm coming back Thursday so I can be in court Friday morning. “
“ What airline are you coming in on? I'll need you to come to the office so you can see these papers, “ Mr. Reiss said.
“ It's on a private jet into Taos, “ Robert said. “ I'm coming straight in from Reno. “
“ A private jet? “ Mr. Reiss sounded surprised.
Robert took a deep breath, “ Yeah. The team owner made the arrangements so I could get here to take care of my friend. It was that urgent. “
Mr. Reiss was silent for a long moment then asked, " Was her life in danger? "
" I'd say so, " Robert replied. " My friend Branslav found her on her kitchen floor with a concussion. If he hadn't found her, she would have died. "
" Why isn't the man who found her taking care of her then? " Mr. Reiss sounded suspicious.
Robert opened his eyes, " He's a basketball player like me and he had to go out on a road trip. Since I'm on leave and she has no friends that can care for her... "
" I understand, " Mr. Reiss cut him off. " It guess it couldn't have been avoided. "
" Not really, " Robert muttered.
“ About that flight, “ Mr. Reiss changed the subject back to Robert's return. “ I assume it's going to be landing at the airstrip north of town? “
“ Yeah, “ Robert said. “ My car is there and I'll come straight to the office once I get in. “
“ Call me as soon as you land so I know when you're back, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ We need a game plan to play down these things your wife is charging you with. “
“ Sure, “ Robert said.
“ Is there any particular reason you were calling me? “ Mr. Reiss asked.
Robert furrowed his brow then remembered he did have a reason he was contacting him. “ I was just checking in. Well, that and I was going to ask if I could get a restraining order against Pauline. She keeps harassing me on the phone and won't leave me alone. “
“ Change your number and that should stop that, “ Mr. Reiss said.
Robert frowned. He had a lot of contacts on his phone and he would have to call them all to give them his new number. He growled when he realized it was the easiest thing he could do, “ I suppose you're right. “
“ If she keeps on harassing you in other ways then we'll consider a restraining order, “ Mr. Reiss said. “ I want to avoid that if at all possible. She'd probably put one on you and that will just make the whole thing look worse. “
“ True, “ Robert nodded. “ I'll call the phone company and get it changed in a bit then I'll call you with the new number. “
“ Please do, “ Mr. Reiss said.
“ I will, “ Robert said. “ I got to go now. “
“ Alright. I'll see you when you get back, “ Mr. Reiss said and hung up.
Robert snapped his phone closed, his vision turning red as he looked at the floor. He wanted to scream or break something. He couldn't believe, even after admitting her concussion was her fault, she had drudged up the police report. He wondered what she was going to try to convince the judge of with the potentially damning piece of evidence.
Robert flung his phone down on the couch and covered his face with his hands. He stayed that way for a very long time before looking towards Betty's door. He stood up, walking back to the bedroom. He looked in on Betty then decided to finish getting dressed and take a walk so he could think.
**
Bransla v had just gotten comfortable under the sinks in the shower area, deciding the locker room was too bright to sleep in. He had gotten tired again from wandering around and decided to see if he could get a little more sleep. He was just about to doze off when he heard the locker room door open.
He was about to roll out when he recognized Martin's voice. By the tone, he could tell he was talking to the blackmailer. “ What do you mean you want me to wire the money to an offshore account TODAY? “ Martin sounded very angry. “ Our deal was for you to wait until I came back to Reno. “
Branslav scrunched up against the wall the best he could as he listened. To him, it sounded like the blackmailer was getting very demanding. Martin was huffing and puffing like an English bulldog like he always did when he was angry. “ No. Don't do that. I'll make the arrangements right now. Tell me the routing and account numbers so I can transfer it from my personal account. “
“ OF course it will be discreet, “ Martin insisted. “ It'll be from one of my offshore accounts. Just don't mail that envelope. “
Branslav heard Martin snap his phone closed then someone else came into the room. “ Was it him? “ It was Coach Sweet.
“ Yes, “ Martin said sharply. “ Have you figured anything out? “
“ No, “ Coach Sweet replied. “ We haven't fired anyone and no one quit in the time frame before the final game last season. There's absolutely no one that would know besides those that were involved. “
“ No one? “ Martin asked. " Do you think it's one of the referees we paid off getting greedy? "
“ They wouldn't dare, “ Coach Sweet said. " They know there's too much at stake if they did talk. "
“ What about the players we traded in the off-season? “ Martin asked. " Maybe they knew something about it. "
Coach Sweet sighed, “ Not even them. None of them had access to the office. They wouldn't have known. “
Martin growled, “ We have to find out who this man is and quickly. He's demanding the money be transferred to an offshore account today or he'll mail that information to the league in the morning. “
“ Today? “ Coach Sweet asked. He took a sharp breath, “ I just got an idea. “
“ I'm open to any suggestions you might have, “ Martin didn't sound like he was but he also sounded desperate.
“ Give him the money and then have your private investigator track down the owner of the offshore account, “ Coach Sweet snapped his fingers. “ Boom. We've got our man. “
Martin was silent for several second then said, “ I think you're onto something Fox. “
“ Thank you sir, “ Coach Sweet said.
“ The only potential flaw I can see with that plan is if the account has a fake name on it, “ Martin said.
“ But how could the blackmailer have access to the account if there's a fake name on it? “ Coach Sweet sounded confused.
“ Simple. A debit card. As long as they use an ATM and know the PIN, they can have access to the money, “ Martin explained. " However, if there's a fake name on it then we'll have trouble tracking down the blackmailer unless my investigator does some fancy hacking and tracks the blackmailer through transactions. "
“ Oh. That makes sense, “ Coach Sweet replied.
“ Come. I have to make the arrangements for the transfer so it will be in his account by the time we return to Reno, “ Martin said. “ Then I have to call my investigator. “
Branslav listened as the two men left the locker room, wondering exactly what was going on. He thought about what he heard, the most likely answer coming together in his mind. He felt his heart sink as his blood ran cold. He started to shake as his conclusion resonated in his mind and wanted to vomit.
~Has this all been a lie? ~ He thought. ~Did he really fix the finals so we would win? ~