Making the Cut

by David Skuy

  Jake got up, eyed Charlie closely and, with a defiant expression, walked slowly out. The coaches waited until the door closed completely, and then Clark leaned forward and pointed his pen.

  “Jake has made a serious allegation against you, Charlie,” he said. “We spoke at the rink, and now that you’ve had a bit of time to reflect, I’m going to ask you again: Did you take the ring?”

  “I did not,” Charlie answered.

  “Jake told us he believes you planted the ring in his bag after the race when you were alone in the dressing room, and that your motivation was to get him kicked out of camp.” He paused and said, “I understand you and Jake are not exactly the best of friends.”

  “You could say that.” Talk about the understatement of the year, he thought.

  “Could you tell us again what you did the morning the ring was taken?” Clark continued. “I believe that was the day of the obstacle course, right, Jen?”

  “Yes, Coach Clark,” she confirmed.

  Charlie took a deep breath and began. “I remember running to the cafeteria after the obstacle course for a snack. I was with Scott and Nick, and Slogger too. After we ate, Jen announced that changes to the teams were posted the bulletin board. I’m not sure if all of you know that we had a race at the obstacle course, and … well … Team 1 lost to Team 2, and Jen announced that Team 1 had to piggy-back the Team 2 guys across the field. I guess it was a reward … or like a prize for winning …” He avoided looking at Jen or Trevor. “I piggy-backed Jake, and then went to the rink to get ready for practice. That’s when I saw Jen in the lobby looking for the ring. At least, that’s when I found out Coach Miller’s ring had been stolen. Of course, that’s also when I couldn’t find my hockey bag.”

  “Is that your recollection, Jen?” Miller asked.

  She nodded. “I distinctly remember Charlie … and I think Slogger … being there together. I was beside myself looking for your ring.”

  “And after that she helped me find my equipment. Trevor did too,” Charlie added.

  “That’s correct,” Jen said. “We eventually found Charlie’s equipment in the other rink.”

  “Well, let’s put aside the mystery of Charlie’s equipment for the time being,” Clark said. “I remember watching the piggy-backing with Coach Miller and Coach Binns. How come you ended up carrying Jake?”

  “He asked me. Jen said Team 2 guys could choose who they wanted.”

  “I don’t believe I said that a Team 2 player could order you to carry him,” Jen said.

  Charlie turned to her. “I guess you’re right. He just came over and said he expected me to piggy-back him, and I just assumed I had to.”

  Coach Clark’s eyes narrowed. For a few moments he seemed lost in thought, and then he said, “I’m not seeing when Charlie would have had a chance to take the ring. But then, I also don’t see when Jake could have done it. They were clearly both at the cafeteria when snack was over because Charlie gave Jake a piggy-back. The only chance they had would have been after the snack and before Jen made her announcement. That doesn’t sound like much time, and somehow I doubt whether we’ll find any witnesses who could remember if Charlie or Jake remained in the cafeteria the entire time.”

  “I also have my doubts that Charlie and Jake worked together to steal the ring,” Coach Binns said.

  The room grew silent as everyone reflected on the coaches’ speculations.

  Charlie gathered his courage. “I think I know who took the ring,” he offered.

  That got their attention.

  “Go on,” Clark said.

  “The first thing, and the most important thing, is that Jake didn’t do it — and neither did I.”

  Jen and Trevor took a few steps closer to the other coaches, so it felt like all of them were crowding around him. It wasn’t a very comfortable feeling.

  “You already told us you didn’t do it. But how can you be so sure about Jake?” Miller asked.

  “It’s weird how that happened, actually. I admit that I was alone in the dressing room before the ring was found in Jake’s bag,” Charlie said. “What you don’t know is that I ran into another player in the hallway before the skills finals begin. He was already changed, and when I talked to him he was all nervous and acting strange. We were joking around a bit, and he made a comment about me losing my elbow pads. At the time I don’t think he realized that he’d given himself away, or maybe he thought I’d never figure it out …”

  His voice trailed off as he realized they were staring at him. This wasn’t going well. No one knew about his elbow pads. He needed to explain things — and fast. Clark looked as if he was losing patience with him.

  “Sorry. I should backtrack. My elbow pads were missing from my bag before my first practice with Team1. Only Trevor knew about that.” Charlie looked over at him. “Isn’t that right?”

  Trevor nodded.

  “And Trevor told me he didn’t tell anyone about that.”

  Miller cleared his voice. “Sorry to interrupt, Charlie, but you’ve lost me with this elbow pad business. What does Trevor have to do with your elbow pads?”

  “I just spoke to Trevor in his room and he told me …”

  “You talked to Trevor about your elbow pads in his room … before you came here?” Clark asked, shaking his head. “I thought I told you to stay in your room.”

  Charlie flushed. “You did, only I needed to find out if Trevor told anyone … about the elbow pads, that is.”

  Clark rolled his neck and sighed. Charlie braced himself. “Continue,” Clark said finally, in a quiet voice.

  “When I was taking a shower in my room after the skills competition, it suddenly dawned on me. If Trevor didn’t say anything to anyone about my elbow pads, and I didn’t tell anyone, then the only other person who could know is the guy who took them. So the player I saw in the hall must have taken them from my bag. Anyway, I started to think about the obstacle course, and I remembered that this same player was walking away before the final race. At the time I didn’t think anything of it. I assumed he wanted to see the race better. Now I think he must have been the one who threw my rope over the wall.”

  “Then that means the person you’re talking about was on Team 3 or 4,” Jen said to him.

  Charlie gulped and tried to slow down his thinking. That was his first huge mistake. He was letting them narrow down the list of suspects. Nothing he could do but press on now, however. “Then it all came together at once. For instance, this person had told me about Duncan’s lost binder before anyone else. How come he knew? The only thing I can figure is he was the guy who did it.”

  Coach Clark help up his hand. “Charlie, I’m still not following your point. And while I’m intrigued as to why you would defend Jake considering what we know about you two, it still doesn’t explain how the ring ended up in Jake’s bag.”

  “Right. Good point. Well, the thing is I know who put Coach Miller’s ring in Jake’s bag, because he’s the same kid who took my elbow pads out of my bag, and most importantly, the same guy who was outside the dressing room before the skills competition. I was the last guy out of the room, so that’s got to be when he planted the ring.

  “It’s no secret Jake and I aren’t friends. I guess we’re kind of the complete opposite. But Jake wouldn’t do it. He’s … not that kind of guy — I mean, the type to steal a Stanley Cup ring. I was there and he was as surprised as anyone when the ring fell out of his bag. And if he did take it, why would he be so dumb as to put it there in the first place?”

  “We have considered those points as well,” Clark said. “But aren’t you forgetting something?”

  Charlie shook his head. What did he mean?

  “Who do you believe stole the ring?”

  Charlie took a deep breath. “That’s the problem. I can’t tell you his name. I can tell you he did it for personal reasons that didn’t have much to do with hockey.” That was probably pushing it a bit, but it wasn’t exactly a lie. It had more to do with Core
y’s dad than anything. “And I can promise you he won’t cause any more trouble. But if I tell you any more you’ll figure out who it is, and … I don’t want this person to get in trouble. He has enough problems as it is … and, since you found the ring, and since I know Jake didn’t steal it, and I didn’t, I was really hoping … we could just forget about it.”

  Charlie finished in a rush. He suddenly realized he’d been speaking practically non-stop this entire time. Clark had a funny expression on his face, which made him nervous. Would they connect the fact that Jake, Duncan and he were centres? Would that lead them to suspect Corey?

  Clark opened his eyes wide and looked at Charlie for an uncomfortable moment. “I think you should go back to your room while we discuss this.”

  Miller motioned toward the door. Charlie felt he needed to say something more before he left. “This has been an amazing camp, and I’ve learned a lot about hockey. I’m sorry I can’t tell you who stole the ring; and I understand that you won’t be happy with that. I’m … just sorry, but I can’t tell you.”

  Clark raised his eyebrows and sat back in his chair. “Thank you, Charlie,” he said quietly.

  Charlie hesitated, expecting him to continue, but he remained silent. Charlie nodded at the coaches and left the cafeteria, and then sprinted up the stairs and opened the door to Scott and Slogger’s room. In answer to their inquiring looks, he said, “No way to tell what they’ll do. I think they believe me about Jake. I’m not so sure about me and Corey. Anyway, they told me that I should go back to my room, so …”

  “Catch you later,” they chorused.

  Corey was doing push-ups when Charlie walked in. He hopped to his feet. “Where did you go? You were gone for close to an hour.” He looked worried.

  Charlie shrugged. “The coaches wanted to speak to me again … about the ring.”

  “Is Jake getting sent home? They aren’t blaming you, are they?”

  Corey’s eagerness to have Jake kicked out bothered him. “I don’t think Jake stole it. Do you?” Charlie asked.

  Corey shuddered ever so slightly and he began to blink rapidly. “The ring was in his bag,” Corey said. “I don’t see how he can deny it.” He pointed to the floor. “Do you mind if I pump out a few more push-ups, and then finish with my sit-ups?”

  Before he could answer, Corey was back at it. Charlie left him alone — he couldn’t exactly talk to him while he was grunting and sweating — and lay down on his bed. Corey counted up to fifty push-ups, and then moved on to the sit-ups.

  Charlie wondered what kind of dad made his son that obsessed with hockey, or with anything for that matter? He folded his hands behind his head and thought about his own father. Sometimes parents would get carried away at games and start yelling at the refs or other players. His dad would always ask them to be quiet. He used to get so embarrassed, and his teammates would bug him about it. Now he found it hard to believe he ever felt like that. He could see why it bothered his dad so much. Parents got so crazy about hockey and wrecked it for everyone. Corey was the perfect example. All those phone calls from his dad, and the extreme things he’d done just to get into the Challenge Game; he was so intense and under so much pressure that Charlie doubted he was having a very good time at hockey camp — and he’d ruined it for him, Jake and Duncan, just to try to live up to his dad’s ridiculous expectations.

  Corey kept up the sit-ups, pushing himself to do more. Charlie didn’t feel like confronting him now. He tried to relax, but with little success.

  How could he, with the coaches in the cafeteria right now deciding his fate?

  20

  UNITED FRONT

  Charlie practically leapt out of his bed when he heard a knock on the door.

  “Down to the cafeteria,” a voice ordered.

  It sounded like Trevor.

  “We didn’t have a meeting scheduled, did we?” Corey said. “I need a shower.”

  “I think it’s a surprise,” Charlie said dryly. Corey hadn’t stopped exercising the entire time. Charlie was almost thankful that the moment of truth had come.

  Slogger was already in the hallway.

  “Did you know about this meeting?” Corey asked.

  “It’s a surprise, I think,” Slogger said.

  “Hey, that’s what Charlie said.” Corey laughed and slapped Charlie on the back.

  Slogger gave Charlie a quizzical look, as they headed down to the cafeteria.

  Scott and Nick were walking down the hall.

  “You fellas know what this meeting is all about?” Corey asked.

  Would his friends resist the temptation?

  Nick whispered something in Scott’s ear.

  “Might be an award for the best-dressed defenceman — obviously me,” Scott said.

  The joke was weak and Scott knew it. But he stayed true to his word, and that was the end of it. Charlie relaxed. His friends would keep the secret. In short order, all the players had taken their places in the cafeteria.

  Jen clapped her hands a few times. “Gentlemen. Let’s settle down, please.” She waited for silence. “We’ve decided to announce the lineups for the Challenge Game now instead of after dinner. Before we do that, Coach Clark wants to talk to you.”

  Coach Clark seemed more serious than usual. He cast his eyes around the room, settling them briefly on Charlie.

  “As all of you are well aware, a few days ago someone took Coach Miller’s Stanley Cup ring. This is easily the most unpleasant thing that’s happened in the twenty years we’ve run this camp. To say the theft showed a lack of respect for the YEHS, Coach Miller and the game of hockey is an understatement. As well, the ring is worth a great deal of money, and stealing it is a criminal offence. The police were called and were beginning to investigate. This afternoon the ring was found in Jake’s hockey bag. He denied taking it, and accused Charlie of putting it there.

  “About half an hour ago Charlie addressed the coaches, and he stated to us that he did not take the ring, and that he did not believe Jake took it either.”

  A murmur rose among the players.

  “Charlie also stated that he knew who took the ring, but that he wouldn’t tell us who did it. When we pressed him for a name, Charlie said that he didn’t want this individual to be punished, and promised there wouldn’t be any more trouble.”

  Charlie couldn’t help glancing over at Corey. He’d gone completely pale, his hands gripping the bottom of his seat.

  “I should clarify for the record that Charlie cannot prove absolutely that Jake didn’t take the ring. His evidence is based on certain suspicious behaviour and comments made by the unidentified thief. It is not the strongest evidence, but at the same time I cannot entirely dismiss it. There is also the plain fact that Charlie is so insistent that Jake did not steal the ring.

  “As my dad used to say, this puts us firmly on the horns of a dilemma, which is another way of saying we don’t know exactly what to do. I think the coaches all agree that Charlie is being sincere and truly believes Jake is innocent. On the other hand, he’s covering up a crime.”

  Clark took a few steps forward and his face took on an even more serious expression. Charlie’s chest tightened.

  “The coaches have decided that in light of the circumstances, and after speaking to Jake and Charlie, we no longer consider Jake a suspect. He will remain in camp and is eligible for the Challenge Game. As for Charlie, while I respect his desire to protect a friend, and admire his willingness to prove Jake’s innocence, his refusal to identify the real thief cannot be condoned or ignored. There is only one day left in camp, and we do not see it necessary to send him home. Charlie is not eligible to play in the Challenge Game, however.”

  An eerie silence followed. It was a bizarre moment for Charlie. Corey was only about ten seats away. He was sitting ramrod straight, his hands clenched together in his lap, barely moving a muscle. He looked ready to break into a thousand pieces. Seeing Corey like that convinced Charlie that he’d made the right decision. It wo
uld absolutely destroy his roommate to be caught. Charlie couldn’t do it to him, and if it meant missing the Challenge Game, then that was a price he was willing to pay.

  Charlie slumped in his seat. They’d probably start to announce the lineups for the Challenge Game now. He wondered if Jake would make it.

  “I don’t think that’s really fair, Coach Clark,” he heard someone at the far end of the cafeteria say.

  Charlie looked around. Richard was standing up and had walked towards the middle of the aisle.

  “Coach Miller has his ring, and I don’t think Charlie should be punished for telling the truth. He didn’t have to help Jake,” Richard said with real emotion.

  Clark seemed taken aback. “The coaches have made their decision, but I understand your position.”

  “I think it’s unfair too.” Gabriel stood up, not far from Charlie. “Is it really that important to find the thief if Charlie says the guy won’t steal again? Charlie probably knows the guy well enough to say that, and I trust that if Charlie says the guy won’t be a problem, then he won’t.”

  Simon stood up next to his friend. “I agree. Charlie should be allowed to play.”

  “I wouldn’t feel right about the Challenge Game if Charlie loses a spot because of this,” Slogger said next.

  Charlie fought to control his emotions. He’d never thought that these guys would be such true friends.

  “We want Joyce! We want Joyce!” Scott and Nick began chanting and then all the players began talking at once. Coach Clark held up his hands. “Hold it down, boys. Hold it down. Again, I appreciate your willingness to help a friend, but …”

  J.C. Savard stepped forward. The players quieted down. Charlie was totally surprised. While Savard was possibly the best player at camp, which gave him a lot of status, he wasn’t that vocal and he rarely spoke in groups. Was he going to support him too?

  “I wish you would reconsider, Coach Clark,” he said. “I don’t think any of the guys would feel right about Charlie being banned from the Challenge Game. I’ve played against him, and at this camp I’ve played with him, and I think he deserves the chance to play.”