Figure Skating Mystery Series: 5 Books in 1

by Alina Adams

  "You won't."

  "But what if I simply cannot do it? What if I can only teach in the same way that I was taught?"

  "You'll be fine, Chris."

  "Gabrielle has poured every cent she has into the training center. She's staked her professional reputation on it, not to mention her personal well-being. I want to help her in any way I can. That's why I'm turning to you, Gina."

  "What?" She'd gone on automatic pilot after the second or ninth, "Yahoo, you can do it, go, Chris, go," and so had missed what exactly he was asking of her. "What do you need me to do?"

  "I need you to make me a copy of Lucian's key to his office."

  "What? Why? You can go into his office any time you want. Just ask Lucian."

  "I'm afraid I can't do that. Not this time."

  "Why not? What do you need from there?"

  "It's not important."

  "So I'm just supposed to hand over this key to you, and you're not even going to tell me why?”

  "It's better if you don't know, Gina."

  "Oh, I seriously doubt that. Spill it, Christian."

  He looked around, once over each shoulder, as if expecting Lucian to materialize in his living room where Chris and Gina were sitting on the couch. "I want to copy one of Lucian's computer files. The one detailing all the lawsuits with skaters and their parents that he's settled over the years."

  "Why?"

  "To help Gabrielle. So she has some ammunition to fight with when people want to know why her training method is superior to Lucian's and his ilk."

  "Those lawsuits are confidential. Lucian settled them specifically so that the cases wouldn't go public."

  "I know."

  "You're ready to ruin him? For some... girl?" Gina wasn't quite up to uttering Gabrielle's name out loud yet. She hoped her pronunciation of the word "girl," however, made it perfectly clear how she felt about Dr. Cassidy in particular, and Chris's plan in general.

  "Not for any girl, but yes."

  She should have been horrified. But horror had to wait until the jealousy was completely washed out of Gina's system. She suspected it would be a long wait.

  "You're willing to trash Lucian in public? Lucian, your mentor, your idol, your best friend in the world. All so that your girlfriend can feel better about herself?"

  "Again, Gina, you are oversimplifying, but... yes. Will you help me?"

  "Why should I?"

  "Because," Chris said, "I am very humbly asking you to."

  "God!" Gina leapt up off the couch. "You're some piece of work, aren't you? You treat me like crap, dump me without so much as a 'Dear Gina' letter, then force me to listen to your going on and on about the pioneering genius of Gabrielle Cassidy, and now I'm supposed to help you help her by bringing down my husband?"

  "I thought we were friends."

  "Actually, we're not. I don't know what we are, but friends isn't it. And, I repeat, Lucian is my husband. Why should I side with you over him?"

  "Because." He sighed. "You know that you want to."

  She hated him.

  If Gina thought she had hated him before, that was nothing compared to the odium flowing through her now. She hated him for being so smug. She hated him for making assumptions about what she would or would not do. She hated him for knowing her so well and for always being able to play her. Most of all, she hated him for being right.

  "This isn't about you," Gina told Chris when she handed over the copied key to him a few days later. "I have my reasons for doing this, and it isn't about you."

  "I understand completely."

  "Well, I don't understand. Fine, Gabrielle is the greatest thing since sliced bread and you want to make her little science project a success. But how could you even think about destroying Lucian in order to achieve that?”

  "I have my own reasons, too," Chris said.

  And that was the end of that particular discussion.

  For days, then for weeks afterwards, Gina waited for something momentous to happen. She waited for Gabrielle to expose Lucian; she waited for Chris to go public with his beloved coach's failings. But a month passed, and nothing did.

  Chris came to visit them again and everything seemed the same as before. He and Lucian traded war stories and hearty slaps on the back and all the usual, nauseating, good cheer they always exchanged.

  One thing was different, though.

  This time, when Chris walked through the door and offered Gina his usual hello hug and kiss, his hands landed not on her waist, but on her butt. His lips not on her cheek but on her mouth. It all happened so fast Gina couldn't even be sure it hadn't been an accident. Until it happened again.

  And again.

  He sat closer to her than was necessary on the couch and at the dinner table. He followed her with his eyes wherever she went. Most important, for the first time since... well... ever, Chris let Gina get a word in edgewise. He listened to her now. He asked her questions about her life, and then he actually listened to her answers. He showered her with compliments and attention, and he listened to her.

  She didn't know what to think.

  No, that wasn't true; she did.

  Gina channeled her best inner Dustin Hoffman to ask, "Mr. Kelly, are you trying to seduce me?"

  He grinned.

  "Why?"

  "Because you're worth it."

  "Uh-huh." His wickedly tossed-off words made her heart and its surrounding organs do a Triple Toe Loop from a standing position, but she fought to keep it from showing. "And what happened to the sainted Gabrielle?"

  "It's over."

  "Really?" She hoped she sounded more disbelieving than hopeful.

  "Yes."

  "Why?"

  "Stupid reasons; you know how it is in relationships."

  "Stupid reasons like what?"

  Chris sighed and looked away before answering. "Gabrielle... thought... she thought I still had some unresolved issues. From my past."

  "Like what?" Gina pressed. She had to admit being on the side of making Chris uncomfortable rather than having him do the same to her was most pleasant. She hoped to keep it going for as long as possible.

  "Gabrielle thinks that we shouldn't be together as long as, in her opinion, I am still fixated on another woman."

  Gina's breath caught in her throat. Was Chris saying what she thought he was saying?

  "Another woman? From your past?"

  "Yes." Chris still wouldn't look at her. But then again, he didn't have to. It was obvious what he was trying to tell her. "Gabrielle is under the impression that everything I do is a result of these unresolved feelings of mine. Well, I do guess that is what happens when one chooses to become involved with a psychologist."

  Gina took back every nasty thing she'd ever secretly thought about Gabrielle Cassidy. Obviously, the woman was a psychological genius. It made perfect sense when you looked at it her way. Chris's out-of-character desire to publicly humiliate Lucian could come from only one source: his jealousy over Lucian's having married Gina — a woman he was still in love with! No wonder Gabrielle refused to accept Chris's pilfered offering as a sign of his love for her. And no wonder she wanted nothing more to do with him. Gabrielle realized that Chris was still in love with Gina!

  It was almost too much to take in at once. Gina, who prided herself on never getting dizzy, no matter how many revolutions in a jump or how blurred the spin, now felt as if she could barely stay upright. Finally, after all these years, after everything he'd put her through, Chris was telling Gina he loved her.

  Well, not exactly.

  He wouldn't be Chris if he could express such a sentiment easily. But what else could his tale about Gabrielle's suspicions possibly mean? Chris Kelly loved her!

  Now, the question remained: What were they going to do about it?

  Initially, the answer was easy.

  That they would sleep together was a no-brainer — Chris had already confirmed he was trying to seduce her, to acquiesce under the circumstances was only polite. T
hat the one-night (okay, afternoon) stand would turn into an affair was even more predictable. However, after five months of sneaking behind Lucian's back (a thrill almost equal, for Gina, of hearing Chris say he loved her, it was, as far as she could recall, the only time she'd ever felt like she knew something her husband didn't), Gina felt it was time to move up to the next level.

  "We have to tell Lucian about us, Chris."

  "All right, then."

  That was disturbingly easy. She had expected Chris to put up more of a protest. Something along the lines of why rush, why ruin a good thing, why rock the boat? His prompt agreement threw Gina off somewhat. She'd had a much longer discussion planned.

  "Oh... okay. Good. Great. So it's settled then."

  "Absolutely."

  "The question is, when should we do it?"

  "No time like the present, I say."

  "The present? Chris, Lucian's tribute is next week."

  "Exactly. This way, neither of us shall have to feel hypocritical, getting up there and saying all sorts of flowery things about him. The fact is, he was an excellent coach. We can say so with all impunity. But, as a man... well, he left much to be desired, didn't he? Why should you have to lie about it? I say we get everything out into the open, then head into the tribute with a free heart."

  "You want to tell him before the tribute?”

  "What say tonight? We are all having dinner together, are we not?"

  "Well, yes, but Sabrina..."

  "Sabrina already said she won't be attending. Met some bloke she used to know, they're going out. It will only be the three of us. Just like old times."

  "Old times..." Gina repeated.

  She could hardly wait.

  She could hardly breathe.

  She felt certain Lucian knew something was up the minute he walked through the door. How could he not? Gina was shaking like a leaf, babbling even more than usual. Chris, for his part, appeared absolutely calm. He acted as if nothing at all were out of the ordinary as he greeted Lucian and walked with him to the dining room table, chatting all the while about some gymnastics move he'd seen on television that he thought might be adaptable, with a few modifications, for the ice, and did Lucian think it would keep within the new rules?

  They must have gone back and forth on the subject for hours, though the clock in the kitchen stubbornly insisted only twelve minutes had passed before Gina couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, "Lucian, Chris and I want to tell you something."

  "Not now, Gina. Can't you see we're in the middle of — "

  "Yes, now. We need to talk to you right now. Listen to us."

  Lucian sighed. It was the same sigh he heaved Sabrina's way when she was being particularly obstinate about something. It made Gina feel like a ten-year-old.

  "Fine," Lucian said. "What is it?”

  "I — " She turned her head, looking for reinforcements. "Chris?"

  She knew he'd find a way to break it to Lucian gently. Maybe he'd bring up the history he and Gina shared, the reality that neither had ever truly gotten over the other, no matter how much time had passed. Maybe he'd invoke how much they had in common, being closer in age and having gone through the intense Olympic experience together (not that Lucian hadn't been a part of it as well, but it wasn't the same, standing by the barrier versus being out on the ice all by yourself, knowing that, in the end, no one could help you, that it was under your control and your control only, and that there would be plenty of people to thank if you won, but only yourself to blame if you lost).

  Chris wiped his lips with a cloth napkin, returned it to his lap, leaned back in his chair, and politely informed Lucian, "Gina would like you to know that I've been screwing your wife for the past five months."

  Gina gasped.

  Lucian, however, merely continued with the forkful of lasagna he'd been raising to his lips before Chris even started speaking. "You don't say."

  If Chris's blasé attitude had earlier thrown Gina for a loop, then Lucian's equally nonplussed reaction appeared to have the same effect on Chris.

  "Er... yes," he began. Then didn't quite know what to say next.

  Lucian looked from Chris to Gina and inquired, "And what would you like me to do about this, then?"

  "Do?" Gina asked.

  "Yes. Do. I assume you had a reason for sharing this revelation with me. What might it have been?"

  "We — " Gina said.

  "I — " Chris said.

  "Go on then. Out with it."

  "I'm leaving you," Gina blurted. "For Chris."

  "Yes." Chris hopped gratefully on her lead, seizing Gina's hand across the table. He was squeezing too hard, but Gina figured now wasn't the time to wince. "She's leaving you, Lucian. We're running off together. What do you think of that?"

  "Running far, are you?"

  "Why are you acting like this?" Gina demanded, leaping up from the table, nearly knocking over Chris, who was still clutching her fingers for dear life.

  "How would you prefer me to act?"

  "Don't you care? Aren't you upset? Even just a little? Chris is stealing me away from you!"

  "So he says...."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Christian, my dear boy." Lucian turned to face him. "Do you honestly expect me to believe this is what you want? This hysterical child following you around for the rest of your life?"

  "Chris loves me!"

  "Does he now?" Lucian shrugged. "Then I wish you both the very best."

  "Now, see here." Chris loosened his grip off Gina's hand and focused his attention exclusively on Lucian. "Are you saying you're giving us, what, your blessing?”

  "Who am I to stand in the path of true love? You want her, Christian, you take her."

  "Bloody hell, I don't want her!"

  The words were out of Chris's mouth before his brain registered the confession. He attempted to backtrack; Gina could see his lips desperately moving in an attempt at correction, but no adequate sentiments proved forthcoming.

  "What I meant was — "

  "I know what you meant," she said quietly.

  "No, Gina, listen to me. What I meant was, I didn't want to hurt Lucian, so — "

  "Actually, I think that's exactly what you wanted to do. You tried it first by giving Gabrielle that disc."

  "Disc?" Now they had Lucian's attention. "What disc?"

  "But she wouldn't do your dirty work for you. She saw right through you. You are always telling me how smart she is, aren't you?"

  "What are you talking about?" Chris snapped. "Why does everyone always think they know my own mind better than I do?"

  "What disc?" Lucian repeated, the amusement and gaiety that sprinkled his earlier conversation completely gone. He was all business now. Because now the topic at hand was actually important.

  "Gabrielle had you figured out. First, you wanted to use her to hurt Lucian. When that didn't work, you turned to me. Only I'm not as smart as she is. I fell for it. I really thought you loved me. I really thought you wanted me for me."

  "Christian," Lucian demanded, "what is she talking about?"

  "Nothing. She has no idea. She's just angry."

  "What is this disc she keeps talking about?"

  Chris looked Lucian right in the eye. He said, "I haven't the slightest idea."

  "Were you really trying to hurt me, son, with this little pantomime?"

  "No." Chris shook his head. "It just... happened. You know how it is."

  Gina could have sworn she'd heard those words before. Except that now they sounded hollow and banal and so false she could hardly believe when Lucian offered Chris an avuncular chuckle and a hearty, "Oh, yes, certainly. I know exactly how it is, my boy."

  Gina wanted to stomp her foot. She wanted to shake her arms and scream and yell, "Hey, what about me?"

  But that would have been pointless. Because she knew now that this had never, ever been about her.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  SKATINGANDSTUFF.COM MESSAGE BOARD

&nb
sp; FROM: SkatingFreak Posted at 9:02 AM

  So how come Chris gets all the blame on here for the Chris/Gina breakup? Anybody ever consider the possibility that she was a real bitch? I always figured she was boning Lucian on the side the whole time she and Chris were supposedly "in love." Isn't that what happened with Lucian and Eleanor? He was her coach, he married her and made her a star? Gina probably figured it was the only way to win, following in ol' Ellie's footsteps.

  FROM: SkateGr8 Posted at 9:15 AM

  I heard Lucian and Toni Wright were engaged and she was on tour and one day she opens the paper and reads that Lucian up and married Eleanor without even telling her.

  FROM: IcelsNice Posted at 9:15 AM

  So it wasn't bad enough that Gina went from Chris to Lucian, she was doing them both AT THE SAME TIME??? AT THE OLYMPICS!!! GROSS X 2!!!

  * * *

  “So that was it?" Bex clarified. "You told Lucian you were leaving him for Chris, Lucian said go ahead, and then Chris said, nah, thanks anyway?"

  She hated being so blunt, but Bex had to be sure she understood this dysfunctional dynamic correctly.

  "Pretty much," Gina agreed. "And then, to top it all off, they went on as if the whole confrontation never even happened. It was like hitting a reset button."

  "That's... that's..." Bex searched for the right word. "Sick."

  "Isn't it? I'm glad you agree. Because, frankly, I've been wondering if I was the crazy one. I mean, I know I had an irregular upbringing, delayed adolescence and all that. I'm certainly not as experienced in the whole relationship field as some women my age, but all in all, I have to say, yes, this whole thing struck me as rather sick."

  "Chris didn't end up spending the night at your house, did he? He was supposed to, but he left?"

  "Yes. Under the circumstances, maybe even Chris thought that would be pushing things."

  "So he flew back to California, then took the next plane back up with Gabrielle? Didn't you find that a little weird?"

  "Compared to everything else that happened that night? No."

  "Do you think he was setting up an alibi?"

  "For what?"

  "For killing Lucian. It wouldn't have held up under any sort of investigation, but on a surface level, well, when Gabrielle told me they'd flown up together that morning, it never crossed my mind that Chris could have been at the rink earlier to sabotage Lucian's skates. It left him covered in case anyone asked questions."