Sinful Secrets (Savannah Sharks Hockey and Mafia #2)

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

SAVANNAH

My mood matches the bright, sunny, and beautiful day. I almost feel invincible, like nothing can bring me down, but I know that’s the furthest from the truth.

The last time I felt this good, I found out my scholarship had been taken away, and I had to come up with fifty-eight thousand dollars to pay for tuition.

And I still haven’t been able to find the original documents from my scholarship.

It’s only a matter of time before something happens.

At least it won’t be rain showers or thunderstorms because the sky is clear blue.

I walk through the parking lot, heading toward my car, when a man steps in front of me. I want to scream and run away, but I can’t.

I’m frozen in my spot, unable to move.

He looks me up and down in a questioning manner. “Savannah Whitlock?”

“Yes. Can I help you?”

I don’t know who this man is, or why he was waiting at my car, but he’s giving me weird vibes. He’s dressed in normal athletic clothes, but he doesn’t look like he’s a student here.

“I’m Jacob Carter. I work for the Savannah Police Department. Do you have a few minutes? I’d love to sit and chat for a few minutes.”

He’s an undercover cop? Why does he want to talk to me?

“Uh, yeah, I have a few minutes.”

Thanks to Alvin and his daughter, I have an audition to be an ice girl for the local hockey team.

He points across the parking lot. “Can we sit at a picnic table?”

“Sure. Yes.”

Should I call Spencer? Or at least text him to let him know I’m being questioned by the police?

It’s the day of the funeral, so I shouldn’t bother him, but I’ll tell him when he gets home. Unless I’m arrested.

I follow him across the lawn and take a seat, putting my backpack and duffle bag under the table at my feet.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

He pulls out his badge, placing it on the table between us. At my questioning glare, he says, “I just want to show you I’m not lying about who I am.”

“I appreciate that.” I fold my hands on the table as I wait for him to explain this impromptu conversation.

He digs his phone out of his pocket, placing it on the table. “So like I said, I work for the Savannah Police Department, but I’m working with the Feds.”

“Feds? Like the FBI?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

I nervously glance around.

Are they here? Watching us? Watching me?

“We have an offer for you. We will pay your tuition for this entire year in exchange for your cooperation and any intelligence you can give us to put the Marinos behind bars for life.”

He’s not making any sense.

“The Marinos? Who are they?”

He stares at me for a moment as if he doesn’t believe I don’t know who he is talking about.

“Arturo Marino. We’ve been watching him and his family for years and they’ve frequented the club where you work at. We also believe you are dating one of their accomplices.”

Spencer is an accomplice. Is Arturo the boss Spencer is selling the drugs for?

Another man walks toward us and sits down next to Jacob.

“Savannah, this is Tyler Smith with the FBI.”

The man holds out his hand and I shake it. “Thank you for sitting down with us.”

“I wish I could be more helpful, but I don’t know who you are talking about. I’ve never met Arturo Marino.”

The FBI agent pulls out a folder and opens it to show me several pictures, starting with an older man, a younger man, and a woman. They look like they could be related.

Are these the Marinos?

I flip through the rest of the pictures, not recognizing any of the people in them. “I’m sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone else. I’ve never met any of these people.”

Jacob glances at the FBI agent and sighs. “Arturo Marino is a former New York mafia boss, and we believe he has started operations down here in Savannah.”

“Why would he come to Savannah if he’s the mafia boss in New York?”

Tyler pulls out another picture and places it in front of me. “His wife was murdered by a rival family and he moved down here with his two children, Joseph and Francesca.”

Oh my God, that sounds horrible.

“And you think he’s running a mafia down here?”

Is there such a thing as a southern mafia?

Jacob puts the picture back in the folder. “Yes. We believe he’s been trafficking drugs, although we don’t have any proof of it.”

My heart pounds in my chest as I freak out internally about selling the drugs.

How did Spencer get mixed up in all of this? He’s not their family, and even though I’m not a mafia expert, I know it’s usually a family affair.

“And I’m dating their accomplice? Spencer?”

Jacob nods. “How much do you know about him and his extracurricular activities?”

“Not much, to be honest. We just started dating, so we are still getting to know one another.”

Tyler looks at his phone for a second. “Do you know what he does for his job?”

“I know he travels a lot for work, but he said he’s in customer service.”

Both men look at one another and laugh.

“I take it he’s not in customer service?”

Why would he lie to me? Is he just a drug dealer? Does he not travel for work?

Tyler types something on his phone before turning the screen toward me. “Have you heard of the Savannah Sharks? Spencer is a player and Arturo Marino is the new owner.”

My mouth falls open.

Spencer is a hockey player? No wonder his body is sculpted.

“We are trying to get proof that Arturo is using the Sharks to launder money and using his shipping business to import drugs.”

“That is a lot to wrap my head around. I had no clue. I was actually on my way to the arena for a job audition as an ice girl.”

“This might be the way to get the information we need for a case. If you can get closer to Spencer and the team, we might just catch a lucky break.”

“You want me to spy on them?”

My stomach aches just thinking about going behind Spencer’s back.

“Not spying, per se. Getting closer to them by being a great girlfriend and a great team member, and then relaying anything you find out to us.”

Tyler joins in. “And we will pay you for weekly meetings. No matter how big or small the information is.”

This sounds like a terrible plan. One that can make more enemies than it’s worth.

Not to mention backstabbing Spencer and possibly getting him thrown in jail.

“Can I see how the audition goes first? I’m almost late and that’s not good for a first impression.”

And talk to Spencer before I make the decision, since this involves him.

Tyler grabs Jacob’s card and writes his name on the back. “Call either of us at any time.”

I feel confused and conflicted, but leave with his business card. I drive to the arena on auto pilot.

My gaze locks onto Spencer’s apartment building. It’s right across the street.

“How could I be so na?ve? It was always here in plain sight.”

I grab my duffle bag and enter the arena through the main doors and follow the signs for the audition.

One problem at a time, and right now, I need a job.

There are more women here than at a sale at the mall. Everyone is different. Different hair. Different heights. Even different sizes.

I’m one of the shorter women here, so hopefully height isn’t a deciding factor.

A woman holding a clipboard stands on top of a bench. “Alright, everyone. We are going to start the check-in process. I’ll need your name and date of birth and then you can get a pair of skates and start warming up on the ice.”

I line up with the other women and when it’s my turn, I tell her my name and date of birth.

It’s easy to find a pair of skates in my size and even easier to find my way to the ice. I feel like a baby animal trying to walk for the first time. My legs buckle and I catch myself on the siding.

I remember the ballet classes I took to help with my balance as a kid and use those training techniques to stand up and push off the side.

I’m able to take a few steps without falling down, so I kick off and try to skate across the ice to the team benches.

Laughing, I mumble, “This is easier than I thought.”

One foot in front of the other. One small glide at a time. I’m able to make it across the ice to the player’s benches.

This is where Spencer sits when he’s not out here skating. His teammates and friends sit next to him and play hockey.

They probably joke with him and tease him.

But I don’t know any of them. I’ve never even heard him really talk about them.

Someone skates toward me as I skate down the side of the arena toward the net. She sticks out her perfectly manicured hand. “Hey, I’m Avery, Alvin’s daughter. Dad told me to look out for you today, and to give you pointers.”

I glance around the ice at the other women trying out. “Is that allowed? Wouldn’t that be an unfair advantage?”

She shakes her head. Her short bob glides over her cheeks. “We can act as a mentor to the applicants for the first half of the audition. After that, you’re on your own.”

“So, mentor, what’s a trick to skating faster?”

“Honestly, what I do is go skating.”

“You just come here and skate?”

“No. Well, yes, I do that, too, but I was referring to inline skating. The better and faster you can skate on rollerblades, the better you will be on ice skates. We will just have to teach you how to stop if you ever skate fast.”

“I used to rollerblade all the time growing up.”

It was the only way I could get away from home quickly and quietly.

“Alright, well, let’s see what you’ve got.”

I go through skating and balance drills before we practice showmanship as a group. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

“You’ll get used to it.”

If I get the job. These women are incredible. One was even spinning in circles like a figure skater.

The head lady with the clipboard from earlier clears her throat and gets our attention.

“Alright, now that you’ve practiced a bit, we are going to split you into groups and start the auditions. Remember to smile and just be yourselves. If you don’t make the team this year, please come back and try out next year. We are always looking to expand our team.”

I rub my sweaty palms on my fleece lined leggings.

All I can do is my best and pray I’m good enough for the Sharks.

When my name is called, I skate over to where my group is, and listen to our leader.

“Being an ice girl isn’t all fun and games. We have to be prepared to clean the glass, shovel dirty and bloody ice, roll up and move the large rubber mats, as well as deal with misogynistic drunk men. So if you can’t handle a little work with your fun, please save us all time and leave right now.”

To my surprise, a couple of women leave. Murmurs echo throughout the arena as if everyone is surprised.

I don’t mind a little hard work, especially if it means I get to see Spencer in his element.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I can’t be thinking about Spencer. My focus needs to be on this audition.

The leader gives us our instructions before setting us on our tasks. We skate around our quarter of the ice and try to interact with the fake crowd. I plaster on the biggest smile I can and try to enjoy the experience.

The audition goes by way too fast. I guess the saying is true. Time flies when you’re having fun.

I take my skates off and put them back where I got them from before following the crowd to the conference room.

Someone stops me before I enter the room.

Turning around, I see it’s another team leader. “How did you get so good at skating? You were one of the best ones out there today.”

Really? There was a woman skating just as good as a figure skater.

“I don’t know. Today was my first time on the ice. I was big into ballet when I was younger.”

“Well, you rock. On behalf of the Savannah Sharks Ice Girls, I just wanted to let you know you got the job.”

“Wow, thank you so much!”

“Avery will be in touch with you to get your availability and to give you the practice and home game schedule.”

She turns around but stops. “You don’t have to go in there. That meeting is for the ones that didn’t make the team this year.”

She bounces away, leaving me grinning from ear to ear.

I made the team! I can’t believe it.

My stomach flips with excitement and nervousness. I’m excited about the opportunity, but nervous to see Spencer. Especially at a game.

Once I am back in the comfort and privacy of my car, I grab my phone and research Spencer.

I read his profile on the team’s website. “Spencer Reed. Alternate Captain. Number seventeen. Left winger.”

My eyes widen as large as a plate when I see his annual salary.

“That’s a lot of zeros.”

It will take me a hundred lifetimes to make as much as his contract guarantees.