CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
ALONE IN HER ROOM, TABITHA rolled over in the soft bed that still smelled like Daniil. And sex. An intoxicating bouquet if there ever was one. She hugged the pillow he’d slept on, and though she wished he could have stayed, knowing they would be together again tonight—-and every night from now on— made her heart sing.
After all the sadness, separation and silence, they’d found their way back to one another. They loved and understood each other. He’d broken ties with his father and had found new direction in his life and his skating. They were both at the Games to win.
He was also willing to wait until she was ready before they made their relationship public. It gave her a chance to break the news to Brett, and the fewer distractions the better. But once the Games and skating were over, she and Daniil would be free to be together.
She went to the shower, enjoying a rare leisurely day. The only thing scheduled was an afternoon practice, and tonight’s team event short program. Her first event, the team ladies’ free skate wasn’t until tomorrow night. She had time to go watch the preliminary skiing, or maybe a hockey game.
Over room service breakfast she considered the possibilities. She was just finishing her fruit salad when someone knocked on her door. Could Daniil have finished with his practice early?
She pulled on a robe and went to answer. Brett and Sergei stood outside her door. Neither was smiling.
“We need to talk to you,” Brett said, as she let them in. His serious expression raised an inkling of fear. This had to be about Peter. Her thoughts swirled in a maelstrom of worst-case scenarios. “Daniil’s in trouble and we think he’s been arrested.”
“What?” She sank down onto the unmade bed. “Why?”
Brett pulled up a chair in front of her and rested his elbows on his knees. “Last night, Sergei and I went to a party in town, over near the university. The apartment is next to a bar and around midnight, some thugs on the street harassed guys at the bar and at the party. Our friend Roberto got into a fight with one of them and ended up in the hospital.”
Tabitha still wasn’t clear what this had to do with Daniil.
“The guy who attacked Roberto spoke Russian,” said Sergei. “And wore a black leather jacket.”
“But that could have been anyone! And it couldn’t have been Daniil!”
“Right, we know. Daniil’s cool, and he’d never do that,” Brett said. “But a guy at the party who works in the Village saw Daniil leave. He had on a black leather jacket, so he identified him to the cops.”
“Police came to Russia House this morning and took him away,” Sergei said. “People say he was gone all night, and no one knows where.”
Tabitha closed her eyes because she knew.
“But it’s okay Tabs. Sergei and I got a good look at the guy who beat up Roberto. We can say for sure that it wasn’t Daniil.” He looked at his boyfriend. Sergei took his hand.
“We have decided to tell what we saw,” Sergei said.
“We know it will raise questions about what we were doing there, but it’s not right to stand by and let Daniil take the blame for something he didn’t do. He deserves justice, and so does our friend,” Brett said. “My dad agreed.”
Tabitha blinked. “He knows?”
Brett nodded. “I called him early this morning and told him. I mean, I didn’t tell him everything, though I expect he and my mom have put two and two together. But he wants me to do the right thing.”
“Daniil is my teammate and friend,” Sergei added. “If I did nothing, I could not live with myself.”
Tabitha was humbled by what these two were willing to do. Concerns about avoiding controversy and protecting herself faded away when she thought about Brett and Sergei’s courage.
It was time for her to be fearless too.
“It means the world to me, what you’re willing to do. But I need to come forward first. Daniil was with me last night. Right here, in bed, and trust me, at midnight, he wasn’t wearing his leather jacket.”
While she dressed, Sergei called some friends at Russia House, and learned that Daniil was being questioned at the security offices in the Village. When they arrived, Anton and Ilya were there, and so was Yuri Bogdanov.
“I should not have allowed him to represent our country here, national champion, or not,” said Bogdanov. “He brings trouble wherever he goes.”
“You can’t make any assumption,” said Anton. “There’s no proof it was him.”
Bogdanov fumed. “There’s no proof it wasn’t.”
“He said he was with a friend,” Ilya offered.
“Then why hasn’t he said the name of this friend?”
The older coach looked thoughtful. “Perhaps he doesn’t want to involve a young lady in something that might embarrass her?”
She, Brett and Sergei looked at one another. Then Tabitha nodded.
“That’s exactly right.” Tabitha turned to the woman seated at the reception desk. “I have information about the attack last night near the university. Is there someone I can speak with?”
The woman told her to take a seat. A few minutes later, two officers came out into the waiting room. Daniil was with them. Her heart soared, but instead of joy, his face registered hostility. He stared at her and then turned angrily to Bogdanov. “Why did you drag her into this?”
“He didn’t. I came on my own.” Tabitha came forward and took his hand. The tense set of his shoulders relaxed at her touch. “Brett and Sergei told me you were being questioned about an attack that happened last night around midnight. We both know you couldn’t have been involved.”
She turned to the officers and dug out her phone. “Daniil told you that he was with a friend last night, and it’s true, he was. He was with me in my room at the Grand Hotel, from about 10:00 last night until 6:30 this morning, when he went to meet his coach for practice.”
The older officer nodded. “And you are?”
“Tabitha Turner. I’m a figure skater representing the United States.”
“Did you speak to anyone, or did anyone come to your room, Mademoiselle?”
“No. But I have this.” She handed the officer her phone, which displayed the photo she’d taken of them in bed. The cop’s mouth twitched at the sight of her naked breasts. “If you’ll look at the time stamp at the bottom, it will show you where Daniil was last night, and what he was doing just past midnight.”
The older cop passed it to the younger one who took a look, then offered the phone to Bogdanov. The federation president, Anton and Ilya, politely declined.
“We also have information that might help you,” said Brett. “We were there, and can identify the attacker.”
“It definitely was not him,” Sergei said, nodding toward Daniil.
The cops spoke to one another, then signaled for Brett and Sergei to follow them into the rear office. Bogdanov looked embarrassed as he left. Anton and Ilya turned to Daniil. “We knew it wasn’t you,” Anton said, then turned to Tabitha. “We’re grateful to you for coming forward. If there’s anything we can do, just say the word.”
“Thank you, but knowing Daniil’s name is cleared is enough of a reward.”
“Even so.” Anton nodded. “Danya, we should get over to the practice rink. You still have a competition to prepare for.”
“Can you give us a minute alone?”
“Of course.”
Daniil took her hand, and they walked out of the building. Athletes and tourists streamed past. No one looked their way. At least for now. “You know that by the end of the day, that picture will be everywhere,” he said, quietly. “If its controversy you’re afraid of, I think you’re in for a storm of it.”
“I know. It’s a risk I’ll take. Sometimes, you have to brave a little heat for the sake of someone you love. You were willing to cover for me, but there was no way in hell I would stand by and not help you.”
“I’ve dealt with trouble. You haven’t, and I wanted to protect you as much as I could. They would have found the right person, eventually.”
“You don’t know that. And what if Bogdanov had barred you from competing?”
“And what if coming forward hurts you? Naked bedroom shots will get you in Playboy, but not in shampoo or breakfast cereal commercials.”
“It might be a problem,” she said. “But it also might not. I didn’t become U.S. ladies’ champion three times because I’m a squeaky-clean ice queen. I’m a champion because I’m one of the best figure skaters in the world. I’ve come to Grenoble to prove it. Having troubles doesn’t mean you’re irreparably broken, or that you don’t deserve love. It just means you’re human. And real. What we have is real.”
“That it is Angel.” Daniil kissed her, as the sun peeked over the mountain, bathing them in golden, morning light.
It was going to be a beautiful day.