I Burned The Hockey Star Down novel · Chapter 4 of 32

Chapter 4: My Name

"Taking over," I repeated.

"Rebranding. Scaling up." Grady spread his hands like a game-show host. "Penhaligon's putting in two hundred grand. We'll move the program to the Moda Center practice rink. Real ice. Real locker rooms."

The kids at the snack bar had gone quiet.

The parents had not.

"The Moda Center's forty minutes from here," a mom said. "On two buses."

"We'll figure out transportation," Grady said, without looking at her.

One of the lawyers opened his briefcase on the snack bar.

He laid a stack of papers next to the napkin dispenser.

"We'll need the program's donor list, the enrollment records and the bank login," he said. "Today, please."

"No," I said.

Grady's smile didn't move.

"Kid. Let's not do this in front of the families."

"You walked in the front door. You picked the families."

The little girl in the pink helmet tugged on my fleece.

"Miss Greer, are we moving?"

I crouched down so I was at her level.

"Nobody's moving, bug. Go tell Peg to put on the chicken dance song."

She ran.

I stood back up and took out my phone.

"First Ice is a registered Oregon nonprofit," I said, loud enough for the whole lobby. "I registered it three years ago. Here's the state filing."

I turned the screen around and held it up.

"Founder and executive director, Greer Brecken. Board of directors, Greer Brecken and Peg Brecken. Address, Lents Ice Arena."

The dad by the vending machine leaned in to read it.

"Huh," he said again. "It's her name."

"The grant's in my name. The bank account's in my name. The skates came out of my car." I looked at Grady. "Dane's name isn't on a single page. Dane has never filled out a single page in his life. I did that for him too."

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