Sarah took the stethoscope from around her neck and sat down at her desk. The aftereffects of the day before were catching up with her. The morning clinic had seemed interminably long, but it was done. She leaned back in her chair and stared at the pile of paperwork on her desk. She had packed herself a lunch – not that she had much of an appetite – and she'd eat while she tackled that.
A letter in her inbox caught her attention. Comcor's made a decision. Please be good news. She scanned the letter, and her heart sank. The board had decided to give a small stipend to the mobile clinic, but the bulk of the money would be going to the senior's centre. A lump formed in her throat. Why was it so hard to find support for those kids? They'd been through so much and deserved a break. She set the letter aside with a sigh. It wasn't over. She'd have to dig deep and find the energy to get out there and campaign on their behalf. But it'd have to wait until another day.
She was half way through the stack of paperwork when her phone rang.
"This is Detective Ranter. Is this Sarah Jain?"
"Yes, it is."
"Dr. Jain, I'm one of the investigating officers from the incident yesterday. I wanted to let you know that we've apprehended two male individuals."
Relief flooded through her. "That's wonderful."
"Yes, thanks to your tip we found their vehicle and their hide-out near the river. We have enough evidence to take them into custody and charge them for the murder of Henna Sanger last summer. At this point, we don't require anything more from you, but we'll keep your contact information in case we need to be in touch. We'll be holding a news conference this afternoon, but as requested, your name won't be mentioned."
"I appreciate that, Detective. Thanks very much."
"You're welcome. Thanks for your help."
They disconnected, and Sarah set her phone on the desk. That had been quick work. Thank goodness. It was unlikely that the men knew where she worked or lived, but even that niggling doubt was scary. She could lay that to rest. With the thugs behind bars, no one else would be harmed. It might take a bit of time before the community felt completely safe again, but it was a start.
She wondered how Henna's family felt about the news. Did it provide closure? Would it make a difference knowing that the men responsible were found and, if the police were correct, would spend time in jail? Did it balance the scale? Or did the overwhelming sadness at the utter senselessness of the act weigh too heavily for the family to find any solace in the arrest? She didn't know.
Sarah felt a core of deep gratitude that her family wouldn't have to deal with what Henna's family was going through. Life is preciously short. She shouldn't take it for granted.
Her mind wandered to Mike. Maybe they should be looking at the big picture and think about what they could have together, despite their differences. If they looked beyond those differences, they shared important values. Respect, trust, loyalty. Love? she thought, slightly panicked. She sighed. Love. It fit for her. They may not share that one, she thought ruefully. And the fit wasn't entirely comfortable, but it fit. She just had to figure out what to do about it.
There was a knock on her door, and Danni poked her head in. "Busy?"
"No, I'm just finishing."
" I just wanted to say congratulations. I hear you got the money for the mobile clinic."
Sarah smiled sadly. "Thanks, I guess. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for." She pointed to the letter on her desk. "Comcor was sympathetic, but the bulk of their money is going to be earmarked for the senior's centre."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Danni sat down in the chair across from Sarah. "But I'm not talking about Comcor's donation."
"You're not?" Sarah frowned.
Danni tilted her head. "At the rink the other day, a few of the players were comparing what they do for investments and tax breaks. It came up that some of them regularly donate money to registered charities." She shrugged. "I mentioned that the mobile clinic needed a sponsor and talked a bit about your work. I could actually hear your voice in my head speaking passionately about the work you do – see, I do pay attention," Danni said with a laugh. "Mike piped up, too, and the guys were interested. They work with a lot of teenagers and kids in the community. Today, someone told me that Mike gave over a million dollars to the clinic."
Sarah leaned forward and shook her head in disbelief. "Mike did?"
"Yeah. Oh..." Danni wrinkled her brow and looked sheepish. "Actually, he may want to keep that confidential, to the public anyhow. All the players know. I thought you would've been told."
Sarah sat back in her chair. "No...no...I hadn't heard." Mike hadn't said anything. She wondered when he'd decided to make the donation. Their conversation on Sunday might have changed his mind about it. "Maybe you're mistaken."
"I don't think so. It's probably in the works. His accountant talking to your accountant – you know how it is." Danni looked at Sarah speculatively. "I thought you'd be excited."
"I am. But I'm in shock. Can Mike afford it? When I think what we could do with that kind of money, my head spins. What a relief it would be."
Danni smiled. "Mike's a humble guy. It's easy to forget he's a big deal. You saw the reaction of the crowd at the All-Star game. He's talented and kind and generous."
"He is." It was part of the reason she loved him.
"Do you have a problem taking Mike's money?" Danni asked.
Sarah shook her head slowly. "No, not at all. He's not giving it to me personally, and the kids deserve it."
"It is a great cause, and you've worked hard to keep it afloat. Congratulations, Sarah."
"Thanks. When it goes through we should celebrate with Jordyn and Kelly and a round of turtle pie."
"Put me down for that. I'll try and get everyone together." She made a note in her phone. "How the tables are coming along for the Quakes' Christmas dinner?"
"They're good. I've been in touch with the organizers. We're using silver and blue to mirror the team colours. The new banquet centre has a supply of tablecloths and silver chargers, and I found some fabric to use for the napkins. If I can get them made up, the organizers have a line on a company that will monogram them with the team logo for free. Actually, I was going to talk to Jordyn about helping."
"She probably has a group of high school students who could sew them."
"That's what I was hoping, and they could get volunteer hours for it. Otherwise, it's coming together. It's been a lot of fun planning and shopping for it, and the organizers have been really helpful and grateful. I've booked my clinic to finish early on Friday afternoon to set things up."
"We'll have to make sure we take pictures. They've hired a professional photographer so guests can have their pictures taken with the players," said Danni. "And there's a silent auction, too. Although I'm not sure how the evening's going to go if the players can't get through the doors."
"Can't get through the doors? What do you mean?"
"Because of their swollen heads. Watty and Jenkins sold out their tables in minutes. Their egos are..." She puffed out her cheeks and held her hands wide on the sides of her head.
Sarah laughed. "They're sweet to give up their time to do it."
"I got your ticket for Mike's table." Danni smiled.
Sarah grimaced. "Thanks, but it turns out I may not need it."
"What? Why?"
"I finally talked to him about how I feel about hockey. It didn't go very well." Sarah's voice hitched.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I know how hard you were trying to make it work. When did this all happen?"
"I dunno. A couple of weeks ago." She grimaced. "Fifteen days, four hours, and twenty-two minutes ago."
Danni reached over and rubbed Sarah's arm. "You should have said something."
"I know, but it hurts. I couldn't talk about it." Sarah sighed. "I was thinking I'd just set the tables and leave before it starts. Not stay for dinner."
"That seems a shame. You've done so much to help out."
"And I've enjoyed it, too. That's reward enough."
"I have an idea." Danni's eyes looked hopeful. "I have a ticket for Ben's table. We can swap, and you can sit there. He's fun and entertaining. You'll have a good time."
Unlikely. Sarah sighed. Doing nothing wasn't going to fix what was between her and Mike. Being in the same room as him would be a start, and if she could drum up the courage, she could talk to him. It'd be worth a try. "All right. I'll do it."
"Great."
Yeah. All she needed to do was drum up some courage.