High Risk Rookie (Vancouver Wolves Hockey #4) - Odette Stone Page 0,1
an unknown.
Despite my best intentions, I played the demo twice more before sitting back to think.
This is such a bad idea.
Such a bad idea.
I reached for the phone to call my travel agent. “I need you to book me on the next available flight to Tijuana.”
Chapter One
Krista
My driver navigated the town car through the grounds of the Mexican resort before pulling up in front of a beautiful hotel. My phone rang as he walked around the car to open the door.
It was Charlie.
“Hey.”
“Is this a bad time?”
“Just pulling up to my hotel.” I mouthed a thank-you to my driver as he set down my suitcase. “Any word from Terrance, our PI?”
“He’s already there in Mexico. He dug up a bit more on Levi Ziegler, but not much. I’ve emailed you the file.”
“Thank you. I’ll take a look tonight.” I walked across the lobby and nodded at the concierge.
“If you sign this rookie, do you think it will get you on the list?”
Charlie knew about my obsession with making the Forbes list of the fifty most powerful sports agents. My entire body went tense as I thought about how close I was to reaching my goal, and I almost didn’t say the words out loud for fear of jinxing myself. “I think this rookie could get me on the list.” If I could get him a multimillion-dollar contract.
Charlie went silent, which meant she was thinking. “What’s your game plan with him?”
My game plan was not to leave Mexico until he signed with me. He would be the stepping-stone that would put me in a position where I had more power than most of the men I worked with. I didn’t just crave that; I needed it like the air I breathed. “When I find him tomorrow, I’ll convince him to sign with me, and then I’ll catch the red-eye home.”
Charlie mocked me lightly. “That sounds efficient.”
I walked towards the reservation desk. “Tell me about Terrance’s report.”
“His investigation indicates that Levi was a registered hockey player on an elite league in Germany, but, for confidential reasons, he was released from his contract eight months ago.”
“Was he injured?”
“There was no report of that.”
“Did he have an agent in Germany?”
“Not that he could find.”
“Does anyone know what happened?”
“Not at this point.”
“Anything in the report about his American agents?”
“Still working on that.”
“Why is this rookie such an enigma? No one seems to know anything about him. He’s like a ghost, and there’s so much conflicting information on him.” I made a mental note to email Terrance tonight. “I appreciate your help, Charlie. I know you’re on mat leave—”
“Krista.” Charlie stopped me. “I miss this. I’m grateful when I get to do adult stuff.”
“I appreciate you and how you’re covering for me. I’m just about to check in, but you can call me if you hit any snags.”
I checked in and then made my way to my room. I unpacked my bag and lay down on the bed. I stared at the ornate ceiling. It had been a long time since I needed to hustle this hard, and I felt insufficiently prepared for this trip. I knew nothing about this player beyond a paper-thin report that barely covered the basics. I didn’t know who Levi Ziegler was, how he operated, or what his family situation was. I had no idea why someone of his caliber had been unable to sign on for a professional hockey career in America. Was I walking into a land mine?
But worry did me no good. I reviewed my game plan. It was simple and to the point. Find the rookie, and don’t leave Mexico without him. No matter what.
I woke up to my phone ringing. It was Terrance, which meant only one thing.
He knew where my rookie was.
He launched into his news without bothering to say hello. “You said I should call if I found out anything definite about your client’s whereabouts.”
“I’m listening.”
“Some big DJ is headlining at a hotel. Two peeps confirmed that he’ll be there tonight.”
I looked at my watch. It was just after 9:00 p.m.
“Can you text me the address?”
“Already done.”
“I appreciate it.”
“I also found your client’s last three agents and their whereabouts. I emailed you their details.”
“Did you talk to any of them?”
“I haven’t had time to take a piss or grab a coffee in the last thirty-six hours. Your client doesn’t sleep, and I lost him twice—once for sixteen hours.”
I tried not to laugh. “What was he doing?”
“Crazy hikes, cliff diving, surfing… you name it. I