Free Suspended by Robert Rayner Page A

looked more closely. I tried adding a few years to the face, and a few inches and pounds to the body, and imagined a black sweatshirt and black pants and a long black trench coat instead of the soccer uniform.
    It was Ice.
    Suddenly, I heard footsteps and Mrs. Pettipas appeared in the door.
    â€œThat’s young Mr. Jeremy, when we lived in Montreal. He was quite the soccer star in those days.” She looked fondly at the photographs, then whispered, “He doesn’t like people to see these.”
    As I turned to follow Mrs. Pettipas from the room, I noticed another set of photographs. These were shots of a man in a New York Kickers uniform.
    I didn’t mention the photographs to anyone else. If Ice wanted them kept a secret, I wasn’t going to betray him.
    When I got home, a news program was introducing a story about the American Soccer League.
    â€œDan Field, of the New York Kickers, has once again been named American Soccer League player of the year. He is the highest scoring player, and also the highest paid player, in the league.”
    â€œWe never made big money when we were playing,” Grandad muttered.
    I looked with interest. The soccer player on TV was the man in the photographs at Ice’s house.
    Why would a photo of Dan Field be hanging in Ice’s house?
    I thought of the pictures I had in my room. I had posters of Iain Hume and Paul Stalteri, the Canadian midfielders, and I had photos of Grandad: one of him looking young in his Newcastle Wanderers uniform, and another of him in the flower shop surrounded by bouquets. I also had an old photo of my parents that Grandad said was taken on their wedding day. Suddenly, I had a crazy thought that Dan Field could be a relative. It would explain Ice’s interest in the sport.
    Surely, Dan Field couldn’t be Ice’s …
    No. It didn’t make sense. If you had a famous father, you wouldn’t keep something like that a secret.
    â€œHow long will you continue to play in the States while your family remains up in Canada?” the interviewer asked Field.
    â€œI won’t discuss my family,” Field said tersely.
    â€œHow do you feel about being named Player of the Year?” the interviewer tried.
    â€œProud, of course,” said Dan Field.
    The interviewer pressed on. “You’re the highest paid player in the history of the ASL. What kind of pressure is there to produce at the level you have been for the past few years?”
    Dan Field looked at the interviewer as if he was a stick of rhubarb. “What do you think?” he said, and walked away.
    â€œHe’s a friendly fellow, isn’t he?” commented Grandad as the interviewer closed.
    â€œDid you ever hear of a team called the Montreal Marvels?” I asked Grandad incidentally.
    â€œThey were the best young players in the country,” he replied. “They played all over Canada, the United States and South America — as a training team for the Canadian Soccer League. Lots of the players went on to play professionally.”
    * * *
    Michelle, James and Josh were deep in conversation when Julie and I entered the classroom on the day of the St. Croix game.
    â€œIt’s true. My dad heard it at work. The soccer team’s going to get kicked out of the league!” exclaimed Michelle.
    I joined the group and said casually, “Who’s getting kicked out of what?”
    Michelle repeated, “A team from Brunswick Valley is getting kicked out of the league because no one knows who the players are or where they come from. It’s like a ghost team. And that’s not all. They say it’d be too bad if they get kicked out, because they rule.”
    Brian had joined us. “Did they say anything about the goalkeeper?”
    Before Michelle could reply, Brian gasped.
    â€œSorry, Brian. I think I stepped on your toe,” Julie said. She turned to Michelle and went on quickly, “I like how you’ve got