"Then how the hell do you explain what we just saw? Huh? He was laughing, Linda. He's having the time of his life at our expense." He stopped, struggled with something. "At my expense," he corrected himself Linda gave him a long look. "Go play, Jack."

"That's exactly what I am going to do."

He lifted his bag. His eyes met Bucky's. Bucky remained silent. A tear slid down the older man's cheek.

Jack tore his gaze away and started for the door.

Myron called out, "Jack?"

Coldren stopped.

"It still might not be what it looks like," Myron said.

Again with the eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I traced the call you got last night," Myron explained.

"lt was made from a mall pay phone." He briefly filled them in on his visit to the Grand Mercado Mall and the Crusty Nazi. Linda's face kept slipping from hope to heartbreak and mostly confusion. Myron understood. She wanted her son to be safe. But at the same time, she did not want this to be some cruel joke. Tough mix.

"He is in trouble," Linda said as soon as he'd finished.

"That proves it."

' 'That proves nothing,' ' Jack replied in tired exasperation.

"Rich kids hang out at malls and dress like punks too. He's probably a friend of Chad's."

Again Linda looked at her husband hard. Again she said in a measured tone, "Go play, Jack."

Jack opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. He shook his head, adjusted the bag on his shoulder, and left. Bucky crossed the room. He tried to hold his daughter, but she stiffened at his touch. She moved away, studying Myron's face.

"You think he's faking too," she said.

"Jack's explanation makes sense."

"So you're going to stop looking'?"

"I don't know," Myron said.

She straightened her back. "Stay with it," she began, "and I promise to sign with you."

"Linda . . ."I "That's why you're here in the first place, right? You want my business. Well, here's the deal. You stay with me and I'll sign whatever you want. Hoax or no hoax. It'll be quite a coup, no? Signing the number one ranked female golfer in the world?"

"Yes," Myron admitted. "It would be."

"So there you go." She stuck out her hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Myron kept his hands by his side. "Let me ask you something. ' '

"What?"

"Why are you so sure it's not a hoax, Linda?"

"You think I'm being naive?"

"Not really," he said. "I just want to know what makes you so certain."

She lowered her hand and turned away from him.

"Dad?"

Bucky seemed to snap out of a daze. "Hmm'?"

"Would you mind leaving us alone for a minute?"

"Oh," Bucky said. Neck crane. Then another. Two of them back to-back. Good thing he wasn't a giraffe. "Yes, well, I wanted to get to Merion anyway."

"You go ahead, Dad. I'll meet you there."