She realized that the man was insane. Maybe he’d been this way for a long time, or maybe his son’s death had been the final blow. She tried to conceal her fear.

“Players get cut all the time. It’s part of the game.”

“You don’t know what it’s like! One day you’re somebody special, and the next day nobody knows your name.”

“Are you talking about your son or yourself?”

“Shut up!” His eyes bulged and his complexion took on a faint purplish hue.

She was afraid to push him any farther, and she fell silent.

He jabbed his finger at her. “Look, you don’t mean anything to me. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to. Because no matter what, I’m not going to let the Stars win this game.”

* * *

Ron reached the tunnel just as the players were rushing back onto the field. He dreaded what he had to do. Dan had been a bear all week—temperamental, unreasonable, and impossible to pacify—and he had no idea how he’d react to this distressing piece of news.

Dan emerged from the locker room and Ron fell into step beside him. “I’m afraid we’ve got a problem.”

“Handle it. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m trying to win a football game here, and—”

Ron pressed his folded handkerchief against his forehead. “Phoebe’s missing.”

Dan jerked to a stop, and his face went pale. “What are you talking about?”

“She left the skybox during the second quarter and never came back. Somebody found her purse in the hallway. I’ve called her house and her office. I’ve checked with first aid and sent someone to every skybox. She’s gone, Dan, and at this point, I have to believe it’s foul play.”

Ron had seen Dan in pressure situations, but he’d never seen such raw panic in his eyes. “No! She can’t be— Christ. Did you call the police?”

“Yes, but since it’s so early, they’re not taking it as seriously as I am. I hate doing this to you in the middle of the game, but it occurred to me that you might be able to think of someplace else I could look. Do you have any ideas? Can you think of anyplace else she might be?”

He stood frozen, his eyes wild in the pallor of his face. “No.” He grabbed Ron’s arm. “Did you talk to Molly? Jesus! Talk to Molly! Maybe Phoebe’s with her.”

He’d never seen Dan like this, and he knew right then that there was more to the relationship between the Stars’ owner and head coach than he had suspected. “Molly hasn’t seen her since before the game. She’s pretty upset. Tully’s wife is with her now.”

“If anything’s happened to Phoebe—”

“Dan?” One of the assistant coaches had appeared at the mouth of the tunnel.

Dan rounded on him, the cords of his neck standing out like ropes. “Leave me the fuck alone!”

Ron could feel Dan’s desperation, and he grabbed the head coach’s other arm with an urgent grip. “You’ve got to get back on the field! There’s nothing you can do for Phoebe right now. I’ll let you know right away if we find her.”