He regarded them uneasily. “I thought you’d be at the party by now.”

“We decided to wait for you,” Jim said.

“I have to make a stop first. I’ll meet you there.”

Bobby Tom unfolded his lanky form from the wall. “We care about Phoebe, too.”

“What are you talking about?”

Darnell took a step forward. “Me and my fiancée were sharing the same closet with you and Phoebe after the game. We overheard what she told you about Reed Chandler. I shared the information with my teammates here.”

Long seconds ticked by as Dan studied them. “I can take care of Reed by myself.”

“We know that. We’re just planning to come along for moral support.”

Dan began to argue, but fell silent when he realized that, in their minds, Phoebe had become their teammate today.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of Reed’s brick and stone two-story house. Dan was relieved to see that the lights were on. Reed was home, so this wouldn’t have to be postponed.

As they walked up the drive, he slipped his gloves into his pocket and regarded the men who had come with him. “Reed’s mine. I don’t want anybody else to touch him.”

Bobby Tom nodded. “Just make sure there aren’t any leftovers.”

Reed answered the door himself. When he saw Dan, he looked puzzled, and then his eyes widened in alarm as he observed the platoon standing behind him. He immediately tried to slam the door, but he wasn’t quick enough, and Dan drove his shoulder into it, sending him flying.

The men crashed into the hallway. Reed scrambled back against the archway that led to the living room. Dan could smell his fear.

“What do you want? Get out of here!”

Dan moved forward. “I think you know what I want. If you’re a religious man, I suggest you start praying.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! She lied to you about me, didn’t she? She told you some kind of lie.”

Dan took his first swing, a hard jab to the jaw, and Reed flew back against the couch. He gave a howl of pain and scrambled to his feet, panting with fear.

“You get out of here, Calebow. I’m going to call the police. I’m going to—”

Webster calmly ripped the phone from the wall. “Too bad, Chandler. Phone’s not working.”

“If you touch me, I’ll have you arrested!”

“Now how you gonna do that?” Bobby Tom stuck a toothpick in the corner of his mouth. “Right now the coach is having a drink with all four of us at my apartment. Anybody says different’s a liar. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right, Bobby Tom.” Darnell wiped his shoe on one of the white damask chairs.

“You guys are crazy! You’re fucking maniacs.”

“We’re not maniacs,” Dan said. “We just don’t think a slimeball like you should get away with rape.”

“Is that what she told you? I didn’t rape her! She’s lying. She wanted it. She—”