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—”

Dan’s next blow destroyed Reed’s nose. He began to whimper and tried to push it back into place as blood poured down his face. “It wasn’t my fault,” he sobbed. “I was drunk. I didn’t mean anything.”

Dan dropped his parka on the back of the couch. “When I’m done with you tonight, you’re gonna be hurt real bad.”

Reed tried to scramble to his feet. “No! Stay away! Don’t hurt me!”

Dan advanced on him. “You’re gonna be hurt, but unless I miscalculate, you’ll still be alive. If you want to keep it that way, don’t ever come close to Phoebe again. If you threaten her in any way, you’d better be prepared to live the rest of your life in a wheelchair.”

“No!”

It was the last word Reed uttered before Dan took him apart.

Phoebe didn’t arrive at the victory party until nine o’clock. Her ordeal, combined with the lengthy press conference, had exhausted her. When she’d finally gotten home, Molly had clucked over her like a mother hen and insisted that she lie down. She’d been so exhausted that she’d immediately fallen asleep.

Several hours later, when she awakened, she was refreshed and eager to see Dan. She’d showered and chatted with Molly as she’d dressed. Her sister had been shaken by the events of the afternoon, but recovered her spirits when Phoebe suggested a last-minute slumber party. Peg consented to chaperone, and by the time Phoebe left, the girls were arriving.