Kathy poured them both water and set a glass down on the edge of her desk where he could reach it. "So let's talk about last night. First, what it means, that the NCAA season started and you're wearing orange. Please don't take offense to this, as I mean no slight against your new team, but why did you transfer to Palmetto State? I understand you came as an assistant coach, but once you knew you could play again, why sign with the Foxes? I'm sure you had choices. Why would you go from the top of the ladder to the bottom?"

"Coach Wymack was friends with my mother. As I'm sure you know, she taught him how to play. Even after she died and Coach Moriyama took me in, Coach Wymack kept in touch with me." Kevin studied his left hand with a removed look on his face. "Last December I thought I would never play again. I was a wreck. Coach Wymack was the only one I could think of turning to, and he didn't disappoint me. He and his team took me in without hesitation. I enjoy working with them."

Kathy reached across the desk and clasped his left hand. Kevin forced his gaze up from his scars to her face and smiled. Kathy smiled back at him and said, "I admit I expected you to return to Edgar Allan this fall. Regardless of where you are, it's amazing to see you back in action. You deserve a round of applause for that."

The audience was happy to oblige.

Kathy squeezed Kevin's hand and let go. "Kind of unfortunate that your first game back was against Breckenridge, isn't it? You took three points last night, fifth-year senior Seth Gordon bagged two, and your newest teammate scored two. Let's talk about Neil Josten for a moment, shall we?"

"Of course."

"You really know how to upset things around here, don't you?" Kathy said. "What were you thinking, recruiting someone as fresh as Neil?"

"Neil is exactly what the Foxes need right now," Kevin said. "His inexperience is inconsequential. We went through a hundred files looking for a striker sub for this year, but Neil is the only one we approached. We knew as soon as we saw him we needed to sign him. We're just lucky we got there before anyone else did."

"You went to great lengths to get him, I hear," Kathy said. "Refusing to even give the ERC his name, is that right?"

"Our primary concern was keeping Neil safe," Kevin said. "Spring was very difficult for Palmetto State. Announcing him as ours would put a target sign on his back. The ERC was initially hesitant to fly blind on him, but they eventually sided with us."

"You didn't think the ERC could keep his secret?"