Ron met Phoebe just inside the door of the locker room, and after assuring himself that she was unharmed, led her toward the small platform set up for the television cameras to record the postgame interviews and trophy presentation.
'I've spoken with the police,' he said over the pandemonium surrounding them. 'They'll talk with you as soon as the ceremonies are over. I've never been so frightened in my life.'
'Is Molly all right?' The players were shaking up champagne bottles, and Phoebe ducked a frothy shower.
'She was upset, but she's fine now.'
As they reached the platform, Phoebe saw Dan being interviewed by O.J. Simpson. He had pulled a Super Bowl cap on over his wet hair, and as Ron helped her up next to him, she heard him sidestepping O.J.'s questions about his second-half coaching by promising a full press conference as soon as the chaos had settled down. He didn't look at her, but as she drew near, he settled his hand comfortingly into the small of her back.
She ducked one champagne shower only to get drenched by another. Her hair dripped in her eyes and she dabbed at her cheeks as the president of the NFL came forward with the AFC Championship trophy. Standing between Dan and Phoebe, he began to speak. 'On behalf of the-'
'Excuse me for one minute.' Phoebe hurried to the side of the podium where she grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him up alongside Dan and herself.
Dan gave her an approving grin, grabbed a foaming champagne bottle from Collier Davis, and emptied it over Ron's head. While the GM sputtered, Phoebe laughed and turned back to the NFL official. 'You can go on now.'
He smiled. 'On behalf of the National Football League, it is my great pleasure to present the AFC Championship trophy to owner Phoebe Somerville, Coach Dan Calebow, and the entire Stars' organization.'
The players cheered wildly and released another shower of champagne. Phoebe tried to make a short speech, but got so choked up that Ron had to take over. O.J., still trying to get answers to his questions about the strange progress of the game, turned to interview Jim Biederot, while Phoebe passed the trophy over to Ron.
Dan grabbed her hand, pulled her off the platform, and steered her behind a celebrating cluster of players so that they were hidden from the media. 'Come on. We only have a few minutes.'
He drew her around the corner toward the showers, through the equipment room, past a training room and into a hallway. The next thing she knew, he had hauled her into a small storage area, only a little bigger than a closet. No sooner had he pulled the door shut behind them than he gathered her into his arms and began to kiss her.
They clung fiercely to each other. Their bodies were wet and sticky from Gatorade and champagne. They tasted it on each other's mouths.
'I didn't know if I'd ever hold you like this again,' he murmured hoarsely.
'I was so scared…'
'I love you so much. Oh, God, I love you.'
'I was afraid you didn't, and I couldn't bear it.' She trembled in his arms. 'Oh, Dan, it's been such a terrible day.'
'You can say that again.'
'Not just the kidnapping, but…' With a shudder, she told him about Reed.
She could feel his muscles grow taut as she spoke, and she waited for his explosion of rage. When he offered comfort instead, she loved him even more for understanding so clearly what she needed from him.
'I'm sorry,' he said, his voice husky with emotion. 'I'm so, so sorry, baby.'
Just telling him about it somehow made it more bearable. She nuzzled deeper into the wet collar of his shirt. 'I wish we could stay in here forever,' she murmured.
'Me, too. All I want to do is take you home and make love to you.'
'The police are waiting for me.'
'I'll have to talk to them, too. And the press.'
'And I need to see Molly.'
He cupped her face in his hands and tenderly stroked her cheeks. 'Are you going to be all right?'
'I'm going to be fine. I just want to get all of this over with. We can meet at Ron's victory party tonight.'
'Don't plan on spending too much time there.' He gave her one last kiss, then held her hand as they slipped out into the hallway.
Inside the closet everything was still for a moment, and then there was a rustle in the farthest, darkest corner.
'Darnell?' The woman's voice was soft and ladylike, but clearly distressed. 'Did you hear what she said? About Reed Chandler?'
'I heard.'
Charmaine Dodd, who firmly believed in fair play, was indignant. 'That rat! He shouldn't be able to get away with something like that.'
'Oh, he won't, baby. I know the coach, and I can promise you Chandler won't get away with anything.'
'I'm glad.' She swatted Darnell's wandering hand, which had begun to massage her breast through her prim white blouse in the most delicious, although highly improper, manner. 'Oh, no you don't. We're not married yet.'
'But we're gonna be, and then I'll be touchin' you in places you didn't even know you had.'
'I didn't say I'd marry you.' The words were slightly muffled because she was trying to kiss him while she talked. Hugging a football player who was still wearing most of his equipment was very much like trying to cozy up to an armored tank. Even so, she wasn't ready to let him go. Not that she intended to make this easy for him by letting him know how much she'd grown to love him. Darnell was too full of himself as it was.
'Charmaine, baby, I just got off the field. I haven't been to the showers, but you still walked right into mis closet with me. Now if that isn't a sign you're ready for marriage, I don't know what is.'
'Maybe I just feel sorry for you.'
He chuckled and slipped his hand under her skirt. His caress was so exquisite that, for several long moments, Miss Charmaine Dodd forgot her principles. Instead, she ran the tip of her tongue over the diamond embedded in his front tooth and told herself Darnell Pruitt was going to make one fine, fine husband.
It was eight that evening before Dan had finished with the police, the NFL commissioner, and the press. The lengthy and dramatic press conference had been especially difficult for Phoebe, but she had handled it like a trooper and was already being declared a heroine on the evening news. He didn't like the fact that the press was trying to make him into a hero, but he knew that stories like this died a natural death after a few weeks. Then their lives could return to normal.
Ray Hardesty had suffered a major heart attack and was under police guard at the hospital. As Dan gazed around the silent coaches' locker room where he'd finally been able to shower and change into clean clothes, he knew he would have no regrets if Hardesty didn't recover.
Everyone else had left long ago for the victory party. As he slipped into his parka, he was bone weary and all he could think about was getting to Phoebe. But there was something he had to do first.
He walked out into the silent corridor, then drew up short as he saw Jim, Darnell, Webster, and Bobby Tom leaning against the opposite wall. All of them were wearing street clothes.
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 fiancee 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
