One False Move - By Harlan Coben Page 0,28

forward. "This is spooky."

"There's more."

He told her about the Bradford family and about her mother finding the body.

"So what does that mean?" Brenda asked when he finished.

"Probably nothing," Myron said. "But you wanted me to tell you everything, right?"

"Right." She leaned back and chewed at her lower lip. After some time had passed, she asked, "So where do you think I should stay?"

"Do you remember my mentioning my friend Win?"

"The guy who owns Lock-Horne Securities?"

"His family does, right. I'm supposed to go to his place tonight to discuss a business problem. I think you should come too. You can stay at his apartment."

"You want me to stay with him?"

"Just for tonight. Win has safe houses all over. We'll find you someplace."

She made a face. "A preppy Mainliner who knows about safe houses?"

"Win," Myron said, "is more than he appears."

She crossed her arms under her chest. "I don't want to act like a jackass and hand you that phony crap about how I'm not going to let this interfere with my life. I know you're helping me, and I want to cooperate."

"Good."

"But," she added, "this league means a lot to me. So does my team. I'm not going to just walk away from that."

"I understand."

"So whatever we do, will I be able to go to practice? Will I be able to play in the opener Sunday?"

"Yes."

Brenda nodded. "Okay then," she said. "And thank you."

They drove to her dorm room. Myron waited downstairs while she packed a bag. She had her own room, but she wrote a note to her suite mate that she was staying with a friend for a few days. The whole enterprise took her less than ten minutes.

She came down with two bags over her shoulders. Myron relieved her of one. They were heading out the door when Myron spotted FJ standing next to his car.

"Stay here," he told her.

Brenda ignored him and kept pace. Myron looked to his left. Bubba and Rocco were there. They waved at him. Myron did not wave back. That'll show them.

FJ leaned against the car, completely relaxed, almost too relaxed, like an old movie drunk against a lamppost.

"Hello, Brenda," FJ said.

"Hello, FJ."

Then he nodded toward Myron. "And you too, Myron."

His smile did more than lack warmth. It was the most purely physical smile Myron had ever seen, a byproduct strictly of the brain giving specific orders to certain muscles. It touched no part of him but his lips.

Myron circled the car and feigned inspecting it. "Not a bad job, FJ. But next time put a little muscle into the hubcaps. They're filthy."

FJ looked at Brenda. "This the famed Bolitar rapier wit I've heard so much about?"

She shrugged sympathetically.

Myron motioned at them with his hands. "You two know each other?"

"But of course," FJ said. "We went to prep school together. At Lawrenceville."

Bubba and Rocco lumbered a few steps closer. They looked like Luca Brasa Youth.

Myron eased between Brenda and FJ. The protective move would probably piss her off, but tough. "So what can we do for you, FJ?"

"I just want to make sure that Ms. Slaughter is honoring her contract with me."

"I don't have a contract with you," Brenda said.

"Your father - one Horace Slaughter - is your agent, no?"

"No," Brenda said. "Myron is."

"Oh?" FJ's eyes slithered toward Myron. Myron kept up the eye contact, but there was still nothing there, like looking into the windows of an abandoned building. "I'd been informed otherwise."

Myron shrugged. "Life is change. FJ. Gotta learn to adapt."

"Adapt," FJ said, "or die.".

Myron nodded and said, "Oooo."

FJ kept the stare going a few more seconds. He had skin that looked like wet clay, as if it might dissolve under heavy rains. He turned back to Brenda. "Your father used to be your agent," he said. "Before Myron."

Myron handled that one. "And what if he was?"

"He signed with us. Brenda was going to bow out of the WPBA and join the PWBL. It's all spelled out in the contract."

Myron looked at Brenda. She shook her head. "You have Ms. Slaughter's signature on those contracts?" he asked.

"Like I said, her father-"

"Who has no legal standing in this matter whatsoever. Do you have Brenda's signature or not?"

FJ looked rather displeased. Bubba and Rocco moved closer still. "We do not."

"Then you have nothing." Myron unlocked his car door. "But we've all enjoyed this too brief time together. I know I'm a better person for it."

Bubba and Rocco started toward him. Myron opened the car door. His gun was under