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not the best idea, and that might leave him stranded at the top. Worse,
it was now almost midnight, which wasn t the best time to go calling,
but Dustin couldn t wait. He had to tell Mr. Remson tonight before he
lost his nerve. Moreover, Dustin had to tell Mr. Remson before the
man who had tricked him into this got wind of what he was doing. It
was creepy how that man knew things that he shouldn t.
The dorms were pretty quiet since it was Saturday night. Most
guys did their partying away from the campus so those who were
around could study. Dustin asked the few guys there for a ride, but
most of them didn t have wheels. In a little town like Twin Pines, cars
were pretty much unnecessary. Unless you wanted to get to the top of
a very tall hill.
Realizing he had no other choice, Dustin called information, got
Phillip s number, and called. The man who answered had to be his
butler. He had a posh accent and was unfailingly polite. When the
butler suggested that Dustin call back in the morning, Dustin blurted,
 Please. This simply can t wait. I have to talk to Mr. Remson tonight.
There is something he simply must know. There is someone out to
hurt him, and I don t want him hurt.
The butler had sighed, but something about Dustin s tone or his
urgency compelled him to get his boss. After what seemed forever but
was probably only a matter of minutes, the butler was back, informing
Dustin that a car would be sent to the campus.
Thanking him profusely, Dustin hung up the phone, hiked up his
battered backpack, and then went out to the parking lot to wait. The
night was cold, and the skies were clear. He wasn t sure when the next
snowstorm was coming, but certainly, it wasn t coming tonight.
A sleek town car pulled into the lot. Before Dustin could grasp the
latch and let himself in, the driver stepped out and opened the door for
66 Anitra Lynn McLeod
him.
Dustin slipped into luxury unlike anything he d ever seen outside
of a movie. Creamy leather seats, thick wool carpeting, tinted glass
windows, and a little bar made the back of the car a perfect little party
place. But Dustin didn t feel like celebrating. Worried that he would
mar the spectacular opulence, Dustin gingerly settled himself on the
bench seat, put on his seat belt, then placed his backpack and his
hands in his lap.
All the way up the winding mountain road, Dustin rehearsed what
he was going to say. He was afraid as soon as he saw Mr. Remson he
was either going to spew everything out in one monstrous chunk or
become too terrified to speak at all. From what he d heard around
school, Mr. Remson was exceedingly kind, well spoken, and almost
genteel. Single-handedly, Phillip Remson had revived the college and
brought football to Twin Pines. Well, apparently his father had
endowed the college. Dustin was pretty sure it was Phillip Remson Jr.
who had financed the Grizzlies.
Dustin had a feeling after he told him what had been going on
behind his back, Mr. Remson might just make him walk back down
rather than allow him to enjoy the plush luxury of his car for one more
second.
Eventually, they came to the top of the hill and entered the
sweeping driveway. The driver stopped so that Dustin s door would
open right at the walk that led up to the front door. Rather than wait
for the driver to come all the way around to the back end of the car,
Dustin let himself out and thanked him.
The car pulled away. Dustin swallowed the lump in his throat and
walked up to Phillip Remson s front door. Wow. The carved-wood
and stained-glass door was a work of art. Beside the two massive
center panels that opened were two smaller panels, but together, all
four of them showed a panoramic scene. It was a bear in the woods.
The artwork was simple, but something about the rendering touched
Dustin and almost brought tears to his eyes. Or perhaps he was simply
Wide Receiver 67
emotional over what he d come here to do.
Tentatively he pressed the bell, and something classy jingled
inside the house. From his vantage point, all Dustin could see was the
foyer, but that alone was bigger than the trailer he d grown up in.
A tall man in black came, and Dustin guessed he was the butler.
He granted him entrance and offered to take Dustin s coat and bag,
which he almost didn t give, and then he realized the butler probably
wanted to slyly check him for weapons. Dustin thought his repeatedly
repaired backpack and decades-old coat looked pathetically shabby in
the man s manicured hands. True to his station, he didn t sneer or
anything. He simply whisked the articles into a closet then ushered
Dustin through the house to what he guessed was a parlor.
A fire roared in the back of the room, casting dancing, orange light
over everything. Dustin figured with a fire like that going, he hadn t
woken the man up. That was good. He really didn t want to do this if
the man was already in a bad mood. From behind a large desk, a tall
and exceedingly handsome man rose. He was dressed in business
attire, but his tie was loose, and his jacket was off, placed over the
back of the chair he had been sitting in. If Dustin picked one word to
describe him, it would be elegant.
 I m Phillip Remson. He moved around the edge of the desk and
took Dustin s hand. His handshake was firm and solid.
 I m Dustin Brooks.
 Please have a seat. Phillip nodded to one of several chairs that
created a semicircle around the massive stone fireplace.
Dustin settled into a chair that was so comfortable he could fall
asleep in it, but for the fact he was so tense he almost jumped right out
of his skin.
 Would you like something to drink or eat?
 No, thank you. Dustin swallowed the lump in his throat.  I...
He trailed off because he didn t know where to start.
 Wilkins mentioned that you had something of vital importance to
tell me.
68 Anitra Lynn McLeod
Dustin nodded.
 Before you begin, I insist you take a deep breath. Again, I would
feel better if you had something to eat and drink. You are terribly
tense, exceedingly pale, and your eyes are so enormous they might
just swallow your face.
 I can t take your hospitality, not when I ve been helping a man to
destroy you.
Phillip s emerald-green eyes narrowed.  Be that as it may, I insist
you eat first. Phillip turned to his butler, who was waiting patiently in
the doorway.  Please bring young Master Brooks something to eat and
drink.
 As you wish, sir.
Rather than sit in the chair next to him, Phillip moved to a table
covered with decorative glass bottles. He selected one, poured two
tiny glasses, and then returned to where Dustin was sitting rigidly in
his chair.
 Drink this.
Dustin didn t argue. He waited, though, to see how Phillip
consumed the liquid. When he tossed it back, Dustin mimicked him.
As the liquor flowed down his throat, the tension flowed right out of
his body. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]