Fatal Conceit Read Online Free PDF Page B

vibrant display of reds, yellows, oranges, purples, and golds. But the grass was still green and slightly in need of mowing, and the temperature beneath the bright blue sky was more reminiscent of early summer than the chill gray of approaching winter.
    This was Karp’s favorite time of year, especially when playing a game of touch football with his family in the park. The October games had been a tradition since the twins were young boys, and the only thing missing was his daughter, Lucy. But she was a grown woman living in New Mexico with her fiancé, Ned Blanchett, both of them working for a covert antiterrorism agency. They hadn’t heard from her in a while but that wasn’t unusual when she was on assignment, and all he knew was that her family missed her.
    â€œYou’re mine, Karp,” Marlene snarled.
    â€œDon’t bet on it, Ciampi,” Karp growled back. “By the way, next score wins.”
    â€œWhat! No way,” yelled Zak. “You’re down twenty-eight–zip.”
    â€œOh, let the babies have their way, Zak,” Marlene said. “We’ll shut these pansies out, then run the ball down their throats. The taste of victory will be that much sweeter.”
    Zak laughed. “Yeah, you’re right, Mom. Go ahead, losers ; we’ll spot you the twenty-eight points!”
    â€œDown, set, hut one, hut two . . .” Karp barked out the signals.
    Giancarlo snapped the ball and began his route with Zak backpedaling to stay with him. Marlene began her count. “One Mississippi, two Mississippi . . .”
    Karp cocked his arm as Giancarlo stopped and turned to face him. Smiling, Zak began to move to get in front of his brother to intercept the throw. At the same time, Marlene reached her third Mississippi, and with a primal scream, ran for her husband.
    Anticipating the fast but undisciplined attack of his opponents, and using it against them, Karp faked the throw to Giancarlo. Marlene stopped charging and jumped in the air with both arms up to block it; meanwhile, with a shout of triumph, Zak cut underGiancarlo’s route. But instead Karp held on to the ball and took two steps forward while his wife’s momentum carried her past him.
    Giancarlo then turned and streaked toward where a young woman was sitting on the grass next to a baby carriage and texting on her cell phone. Yelling in surprise, Zak turned to follow his brother, who waited until the last moment before cutting hard to the right and around the woman and her infant. Zak suddenly found himself facing the choice of either running through or leaping over the baby carriage. When the young woman looked up, surprised to see a nearly two-hundred-pound teen-aged boy bearing down on her precious infant, she screamed, which brought Zak to a complete halt while his brother ran on.
    With the proverbial eye in the back of his head, Karp knew that his wife was bearing down on him. He lofted the ball toward what, in his best estimation, was the point Giancarlo would reach on the other end of the trajectory; a moment later, he felt Marlene’s hands push him just below the waist. They both stood watching as the ball sailed in a perfect arc to settle into Giancarlo’s outstretched hands as he raced on to the end zone; he crossed it with the ball held aloft in celebration.
    â€œTOUCHDOWN!” Karp and Giancarlo shouted at the same time. “WE WIN!”
    â€œPENALTY!” Zak protested. “Not fair! You can’t use a lady and her baby to set a pick!”
    â€œReally, Butch, what kind of a human being uses a baby . . . a baby , for God’s sake . . . just to score in a football game?” scolded Marlene.
    â€œI was sure Zak would stop in time,” Karp said with a smile and a shrug. “Besides, all’s fair in love and football. Now let’s see, what did we bet on the game?”
    â€œWin or lose you were going to treat us all to