Quotes from Promise Me

“Years fly by, but the heart stays in the same place.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“There was an old joke about being left on a deserted island with an editor. You are starving. All you have left is a glass of orange juice. Days pass. You are near death. You are about to drink the juice when the editor grabs the glass from your hand and pees into it. You look at him, stunned . "There," the editor says, handing you the glass. "It just needed a little tweaking.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The missing girl—there had been unceasing news reports, always flashing to that achingly ordinary school portrait of the vanished teen, you know the one, with the rainbow-swirl background, the girl's hair too straight, her smile too self-conscious, then a quick cut to the worried parents on the front lawn, microphones surrounding them, Mom silently tearful, Dad reading a statement with quivering lip—that girl, that missing girl had just walked past Edna Skylar.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Oh, you’ve made plenty of short stories long. But never, ever, have you made a long story short.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“He called us.” “Dominick Rochester?” “Yes.” “When?” “Last night. He said he met with you.” Met, Myron thought. Nice euphemism.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The phone rang. Joan Rochester leaped to her feet, but Dominick signaled her to sit with a wave of his hand. He wiped his face as though it were a windshield and rose from his seat. Dominick was a thick man. Not fat. Thick. Thick neck, thick shoulders, thick chest, thick arms and thighs. The”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The early morning joggers and walkers were on the circle. Most were on the elderly side and moved slowly. But not all. A group of four hotties, all hard-bodied and maybe twenty-ish, were jogging in his direction. Myron smiled at them and arched an eyebrow. “Hello, ladies,” he said as they passed. Two of them snickered. The other two looked at him as though he’d just announced that he had a poopie in his pants. Win”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“So that was what Edna had been doing. Strolling down the street. Ignoring, as she often did, the sights and sounds. Lost in her own personal bliss of studying the faces of passersby. Noting cheek structure and mandibular depth, inter-eye distance and ear height, jaw contours and orbital spacing. And that was why, despite the new hair color and style, despite the fashionable glasses and adult makeup and clothing, Edna had recognized the missing girl.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Win sidled up next to him. “Did you give them the full-wattage smile?” “I’d say a good eighty, ninety watts.” Win studied the young women before making a declaration: “Lesbians,” he said. “Must be.” “A lot of that going around, isn’t there?” Myron did the math in his head. He probably had fifteen to twenty years on them. When it comes to young girls, you just never want to feel it.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The car following you,” Win said, keeping his eyes on the young joggers, “is an unmarked police vehicle with two uniforms inside. They’re parked in the library lot watching us through a telephoto lens.” “You mean they’re taking our picture right now?” “Probably,” Win said. “How’s my hair?” Win made an eh gesture with his hand. Myron”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Win said, “Did you do her?” “Yes. Many times. But not in the last seven years.” “Good one. Pray tell, did she stop by to shag for old times’ sake?” “ ‘Shag?’ ” “My Anglo ancestory. Well?” “A gentleman never kisses and tells. But yes.” “And you refused?” “I remain chaste.” “Your chivalry,” Win said. “Some would call it admirable.” “But not you.” “No, I’d call it—and I’m breaking out the big words here so pay attention—really, really moronic.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Business was brisk at Chang’s. Maxine saw Myron enter and gestured with her head for him to come forward. Myron moved ahead of the line and followed her into the back. The smell of chemicals and lint was cloying. It felt like dust particles were clinging to his lungs. He was relieved when she opened the back door. Roger”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Win hung up. Five minutes later Myron entered the restaurant. Cingle didn’t disappoint. She was curvy to the max, built like a Marvel comic drawing come to life. Myron walked up to Peter Chin, the owner, to say hello. Peter frowned at him.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Roger was a skinny kid. His arms were reeds with absolutely no definition. He did not look up as she spoke.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The alley reeked, as all alleys do, of past garbage and dried urine. Myron waited for Roger to look up at him. Roger didn’t.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Myron made a skeptical face. Since the kid’s head was still down, the effort was a bit of a waste. “Look at me, Roger.” He”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Years ago, Myron had found this all somewhat poignant and oddly comforting—the war relic now housing artists—but the world was different now. In the eighties and nineties, it had all been cute and quaint. Now this “progress” felt like phony symbolism. Near”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Joan Rochester looked off. “You’re wondering why I stay with him.” In truth, he wasn’t. First off, awful as this situation was, he was still feeling a little giddy from his phone call with Ali. He knew that was selfish, but this was the first time in seven years he had told a woman that he loved her. He was trying to push all that from his mind, trying to focus on the task at hand, but he couldn’t help feeling a little high from her response. Second—and maybe more relevant—Myron had long ago stopped trying to figure out relationships. He had read about battered woman syndrome and perhaps that was at play here and this was a cry for help. But for some reason, in this particular case, he didn’t care enough to reach out and answer that call.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Myron was about to launch into a Berruti-type explanation of how traces didn’t really work that way, but Katie never gave him the chance. “Just leave us alone!” And then she hung up. Like another dopey TV cliché, Myron said, “Hello? Hello?” when he knew that Katie Rochester had hung up and was gone. They”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The girls were both high school seniors, both pretty in that coltish way. The one sitting on the corner of his old bed—the one he had met for the first time an hour ago—was named Erin. Myron had started dating Erin’s mother, a widow and freelance magazine writer named Ali Wilder, two months ago. This party, here at the house Myron had grown up in and now owned, was something of a “coming out” party for Myron and Ali as a couple. The”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“He nodded again. She walked away. Myron stood and headed in the opposite direction. He took out his cell phone and hit the speed-dial number one slot. Win answered it. “Articulate.” “Was it Katie Rochester?” He had expected something like this—Katie not cooperating. So Myron had prepared. Win was on the scene in Manhattan, ready to follow. It was, in fact, better. She would head back to wherever she was hiding. Win would tag along and learn all. “Looked like her,” Win said. “She was with a dark-haired paramour.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“He nodded again. She walked away. Myron stood and headed in the opposite direction. He took out his cell phone and hit the speed-dial number one slot. Win answered it. “Articulate.” “Was it Katie Rochester?” He had expected something like this—Katie not cooperating. So Myron had prepared. Win was on the scene in Manhattan, ready to follow. It was, in fact, better. She would head back to wherever she was hiding. Win would tag along and learn all. “Looked like her,” Win said. “She was with a dark-haired paramour.” “And now?” “After hanging up, she and said paramour began heading downtown by foot. By the way, the paramour is carrying a firearm in a shoulder holster.” That wasn’t good. “You’re on them?” “I’ll pretend you didn’t ask me that.” “I’m on my way.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Claire beamed. “Ali’s great, isn’t she?” “She is.” “Am I the greatest matchmaker ever?” “Like something out of a bad road production of Fiddler,” he said. “I’m not rushing things. But I am the greatest, aren’t I? It’s okay, I can take it. I’m the best ever.” “We’re still talking about matchmaking, right?” “Fresh. I know I’m the best at the other.” Myron said, “Eh.” She punched his arm and left. He watched her walk away, shook his head, smiled. In a sense, you are always seventeen years old and waiting for your life to begin. Ten”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“This was fun,” Ali said. Myron was still smiling. Ali looked up at him with these wonderful green-brown eyes. She had red-blond hair and there were still remnants of childhood freckles. Her face was wide and her smile just held him. “What?” she said. “You look beautiful.” “Man, you are smooth.” “I don’t want to brag, but yes. Yes, I am.” Ali”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” “Always was,” Myron said. “Yeah, but you used to have a sweet jumper from the top of the key. Now what do you got?” “Raw animal magnetism and supernatural charisma?” “I’m going to hang up now.” He”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Since it would take a few minutes to set up, Myron took some unnecessary turns. Two minutes later, Myron took the right on Pleasant Valley Way. Up ahead, he saw Zorra standing by the pizzeria. She wore her ’30s blond wig and smoked a cigarette in a holder and looked just like Veronica Lake after a real bad bender, if Veronica Lake was six feet tall and had a Homer Simpson five o’clock shadow and was really, really ugly. Zorra”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“Myron used the left-turn signal and pulled to the side of the road, two blocks ahead of Zorra. He rolled down his window so he could hear. Zorra stood near an open parking spot. It was natural. The car following Myron’s pulled into the spot to see where Myron was headed. Of course, he could have stopped anywhere on the street. Zorra had been ready for that. The rest was, as already noted, frighteningly simple. Zorra strolled over to the back of the car. She had been wearing high heels for the past fifteen years, but she still walked like a newborn colt on bad acid. Myron”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The storefront was a nail salon called Nail-R-Us in a not-yet-redeveloped section of Queens. The building had that decrepit thing going on, as if leaning against it would cause a wall to collapse. The rust on the fire escape was so thick that tetanus seemed a far greater threat than smoke inhalation. Every window was blocked by either a heavy shade or a plank of wood. The structure was four levels and ran almost the entire length of the block. Myron”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“So pray tell,” Win said, “what is the big attraction?” “Are you for real?” “I am indeed.” “Well, here’s a news flash, Win. First off, while it’s not really important, I disagree with your awarded score.” “Oh? So how would rate Ms. Wilder?” “I’m not getting into that with you. But for one thing, Ali has the kind of looks that grow on you. At first you think she’s attractive enough, and then, as you get to know her—” “Bah.” “Bah?” “Self-rationalization.” “Well, here’s another news flash for you. It’s not all about looks.” “Bah.” “Again with the bah?” Win re-steepled his fingers. “Let’s play a game. I’m going to say a word. You tell me the first thing that pops in your head.” Myron closed his eyes. “I don’t know why I discuss matters of the heart with you. It’s like talking about Mozart with a deaf man.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

“The storefront was a nail salon called Nail-R-Us in a not-yet-redeveloped section of Queens. The building had that decrepit thing going on, as if leaning against it would cause a wall to collapse. The rust on the fire escape was so thick that tetanus seemed a far greater threat than smoke inhalation. Every window was blocked by either a heavy shade or a plank of wood. The structure was four levels and ran almost the entire length of the block. Myron said to Win, “The R on the sign is crossed out.” “That’s intentional.” “Why?” Win looked at him, waited. Myron did it in his head. Nail-R-Us had become Nail Us. “Oh,” Myron said. “Cute.”
― Harlan Coben, quote from Promise Me

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