The Deep End

by Debra Purdy Kong

  “The info you provided about that donair shop paid off.” Stan settled into his chair. “It turns out the owner fences stolen goods. The kid you followed is his cousin.”

  “Excellent. Has the man been arrested?”

  “Don’t know, but we’re to continue surveillance.” He tapped a pencil on his desk. “The police want more on the other two boys, so Marie’s now officially on the job.”

  Damn.

  “No need for that hangdog look. You’ll be there too, but as the decoy. Marie will exit when the boys do, and you’ll stay put.”

  “Okay.” At least she was still in the game. “Have you figured out how they learned about me?”

  “No.” Stan scratched his beard. “GenMart’s manager is investigating employees.”

  “Kendal already did that and couldn’t find anything, but she’s trying again. She doesn’t believe the leak’s coming from the store.”

  “A second opinion wouldn’t hurt.” Stan leaned forward. “From now on, when you get the call from GenMart, you’re to phone Marie, pronto.”

  Great. Just what she wanted to do while rushing out the door. “I take it she’s already been briefed?”

  “Yes.” Stan began shuffling papers. A sure sign that the discussion was over. “Keep me posted.”

  “Will do.”

  As Casey left Stan’s office, Amy looked up and said, “When’s your next volunteer shift?”

  “Friday night.”

  “Maybe I’ll see you there.”

  “I’ll look for you.” Perhaps Amy wasn’t trying to keep her at arm’s length after all.

  Casey hurried downstairs and out of the admin building. She waited until she was in her car before she phoned Lou.

  “Gwyn knows who’s behind the union bid and Amy thinks there will be trouble,” she blurted. “Please tell me you didn’t sign those papers Marie brought over.”

  No response. “Lou?”

  “I did. Gave them to her on Friday.”

  “Crap! She should never have involved you in the first place.” And he shouldn’t have let her. “I just hope she hasn’t left the papers on MPT property.”

  “Don’t worry about it. There’s not a lot Gwyn can do.”

  “He can come up with excuses to withhold promotions and cut back your hours even more.”

  “I guess so.” He sounded too resigned.

  “If Gwyn wants to see you, you’ll stand up for yourself, won’t you?” Casey asked. His silence worried her. “Lou?”

  “You know what he’s like.” Lou’s tone was subdued. “Maybe it’s time to move on anyway.”

  “You can’t quit! You’ve got tons of friends here, and the drivers think you’d make a great supervisor.”

  “You know as well as I do that what coworkers say and what they really think are often two different things.”

  “Not this time. Look, I understand why you’re thinking about leaving. Gwyn’s been a real ass lately, and you could probably get a better-paying job with Coast Mountain, if they’re hiring. But isn’t it easier to find a new job if you already have one? Don’t give up, okay?”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Would he? No way in hell would she let Lou quit under these circumstances. She cursed Marie for stepping foot in their apartment.

  SIXTEEN

  CASEY JUMPED AT THE SOUND of the phone ringing. She’d been working on her school essay and trying not to worry about Lou’s future with Mainland. Two attempts to contact Marie yesterday had gotten him nowhere, and as far as Casey knew, Marie still hadn’t returned his voice mail.

  “All three shoplifters just entered the store,” GenMart’s manager said with urgency.

  If he was calling, then Kendal was either off duty or busy elsewhere. “On my way.” She grabbed her coat and car keys, then dialed Marie’s number. She answered on the fourth ring. “The suspects are in GenMart and I’m en route. Can you return Lou’s calls later today? It’s important.”

  “I just did. See you soon.”

  Damn it, she’d have to wait to learn what was said. On the main floor, Casey hurried into the kitchen, surprised to see Summer doing homework. She rarely started before supper.

  “I’ve got to go to GenMart,” Casey said, marching to the back door.

  Summer looked up, her expression pensive. “For work?”

  “Yeah. Lou should be home by suppertime. No friends over while I’m gone, okay? My cell phone’s on if you need me.”

  “See ya.” She returned to her textbook.

  CASEY HADN’T BEEN AT THE M5 bus stop long before the blond shoplifter exited GenMart. He stepped up to the curb, apparently looking for the bus. He glanced at the other people standing around, but when he spotted Casey, his gaze lingered. She turned and strolled among the waiting passengers, sneaking a peek at the store’s entrance. There was no sign of the others. The hint of a sunny break in the weather had vanished and rain was starting to fall again. Casey pulled up the hood of her coat.

  The M5 approached and the other two shoplifters appeared. Freckles glanced at her. His cohorts ignored her. This was Tuesday, a school day. Strange that none of them were sporting backpacks. Casey stood well back from the passengers and boarded last. The bus was standing room only at this point. She exchanged a quick nod with Ingrid, who looked grumpier than usual. Maybe Gwyn had confronted her about the union issue. The boys nudged their way down the aisle, stopping near the center exit. Casey halted about a third of the way down.

  As the bus merged into traffic, the boys fidgeted and whispered among themselves. They seemed to be checking out passengers, or perhaps looking for empty seats. When she caught the occasional glance directed at her, each boy quickly looked away. The contrast from last week’s hostile stares was odd. Had they stolen something and were afraid she might bust them?

  Casey popped a stick of gum in her mouth and chewed to ease the tension. She barely paid attention to the bumper-to-bumper traffic. When the M5 finally reached the next stop, passengers shuffled past her. She noticed that Stocky was staring at her. Since there was no point in pretending to be an innocent bystander, she returned the gesture until the kid backed down.

  Another fifteen minutes went by before Ingrid pulled up to the stop where Marie was waiting. Her thick red curls were unmistakable beneath a purple wool hat with the pompom on top. A number of people prepared to exit. The boys stepped back just enough to give them room. Curiously, they didn’t grab any of the vacated seats. Marie boarded behind a grisly guy who told Ingrid in raised voice that he’d put in too much money and wanted fifty cents back.

  “We don’t give change,” Ingrid’s booming voice replied. “Move down, please.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without my money!”

  “Sir, if you don’t move down, you’ll have to leave.”

  “Make me, bitch.”

  “Get off the damn bus now !”

  Casey cringed. Ingrid’s manners had gotten her into trouble before. Apparently, the reprimands hadn’t sunk in.

  “Well then, let’s see what’s in your pocket.” He grabbed Ingrid’s arm and yanked her out of her chair.

  Ingrid grunted and tried to pull her arm back, but he pulled harder. Casey wasn’t surprised to see Ingrid’s free hand punch him in the gut. Ingrid was a tall, husky woman more than capable of holding her own. The guy released her arm and stumbled backward, right into Marie. She grabbed the back of his jacket and started to drag him off the bus.

  Casey took a step forward to help, but a kick to her lower back sent her careening into some passengers. She gripped the nearest seat while more kicks and punches bombarded her legs and back. “Shit!”

  Shouts erupted and someone yelled, “Stop that!”

  Casey drove her right elbow into the nearest body behind her and heard a loud gasp. Turning, she saw Blondie double over. Freckles swung at her, but she blocked his move and kicked him hard in the shin. As Stocky charged toward her, she spotted the knife in his hand. Casey ducked, dropping to
her knees, but a sharp sting burned the top of her ear.

  A woman shouted, “I’ve called the police!”

  A middle-aged male passenger bashed Stocky’s arm against the pole. The knife fell to the floor. Blondie jumped into the fray and punched the passenger repeatedly. The two boys were beating him down. The man fell backward. God, he needed help. Casey started to pull herself up when a fierce blow to her back knocked the air from her lungs. A second blow came, then another. She could scarcely breathe. Casey hunched down, pulled up her hood, and turtled her head as she gasped for air. Her hips, side, and shoulders were struck repeatedly until painful spots blended into one enormous, excruciating wound.

  Casey spotted the blade just under a seat. If the boys saw it . . . Taking a breath, she shifted her weight and kicked Freckles’s ankle so hard that he lost his balance and fell. Blondie and Stocky came charging toward her. Still on her knees, Casey raised her arm in self-defense. Heavy footsteps thundered down the aisle. Ingrid and Marie stormed past her and mowed the little bastards down.

  Casey got to her feet and filled her lungs. Freckles jumped up and kicked Ingrid in the shin. Ingrid’s face twisted with rage. She backhanded him and the kid collapsed on the floor. An older woman whacked Freckles’s head with an umbrella.

  Casey grabbed Freckles by the arm and together she and Ingrid hauled him to his feet. Casey handcuffed him to a pole while Ingrid went after Blondie. Freckles swore and spit at Casey but missed. Furious, she raised her hand but held back from slapping him. The kid wasn’t worth the trouble it would bring. “Do that again and I’ll make you clean the spit off the floor with your tongue.”

  “Get off me!” Stocky shouted. Casey turned and saw that Marie was sitting on Stocky.

  Blondie wriggled away from Ingrid’s grasp and scrambled to the exit, but Ingrid was fast, her strides long and quick. She caught up to him and pinned his arms behind his back. Passengers applauded; a few even cheered.

  “Folks,” Ingrid called out, “we aren’t going anywhere until the police arrive. If you want to catch another bus go ahead, but we’d appreciate some witness statements.”

  “Or at least contact information,” Marie added, removing her hat. Still sitting on Stocky, she waved the hat in front of her flushed face.

  “What happened to the guy who wanted his money back?” Casey asked Ingrid.

  “In handcuffs by the door.”

  “Are you okay?” Marie looked at Casey with concern.

  Now that Marie brought it up, Casey could practically feel the swelling and bruising blossoming over numerous parts of her body. One side of her face was burning, and the upper part of her right ear hurt like hell. “Do I look that bad?”

  “Don’t you feel the blood running down your ear?”

  She hadn’t, until now. Touching her ear, Casey felt the warm trickle. She pulled a tissue from her pocket. “Stocky had a knife, but it went under a seat.” Marie whipped out her phone and snapped a picture of Casey. “What the hell, Marie?”

  “Evidence for court, if needed.” When Stocky moved to get up, Marie clamped her hand on his shoulder. “Stay down and don’t move!”

  The kid muttered obscenities.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if the jerk who scrapped with you two works with these punks,” said Casey. Dabbing her ear, she turned to Ingrid. “The timing’s a bit coincidental, don’t you think?”

  “Totally. Freakin’ losers,” Ingrid muttered. She tapped Stocky’s leg with her boot. “What the hell did you think your lame-ass ambush would accomplish?”

  “Don’t touch me, bitch!”

  “Oh, I’ll be touching you all right, you little mother—”

  “Ingrid,” Casey interrupted. “We’ve got this, okay? Maybe you could take Blondie up to the front.”

  “Come on, loser.” Ingrid hauled him away.

  “You can’t hold us,” Stocky said to Marie. “We’re minors.”

  “I sure as hell can. You’ll be charged with assault causing bodily harm, sweetie pie, and I’m making a citizen’s arrest.” Marie pulled out a laminated card. “Under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, you have the right—”

  “I’ll sue you, you fat bitch!”

  The kid again tried to get up from the floor; however, Marie—although not as large as Ingrid—was no delicate petunia. She made sure he stayed put while she resumed reading him his rights.

  Although most passengers left, a few stayed behind. Once the officers arrived, Casey moved to the front of the bus. The cops grinned at the handcuffed man.

  “What’ve you gotten yourself into this time, Wayne?” one of them asked.

  “Just a misunderstanding about the fare.”

  “And assaulting a driver,” Ingrid said.

  As the police heard from Casey, Marie, and Ingrid, Casey’s pain worsened. The stinging in her ear escalated to a sharp burning sensation. Thanks to her ear and the boys’ complaints of injuries, paramedics were called. While she waited, she wrote a detailed account of events in her notebook and fought the growing fatigue. The paramedics treated her ear and tried to persuade her to go to the hospital for stitches. Casey told them she’d head for a nearby clinic soon. First, she needed to call Stan. Seconds later, she almost wished she hadn’t. As she described what had happened, he kept interrupting with questions.

  When she finally finished, he said, “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “I’m fine, really.” Just embarrassed that she hadn’t kept her guard up.

  “Tell Marie and Ingrid that I expect full reports, pronto, and Gwyn wants to see them as soon as they get back.”

  Uh-oh. She might not like either woman, but she didn’t feel great about them being in trouble for wanting to improve working conditions. Nor did she particularly want to be the messenger.

  “Go see a doc right now,” Stan added. “Have you called WorkSafe BC yet?”

  “I will.” But what she really wanted to do was take a nap.

  Casey walked up to Marie and Ingrid, who were in an intense discussion. Marie was waving her hands and yapping at Ingrid.

  “I just talked to Stan,” Casey said. “He wants your reports quickly, and Gwyn wants to see you both as soon as you return to Mainland.” She noticed the exchange of worried glances.

  “What about?” Marie asked.

  “Stan didn’t say.” She moved toward the door. “My car’s at GenMart, so I’ll catch an eastbound bus.”

  Casey stepped off the bus, wondering if those two would try to shift the blame elsewhere. Once she crossed the street, she phoned Marie. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Ingrid, but did you talk to Lou about destroying the document with his signature?”

  “Hold on.”

  Was she consulting Ingrid or moving away from her?

  Moments later, Marie said, “As I asked Lou, is there a reason I should?”

  Was she bloody joking? “Futures are at stake here, Marie. Everyone knows Ingrid’s behind the certification bid. Are you going to let her drag you and Lou down too? If her job’s on the line, we both know she won’t hesitate to put the blame elsewhere.”

  “I have all the documents.”

  “Does Ingrid have copies or access to copies?”

  “No.”

  “Does she know that Lou signed?”

  “Yes.”

  Great. Just great. “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. She wants me to bring her everything before we see Gwyn, but that’s not happening.”

  Marie and Ingrid may have had the same goal, but those two weren’t friends. They’d only joined forces because of a common quest. They could easily turn on each other. Would Lou get trapped in the middle?

  SEVENTEEN

  CASEY STRUGGLED UP THE BACK steps and into the house, scarcely able to move. She’d stopped at a medical clinic, and after an hour-long wait, her ear was stitched up. It took another thirty minutes to find a pharmacist and have the prescription for a seriously needed painkiller filled. Cheyen
ne bounded up to her and took great interest in sniffing her coat and jeans. No doubt Casey had picked up plenty of new smells.

  Summer was retrieving a can of pop from the fridge when she saw Casey. “Oh my god! What happened?”

  “Just some work hassles, nothing major.” Casey pulled off her gloves and unbuttoned her coat.

  “What’s wrong with your ear? Why are your knuckles scraped?”

  Casey had no idea whether the damage to her knuckles was from the bus floor or the sole of someone’s boot. “It’s no big deal. I’m fine.”

  Summer’s face paled. “You were in a fight.”

  “More of a scuffle, and we won.”

  “Who’d you beat?”

  “The shoplifters I told you about. The police busted them, so it’s all good.”

  Lou marched into the room. “Are you okay? I bumped into Marie as I was leaving Mainland and heard about the brawl.”

  Did he actually think she’d want to discuss this in front of Summer? “I’m fine. Did Marie meet with Gwyn?”

  “Yeah.” He looked her up and down. “How badly are you hurt?”

  “Just a little sore.” She saw the skepticism but felt too lousy to spend much energy reassuring him. “Did Marie say how the meeting went?”

  Lou glanced at a pensive-looking Summer, then gazed at Casey. “I think you need to sit and rest. We can talk upstairs.”

  The truth was that she was about ready to collapse. Casey started out of the room, taking her time. “Tell me about Marie.”

  “Gwyn told her why he’s been cutting back so much. Seems he’s under pressure to comply with the GVRD’s air-quality plan, which means he’s supposed to replace all the older buses with newer ones. He’s been scrambling to find ways to pay for it.”

  Given that the Greater Vancouver Regional District had been pushing livable, clean air policies for some time now, Casey was surprised that Gwyn had gotten away with an old fleet for so long.

  “What about Ingrid?” Casey asked as she started to climb the staircase. “Did she see Gwyn?”