Never Hug a Mugger on Quadra Island (33 page)

“You think— And that's why Tim stayed home too?”

“I'd give it more than an even chance.”

“I bet you're right. And if Osborne did beat up Derek and Zeke, and wiped out you and Shane, and Tim—”

“—then Shane and Tim could be in trouble.”

“You really think Osborne would do them harm?”

She thought for a moment. “I do. I don't like the asshole but it's more than that.”

“Okay.” Now the ferry was approaching the dock. “Come on, we've got to go.”

“What about Derek?”

“He didn't see the face. The guy would've worn a mask. It's the pattern.”

“You're right.”

“A kid with a broken leg and a fifteen-year-old boy. Not good.” He turned and headed back to the car. “Alana should go with the Jason and Linda. She can take notes.” At the Corolla Noel said to Jason, “Something important just came up here and we have to check on it. Take Alana and write down whatever Derek says.”

“What's going on?”

“We'll tell you when you get back. No time now.”

Jason noted the docking ferry. “You're not going anywhere till we start to load.”

Noel looked back at the Honda. Hemmed in, front and back, nowhere to turn until the lines beside the car drove onto the ferry. “I'll get Alana.” He headed back.

Jason called, “Kyra, what—” but she'd turned to follow Noel.

At the Honda Noel said to Alana, “We've got to stay here. We need you to help with interrogating Derek.”

“What's happening?”

“Something we've got to do. Hop out and get in the Cooper's car.”

Alana grabbed her backpack. “Is this dangerous and you don't want me around?”

Kyra said. “Don't worry. We'll tell you later. Listen carefully to everything Derek says. Take notes.” Kyra could see Alana torn, her own investigative assignment against some important shift here that she wouldn't be part of.

Alana frowned at them. Finally she said, “Okay.” She flung her pack on her shoulder and started to the Cooper car. She turned. “Be careful.”

They watched as she got in the back seat. Arriving foot passengers and a few cars had finished off-loading. So slowly. Come on, come on! Departing foot passengers walked on. The row beside them began to roll. It emptied. Noel pulled into the empty line and accelerated ahead. Honks from the cars ahead of him—a line crasher! But they stopped when he U-turned and headed back up the hill.

“Straight to Osborne's?”

“We need to know, are we being paranoid.” A shiver sped down his back.

Faster than their drive to the ferry they were back at the Cooper house. They walked quickly from the car, Noel shouting, “Shane! Tim?” several times. No response. Kyra, her head through the doorway, did the same. Silence. Noel looked around. “Linda's car is here but Derek's truck's gone.”

•  •  •

Derek had let Tim drive the Mazda half a dozen times, but only on Gowlland Harbour Road and with Derek in the passenger seat. Nearly the same now, just a different brother. Except the pickup felt strange. Maybe because it was Derek's without Derek. Maybe lots of things. He wanted to be in Derek's room, see his brother's eyes open, talk to him, hear him. He wanted to be there with the rest of the family. But Shane needed him. That's what Shane had said: “Timmy, I need you to help me.” He couldn't remember a time when Shane had admitted he needed Tim. He'd even used the word when he'd told their parents he was wiped, he'd see Derek tomorrow, all was going to be okay with Derek, today he'd feel better if he could be by himself, but would it be okay if Timmy stayed home just in case Shane needed anything.

Tim could tell his parents had found it a bit crazy, Shane and Tim not wanting to visit Derek in the hospital. But they'd let it go and left. Now here he was behind the wheel, Shane with his crutches beside him. He glanced over. Shane stared ahead. He'd not said much since they'd gotten into the pickup, just “Thank you” when Tim had boosted him into the seat, and a minute ago, “I appreciate this, Timmy.”

At West Road Tim asked, “It's left, isn't it?”

“Yeah. Then left at the fork.”

Tim felt a bit scared about this mission. He didn't know what Shane wanted to do, to say to Austin. Curse the man for forcing him to fall while skating? For insisting he do it again? Shane looked angry. Hit Austin with his crutches? “What's your plan?”

“No plan. I've got to ask him some questions, that's all.”

And if Austin didn't answer? “What kind of questions?”

For seconds Shane stared ahead. Then, “If he was the one who beat up Derek.”

The pickup lurched to the middle of the road. Tim felt as if he'd been slapped. Did Shane really think that? “You're simply going to walk in there and ask him?”

Shane closed his eyes. “There won't be anything simple about it.”

Tim drove on. Austin beating up Derek? It didn't make sense. Tim didn't like Austin, but he couldn't imagine a smooth guy like him bashing anybody. “Shane?”

“Yeah?”

“What makes you think he'd do that?”

Shane thought for a moment. “Because he can.”

“Huh?”

“I think it's how he works. He can heal, he can cause pain.”

“Oh.” But Tim didn't understand. Cause pain? Well, with words and while the victim wasn't looking, okay. But Derek's body had been badly beaten. Like Zeke. With a weapon in somebody's hands. And what would Austin say—do, even—when Shane asked? Because this'd be more than a question, it'd be an accusation. He tried to picture the scene—which was hard since he'd never been to Austin's house. But in his mind he saw a huge Austin looming high above Shane and a tiny Shane on crutches, Shane staring up at his sponsor. “Are you scared?”

Very slowly Shane nodded. He looked at Tim. “Of what he might say. And of what happens next.”

“Oh. Yeah.”

“But the first thing I have to do is ask why he wanted me to fall.”

“Yeah, that'd be a good question too.” Safer, too. Now the fork, the left branch. “This way, right?”

“Yep.” And in a whisper, “To Austin Osborne's house.”

Tim thought he saw Shane shudder.

A few minutes, and Shane said, “It's ahead. That drive there.”

The driveway to the Osborne land couldn't be mistaken. Above the entry a large cedar sign,
OSBORNE
, hung from a crossbar between two posts. On either side of the name, the outline of a man's skate. The driveway, a tunnel in the woods, trees meeting overhead, branches on all sides, squeezed in on Tim. The gravel crunched beneath the tires for at least a couple of hundred meters as if it were dry bones. “How far's the house?”

“Pretty close now.”

The trees stopped at a large sloping field, a house halfway down. Where the green field ended, the blue sea sparkled. Tim felt relieved. From here the house and view were pretty. He drove on. He stopped, got out, came around and helped Shane hobble down, handed him his crutches and let him go first. He didn't know how scared Shane really felt, but for himself his guts were trembling. They walked along the path to steps leading up to a covered deck. Tim helped Shane lurch up onto it. He led the way around a corner to the front door. Shane knocked. They waited. Tim wished they'd never come.

•  •  •

At least Gowlland Harbour Road was halfway to Osborne's house. Up to West Road, left to Heriot Bay. Noel was getting to know this route well.

•  •  •

The door opened. Austin Osborne, larger than life. “Shane! What a pleasant surprise. Come in. And hello, Timmy. Welcome.”

“Hello Austin,” said Shane. Tim stayed silent.

Austin let the brothers walk past him, watched as Shane hopped on one foot and the crutches, and shut the door. Immediately Tim felt trapped. Stop that, he told himself. Just because you don't like Austin, there's no reason to be frightened. Yet.

“We'll go to my study,” said Austin. “I have guests in the living room.” He led them along a hallway, opened a door and stood aside as Shane and Tim passed. He shut the door. Pulling it tight, Tim noticed. “Please have a seat.”

They both sat on a sofa. Austin took a chair on the far side of his desk—his throne, Shane knew it to be. “How's the leg, Shane?”

“Healing, I hope.”

“Good. It'll be easier to work on it now you're back on Quadra.” He noticed Tim glance out the window, from the fine view of the ocean down the cliff at the bottom of the field, up to the right and left where the land at the edge of the forest was covered with salal and Oregon grape. “Yes, Timmy, beautiful, isn't it? But distracting. To get any work done, I need to keep my back to the view.” He smiled. “Now, what can I do for you?” He looked from Shane to Tim. Both remained silent. Austin waited. “Shane?”

Shane stared at the desk between them. At last he raised his eyes to Austin's neck. “I have to ask you a question.”

“Yes?” Austin's smile deepened.

“When you told me to fall. Why? Why did I have to do that, Austin?”

Austin's smile lingered until disappearing like the Cheshire cat's. “You asked me that then, Shane.”

“And you wouldn't answer.” Red splotches covered Shane's cheeks.

“Do you remember what I said? I told you not to question this. Just do it, I said. It's for your career. In the long term, this is important. And you asked me again, Why? And I said one day I'd be able to tell you. And you did as I asked. Which was good, Shane. Then and still now.”

“So when are you going to tell me?!”

Veins on Shane's temples were throbbing. Tim hoped his brother wouldn't cry.

“I'll tell you now if you insist, Shane. Would you like a glass of water?”

“Fuck the water! Tell me!”

“Very well. To keep your career from being ruined by Harold Arensen.”

For Tim all sound and all motion faded from the room. How could anyone ruin Shane's career? Tim had heard about Arensen, the head of the skating association. What did Arensen have to do with Shane? Why would he meddle with Shane's skating?

But Shane seemed to grasp what Austin had said. “You mean like he ruined you.”

“Like that,” said Austin.

“But I don't understand. How does my falling save me?”

“He's doted on your skating since he first met you. He sees you taking giant strides toward what he believes will be perfection. In his eyes, you do nothing wrong.”

“So—I had to commit a big mistake?”

“In his eyes, you now have been blemished.”

“You mean, one more fall and he'd never bother with me again?”

Austin nodded. “Exactly.”

Now Shane looked straight at Austin. They locked eyes. Tim watched as Austin nodded slowly. Was this some kind of hypnotic move? Tim looked away from Austin and said to Shane, “He's full of bullshit.”

Austin turned to Tim. “Fortunately, you're wrong.”

“How can Arensen ruin Shane, anyway?”

“Harold Arensen has ways of harming a skater's career that have never occurred to anyone else. He chooses his method according to each of his victims. What would he do to Shane? I don't know. And I don't want to find out. I only want to protect Shane.”

Shane let out a heavy breath, as if he'd been holding it. Maybe he had, Tim thought. Shane said, “Why didn't you tell me back then?”

“You don't need to deal with such problems, Shane. That's why I'm here. Your training is important. That's what you need to give your total concentration to.”

Shane didn't respond. His shoulders slouched.

“What?”

“I don't know, Austin. I don't know.”

“What don't you know?”

“Anything.”

“But I know. You head home now and spend the day relaxing. Tomorrow we'll get back to work healing your leg. Okay?”

Shane nodded, and reached for of his crutches. “I guess.” He started to stand—

“Shane.”

Shane glanced at his brother.

“There was another question.”

“I—I don't know, Tim . . .”

The study door burst open. Noel, with Kyra behind him. They glanced around the room. Noel said, “Are you guys okay?” He stepped up to Austin's desk. Tim sprang from the couch.

“What is this?” Osborne, now leaning across his desk. “Get out of here! Now!”

“We're fine,” said Tim.

“You have no right to break into my house! Who let you in? Leave! Right now.”

Tim said, “Austin. They stay.”

Kyra and Noel glanced at Tim. Solid authority in that voice. Noel backed away from the desk and stood beside Kyra.

Tim said, “I was just about to ask Austin a question.”

Austin sat down. “Ask away. Then all of you leave.”

Shane said, “Maybe—maybe not now.”

“Now.” Tim leaned onto the desk. “Austin, did you beat up Derek so badly he's still in a coma?”

Austin's head jerked to the side, all his attention on Tim. “What did you say?”

“You heard me. You beat up Derek. Why?”

“You're being ridiculous. I would never beat up anybody.”

“Except Derek's in a coma and I think you put him there.”

“That's a very serious accusation, young man.”

Kyra took a step toward Tim. Noel grasped her arm, holding her back.

Austin went on, “Be careful about repeating that. You could get in deep trouble.”

“Austin, you're—you're—” Tim could feel himself already deep in trouble. Austin was right, they'd better leave now. “Shane, we're out of here.”

Austin walked around the desk to Tim. “Listen to me, Timmy. I could no more beat up Derek than I could—than I could harm you. You've known me for four years. Do you really think I could beat someone up like that?”