The Blade Man

by Debra Purdy Kong

  “Totally.” Angie looked down the hall toward the lockers and lunchroom, then beckoned Casey into the alcove. Once they were inside, Angie said, “Is Maurice one of the witnesses?”

  “Sorry, but I’ve promised confidentiality.” She made a point of appearing puzzled. “Why would you bring up his name?”

  Angie hesitated. “Maurice spent time in jail not long before he started working here.”

  Casey tried not to show her surprise. “Really?”

  “He’s trying to clean up his life, but Roberto says he’s having a tough time.”

  Like most women here, Angie adored Roberto. He loved gossip as much as Angie did.

  “Between you and me,” Angie whispered, “I wouldn’t put it past him to take a uniform and do some damage.”

  “MPT gave him a job, though. Why would he do that?”

  “Gwyn found out about his alcoholism and police record a little while back and wanted Maurice gone. But the guy’s apparently a genius with engines, so his supervisor insisted that he stay. If Gwyn changes his mind, there could be a walk-off-the-job revolt. All the mechanics like him.”

  Gwyn hadn’t mentioned Maurice as a suspect, so maybe it wasn’t true. Or maybe he didn’t want to single out the man without more evidence. If Maurice believed that Gwyn was about to get rid of him, would he strike back? The arson attempts against Gwyn’s office and car sure seemed personal. Yet Maurice didn’t strike her as a vengeful hothead who acted on emotion. Besides, the garage fire had caused major problems for him and the other mechanics.

  “You have to admit that a lot of staff are upset with Gwyn,” Angie said. “For all I know, the arsons are a group effort.”

  Intriguing idea. “Any idea who might be in that group?”

  Angie glanced over her shoulder. “Dimitri’s still mad about the assaults on him and Benny. And Ethan has a buddy whose dad was a dispatcher until he got fired for always showing up late. It seems that the dad can’t find another job.”

  “I remember him. Last name was Samuels.” A middle-aged man who’d also been fond of badmouthing Gwyn, but that was over a year ago. “Can’t recall his first name, though.”

  “Rick, I think.”

  Why would the guy wait to cause trouble now? More troubling was that Dimitri’s and Ethan’s names had come up again.

  “I need to get going,” Casey said, “but could you email me that list of missing uniforms sometime today?”

  “I’ll try.” Her ruby lips pinched together. “If you visit Benny, say hi for me. I miss him.”

  Casey smiled. “Will do.”

  Another trip to the hospital wouldn’t be a bad idea. She’d sure like to know if any drivers had dropped by. It was possible that the culprit could have let something slip, although Benny might not remember. Meanwhile, she would learn what she could about Rick Samuels.

  Back at her desk, Casey’s thoughts turned to Charlie Applebee, hater of green, lover of knives and crowds. She googled the City of Coquitlam. It wasn’t long before she discovered that a high school track-and-field event would be held this weekend at the same stadium where the rally had taken place.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Casey approached Benny’s bed, disconcerted by the puzzlement on his face. Only four days had passed since she last saw him. Granted it felt much longer, but surely he hadn’t forgotten an old friend and coworker.

  “Hi, Benny.” As recognition dawned on his face, relief swept through her.

  “Casey. Good to see you.” He paused. “Not married yet, are you? I’ve lost track of time.”

  “It’s still three weeks away. Angie says hi. She misses you.”

  His smile was the first she’d seen since before the attack. She pulled up a chair, grateful to see that the bruises on Benny’s face had faded significantly.

  “You look much better,” Casey said.

  “Gettin’ there.” He started to sit up but stopped.

  Casey didn’t want to upset Benny with talk about the attack or the fires, but Angie had sent her the names of six employees who’d reported lost uniforms over the past twelve months. No one had reported a stolen uniform. Five on the list were employees who’d quit in the past year. All were older and two of them were women. None would have been fit enough to hop tall fences and race down side streets.

  The sixth person was Wesley Axelson, but Wes was far too large to match the description of the guy seen leaping the fence. Even Rick Samuels had turned out to be a dead end. A social media search revealed that the guy liked taking selfies and had gained a lot of weight since leaving MPT. He touted himself as an assistant manager in retail, with another selfie depicting his nametag and store logo. That left only Ethan and Dimitri as prime suspects, and she needed to know if either man had come by to see Benny.

  “I guess a few drivers have dropped by to visit?” Casey asked.

  “Yvette says there’ve been a few, but I don’t remember much.”

  The patient in the bed opposite mumbled something in Italian. She kept her eyes closed, so it was hard to tell if she was dreaming or dozing. Casey had no idea if Benny managed to get any quality rest in this place.

  “Hello, Casey.”

  She turned to find Yvette entering the room.

  “Hi.” Damn. She was hoping to talk to Benny alone. Unlike Benny, Yvette looked worse than she had a few days ago. Her hair hung in greasy strands. Dark smudges behind her glasses showed her fatigue. “Any idea when they’ll be sending Benny home?”

  “In a couple of days.” She placed a backpack on the floor. “Hi, Dad. I brought you some clothes to wear home.”

  “Thanks. Can’t wait to get out of here.” He glanced at the mumbling patient.

  “Hopefully our coworkers haven’t overstayed their welcome. A lot of them are worried about you,” Casey said.

  “The huge man with red hair, Wesley, has dropped by, but never stays long,” Yvette said. “And there’s the good-looking Greek who was also injured. He seems angry about everything.”

  “Dimitri,” Casey murmured. “Benny, has Ethan Carruthers come by? He’s the guy who’s lead singer in a band, remember?”

  “Yeah. Haven’t seen him.”

  “Neither have I,” Yvette remarked.

  “What about the mechanics? I know that Roberto’s been worried about you.”

  “He came by at least once that I recall, and Maurice comes by a lot,” Benny said.

  “Is he the guy who reads the Bible to you?” Yvette asked.

  Benny nodded. “Born-again Christian.”

  “I didn’t realize he knew you that well,” Casey remarked.

  “He doesn’t. I think he’s trying to help in his own way.”

  Interesting. Maurice was small and wiry. She still had a hard time believing that he was the arsonist, but had she underestimated the depth of his anger at Gwyn for wanting him gone?

  “The man gives me the creeps.” Yvette shook her head. “Each time I see him, I think of last rites, and we’re not a religious family.”

  “You talkin’ about that old drunk?” Benny’s eldest son Max sauntered into the room.

  “He’s cleaned up his act,” Benny replied, “and he’s in his forties, which isn’t old.”

  Max shrugged and turned to Casey. “Have you learned any more about the crazy nut who ambushed him? The cops aren’t telling us squat.”

  “Same at our end.”

  Max’s jaw tightened. “Is that so?”

  Casey didn’t appreciate the facetious tone. She glanced at the Italian patient, who was still muttering to herself.

  “Has anyone at MPT even bothered to get updates from the cops?” he asked.

  She returned the kid’s stare. “We’ve been overwhelmed with emergencies this week.”

  “I saw the garage fire on the news,” Yvette said. “Looks like someone’s targeting MPT’s president.”

  “Possibly.” Casey watched Max wander toward the window. Keeping his back to her, he looked outside.

  “Can’t
say I blame them,” Yvette answered. “Employees have suffered enough under that man.”

  “Don’t talk like that,” Benny said.

  “Sorry, Dad, but the salary freeze and reduced hours over the last couple of years were just wrong, and when was the last time you had a Christmas bonus?” Yvette turned to Casey. “Dad was hoping to save something for Reese’s education, but it hasn’t worked out.”

  “It would have if he worked for TransLink,” Max grumbled, keeping his back to them. “Misguided loyalty doesn’t pay the bills.”

  Casey feared that she’d start an argument if she stayed much longer. Besides, there was little she could say to Benny in front of his family. “Benny, I should get going.”

  Max spun around. “You expect us to believe that the cops haven’t told you about the wacko who’s been running around stabbing anyone who wears green?”

  Crap. “Where did you hear that?”

  “I have my sources.”

  Like one of Benny’s visitors? Word had gotten around about the green angle. Understandably, most of the drivers didn’t want to wear uniforms to work, but their supervisors pointed out that it hadn’t mattered in Stan’s case. Drivers realized that the problem wasn’t just the color they were wearing, but the green buses they were operating. They now felt as if they were stuck working inside a huge bull’s-eye.

  “I think you know more than you’re saying,” Max said.

  Yvette tilted her head. “Is this true, Casey?”

  Casey turned to Benny, who appeared to be drifting off. “There’ve been rumors and I’m not a big fan of those.”

  “Tell us anyway,” Max said.

  Better play along to stay on the family’s good side. “There’s a theory that the suspect is a mentally ill homeless person who lives in the area where Benny and others were attacked.”

  Max sneered. “Ya think?”

  “Don’t be an ass,” Yvette snapped. “Casey’s trying to help.”

  “All she’s doing is stating the obvious.”

  “Stop.” Benny opened his eyes, suddenly alert. “Leave her alone.”

  “It’s okay, Dad.” Yvette leaned over and patted his arm while she glared at her brother. “We’ll accomplish more if we stay calm and work together.”

  “You keep telling yourself that,” Max retorted.

  Not for the first time, Casey thought about the angry friend or relative theory. As she observed Max, she began to wonder if that possibility was standing right here in this room. Max would have no trouble fitting into Benny’s uniform. Having apprenticed as a mechanic, he also knew MPT’s layout. The uniform Benny wore when he was stabbed would have been bloodied and unwearable now. But every driver had two, so where was the second one?

  “Tell you what,” Casey said, turning to Yvette. “I’ll see what else I can dig up and then give you a call.”

  “Thanks,” she replied. “I’ll be staying at Dad’s until he can look after himself. I’ll give you my cell number.”

  “Benny, with your permission, I could open your locker and bring your belongings to your house,” Casey said. “Stan has a list of all the combinations. Might be a good idea to check for leftover food too.”

  “Appreciate it,” he mumbled, appearing to drift off.

  Casey ignored Max’s glowering eyes. Did he not believe that she wanted to help, or did he not want her ingratiating herself with his family? A guilty man would certainly be suspicious of her motives.

  “The uniform he was wearing needs to be replaced,” Casey said to Yvette. “If his spare’s in his locker, I’ll find out the size and see that he gets another one.”

  “Don’t bother,” Max muttered. “Doubt he’ll be back at that shithole.”

  “That’s Dad’s decision, not yours,” Yvette replied. “Honestly, I’m not sure he should be living with you two hotheads. Maybe he should sell the house and come live with me.”

  Max’s hands curled into fists. “You just said that Dad should make his own decisions. What a hypocrite.” He stomped out of the room.

  “Sorry about all the hostility, Casey,” Yvette said. “Needless to say, Dad’s future is a controversial topic in our family.”

  “Don’t worry about it. This is an incredibly stressful time for all of you.”

  She nodded. “My brothers are desperate to blame someone.”

  And Gwyn, as much as the Blade Man, was the best target. Another thought occurred to her. If Max had gotten hold of Benny’s ID badge, he’d be able to get in and out of the admin building after hours. She twitched and shifted her feet.

  “I understand,” Casey said, starting toward the door. “I’ll be in touch once I’ve emptied his locker.”

  “Thanks for your help.” Yvette’s downcast eyes didn’t quite meet hers.

  “You’re welcome.”

  Casey hurried down the corridor, hoping she’d spot Max before he took off. She wanted to know the make of the vehicle he drove, and asking Yvette would have been awkward. The hospital wasn’t large and there weren’t many exits. The closest lot was near emergency. Casey maneuvered past visitors, patients, and hospital personnel until she reached the elevator. Its slow descent made her wish she’d taken the stairs.

  Finally, the door slid open on the main floor. Casey started past the gift shop, then froze. Max was talking to Reese by the information desk a few yards beyond the shop and across the corridor. Their heads were close together, conversation low.

  Casey ducked inside the shop and nodded to the clerk. She wandered close to the windows and peeked between the display of stuffed bears. Were the brothers working together, plotting revenge against MPT? If so, there might be evidence in their vehicles or in Benny’s house.

  Reese headed toward the elevator while Max marched to the nearest exit. The moment the elevator doors closed, Casey rushed out of the gift shop and through the waiting area in emergency. She made it outside just in time to see Max drive away in a silver Dodge Ram. No point in running after him for the license plate. She knew where he lived.

  TWENTY-TWO

  “Never thought I’d see the day when you and I would be working on the same bus,” Lou said, as he followed Casey out of MPT’s admin building.

  “Neither did I.”

  She didn’t mind that Marie had called in sick. She probably was. With three kids to support, Marie needed every penny she earned. None of the other security team members were available, and Stan didn’t want Lou to drive in the Coquitlam hot zone without backup.

  “Think Summer will behave without us around?” he asked.

  “Hard to say. She was surprisingly calm after I told her about our late-night chat with Tyler. Didn’t really say anything other than to confirm that he’d already told her about it.” Still Summer’s tell signs had made it clear she wasn’t happy about the visit. “Just to be safe, I’ve asked Kendal to drive by again.”

  “She’ll probably invite Tyler over tonight,” Lou said, boarding the bus after her. “God knows what they’ll get up to.”

  “I can’t keep them separated, and setting more rules seems counterproductive.”

  As Casey reflected on Summer’s behavior over recent weeks, she began to realize how long the secrecy had been going on. She regretted not recognizing the signs sooner.

  “Have you given any more thought to telling her about Rhonda?” Lou asked.

  “Still wrestling with it.”

  He adjusted the mirrors. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but what if Rhonda doesn’t have much time left? Would Summer forgive you for keeping her in the dark?”

  “Probably not.” The issue had been keeping her up nights.

  Her greatest fear was that Rhonda would die alone and emotionally detached from her daughter. If she told Summer about the cancer, she’d betray Rhonda. If she didn’t, then Summer would likely feel betrayed.

  “It doesn’t seem right to do it before her final exams and the wedding,” Casey said.

  “Rhonda will have had the surgery by the
n, though.”

  “I know.”

  The more Casey thought about it, the more she believed that Rhonda did know the date and location of her surgery. She just didn’t want them to know, and Casey had no idea what to do about it.

  She looked up at the cloudy sky. Rain wasn’t unusual in June. She hoped their wedding day would be warm and dry, that she could put aside worry about Rhonda. She also prayed that the siege against MPT would be over by then. Wishing was one thing, though. Seeing it happen was something else.

  Del, Felicity, and Lawrence boarded the bus for the second night in a row. Oh joy.

  “Casey!” Felicity exclaimed. “You’re working here tonight?”

  “Yes.” She barely cracked a smile. “You were expecting someone else?”

  “Marie,” Felicity answered, then clamped her hand over her mouth.

  The sheepish glances between Lawrence and Del told her enough. It appeared that Del had hacked the database again. Why didn’t that kid understand that he needed to stop?

  “I see.” She looked from one to the other. “What are you three doing back in Coquitlam?”

  “We’re going to hang with Travis.”

  “Does Marie have a cold or flu?” Lawrence asked. “There’s a lot of that going around.”

  Good thing they were going to see Travis. Casey wasn’t sure she could take another whole evening of chatter, questions, and more choruses of “Wheels on the Bus.”

  . . .

  The bus was blissfully quiet for 10:30 on a Friday night. A dozen people were on board, and the MPT Friends had exited over two hours ago. The trio had shared thoughts about the Blade Man’s frequent strikes, including the awful possibility that his violent rampage might not be finished. Their conversation had raised a frightening question. Who would be next?

  Where was all the anger coming from? It wasn’t just on the streets and at her workplace, but in her home and with Benny’s family too. She didn’t look forward to visiting Yvette tomorrow, but it had to be done.