In Too Deep Read Online Free PDF

on here, Officer?” he said. He was a burly man with salt-and-pepper hair and a soft voice. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt tucked into a pair of loose-fitting jeans. “That’s one of my kids.”
    â€œI’m aware of that, Mr. Wilson,” the officer said. He never took his eyes off the kid. “Go on,” he said. “Put it on the car.”
    The kid hung his head as he reached around and pulled two DVDs from the back of his pants.
    â€œSee?” the storeowner said. “What did I tell you? Thief. I want him arrested.”
    Another police cruiser pulled up, and a second officer got out. This one was older than the first one and wore a short-sleeved uniform shirt. He was also wearing sunglasses, but he took them off when he got out of the car. Dean Lafayette, my father’s old friend.
    â€œWhat seems to be the problem, Phil?” he said to the first officer.
    â€œThat kid was stealing from my store, that’s what,” the storeowner said.
    The first police officer, Phil, nodded to the DVDs that were sitting on the hood of the car.
    â€œWe can give him a warning, George,” Dean Lafayette said.
    â€œI found stolen goods on him, Chief,” Phil said.
    â€œThere you go,” the storeowner said triumphantly.
    â€œCome on, George,” Lafayette said. “Phil is new on the job. He’s still learning how we do things around here. This is just a boy. You’ve got your merchandise back. What do you say we get the kid to agree he won’t set foot in your store again and leave it at that?”
    â€œWarning?” the storeowner said. “You’ve got to be kidding! Last time I checked, stealing was a criminal offense. I want him arrested.”
    â€œChief, may I say something?” Mr. Wilson said.
    Lafayette nodded.
    â€œLucas has been with me for less than a month,” Wilson continued. “If you arrest him, he’s going to end up back in a juvenile detention facility.”
    â€œWhich is exactly where he belongs,” the storeowner said.
    â€œIt’s where they all belong,” said a man standing next to me.
    Wilson shook his head. He appealed again to the chief of police. “You know what those places are like. Sending him back there isn’t going to help him. Give him a warning. Release him to me. I’ll see to it that he stays on my property and that he does extra chores. He’ll learn more from that then he ever would from being locked up again. Please. He’s just a kid, and not a bad one, either, despite what you might think.”
    Dean Lafayette seemed to consider this for a few moments. He turned to the storeowner.
    â€œWhat do you say, George?”
    The storeowner shook his head. “Those kids are nothing but trouble.”
    â€œJust one chance, that’s all I’m asking,” Wilson said. “If he messes up again, you can throw the book at him.”
    Lafayette looked at the storeowner again. The man was glowering at the kid he’d caught stealing. I was pretty sure he was going to press charges.
    â€œOne chance,” Mr. Wilson said again. “You name the conditions, and I’ll see that he abides by them.”
    â€œIt’s up to you, George,” the chief said.
    â€œFine,” the storeowner grumbled. “He doesn’t set foot in my store again.
None
of your kids do.”
    â€œThat’s not fair,” the second kid wailed. “I didn’t do anything.”
    â€œAnd I want that one searched, too,” the storeowner said.
    â€œBut I didn’t do anything,” the kid said again.
    Wilson nodded his agreement. Phil gestured to the second kid to step over to the patrol car and empty his pockets. He patted him down but didn’t find any stolen goods.
    â€œSee?” the kid said. “I didn’t touch your stupid stuff.”
    â€œThat’s enough, Tal,” Mr. Wilson said. He looked at Lafayette. “So, are we good