The Big Dip Read Online Free PDF Page A

loudspeaker made everyone jump. A crisp voice announced, “Phone call at the entrance for Joe Lumby. Repeat, for Joe Lumby.”
    â€œJoe Lumby?” repeated the guard, releasing my shoulder. “Where I have heard that name before?” He crinkled his brow. “Hey, you’re Mojo Lumby.”
    Everyone’s gaze swiveled to me as I walked to the entrance.
    The cashier handed the phone to me under her window.
    â€œHello?” I said.
    I glanced back into the gardens. The two security guards were striding toward me—along with two police officers. The cops must have used a service entrance.
    The guards didn’t look so friendly now. They had grim “gotcha” expressions.
    A voice hissed into my ear. “Very funny with the shenanigans at VanDusen, Joe.”
    Ellie’s kidnapper! Not Trenchcoat, a.k.a. Babs Beesley, after all. Someone else.
    Someone who was here, watching.
    â€œYeah, funny, ha ha,” I gabbled, buying time. “Mojo, the one-man entertainment show, that’s me.”
    I craned around, surveying the gardens, the entrance, Granville Street. Where was he?
    â€œCut the cackle, Joe. You want your sister back, or what?”
    â€œYeah, I do. I’ll have the rose for you, I promise. Uh…” My gaze panned the street again, past a man talking on a cell phone—
    And swung back to the man. He wore a Vancouver Canadians baseball cap.
    It was the lean man from the roller coaster. He’d run away with Babs. He was her accomplice—and Ellie’s kidnapper.
    He was talking to me on the phone right now.
    I turned away, in case Baseball Cap looked at me. He looked leaner and meaner than I remembered. I didn’t want him to know I’d spotted him. Now I had an advantage. I knew what Ellie’s kidnapper looked like, but he didn’t know I knew.
    I blathered, making my voice uncertain, as if I had trouble remembering, “Behind the roller coaster at closing time, right?”
    He gave a scornful chuckle. “Bravo, Joe. By the light of the… shivery moon, shall we say?” The voice grew grim. “And remember: no rose, no kid sister.”
    Click .

Chapter Six
    The guards and the police were almost on me. The sun glinted on the handcuffs dangling from one officer’s belt.
    I shoved the phone back under the cashier’s window. I glanced out at the street. Baseball Cap had left—unaware that I’d seen him.
    Ducking under the turnstile, I barreled through a line of people waiting to get in. I felt like a bowling ball crashing into pins. One lady in high heels lost her balance and toppled backward.
    I was sorry about that, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t risk getting nabbed by the cops. I had to make that meeting tonight. I didn’t have the Margaret rose, but maybe I could bluff Baseball Cap.
    I broke into a run. The guards and police started running too. I heard them pounding behind me. But I didn’t worry about them. I could outrun anyone.
    I have to make that meeting . I have to get Ellie back .
    I jumped on the first bus heading back up Granville and switched to the Hastings bus. I couldn’t go home; the police would be watching for me. So, I headed to the PNE. I’d wait out the hours till closing time.
    And try to think of a way to bluff Baseball Cap.
    The Hastings bus was packed with kids heading to the PNE. The windows were cranked open as far as they would go. Big difference that made. The bus was a steam bath.
    A girl from a couple of my classes got on the bus. She was a friend of Skip’s more than mine. I’d had the impression she liked him— but then all the girls liked Skip. He always knew the clever thing to say to them.
    I unstuck myself from my seat and stood up so she could have it. She smiled and said hi, but I just shrugged back at her. I didn’t want to talk.
    I moved to the back of the bus to make way for other people getting on. Gripping the