I find Julian sitting with his brother Findlay and Findlay's girlfriend Lexington outside the front of school the next morning. The boys are both interested to hear my take of events from last night. I haven't ever properly met Findlay's girlfriend. She's a very pretty blonde in Findlay's grade, and she introduces herself with a big grin and tells me it's nice to meet me.
'I just don't even know what's going on anymore,' I'm telling Julian. 'First Duncan and Lucas make those accusations about your mum breaking up the band, and now this?'
'Dude, my Mum was fucking George Addison in the eighties,' Julian says harshly. 'I can't believe I never knew that. And he cheated on her. I bet that's why the band broke up.'
'Oh yeah,' I say, resting my chin in my hand. 'Maybe that explains what Lucas was saying. He didn't know George cheated. He thought it was your Mum's fault somehow.'
Findlay decides to fill his girlfriend in on our conversation, since she seems a little lost. 'You remember me telling you about Dime's, right? George Addison was the lead singer. But he died.'
'My mum hates that band, actually,' Lexington says, flicking blonde hair off her shoulders. 'She hates rock music. It's totally weird, but lately I've been listening to heaps of old Australian bands, like Cold Chisel and Powderfinger and even ACDC. Dime's is pretty good, I reckon.'
'Jules, you haven't even heard the worst of it,' I say, cutting through Lexington's rambling. 'The detective that's taken on my father's case, guess who?' I say.
'Who?'
'Robert Forrester,' I scowl. 'He just happens to be Duncan's father. You should have heard the way he talks to Duncan. He was forcing Duncan to study and really putting pressure on him. If Duncan wasn't such a massive dickhead I might even feel sorry for the guy.'
Julian raises his eyebrows. 'This is pretty fucked, dude. What if it was murder?'
I'm about to say something when I notice Watson walking towards us. His hair is messy and his shirt is crumpled. I smile unintentionally at his approaching figure. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and shows me an article on a news site.
'Maisonwood's book not dime a dozen for police?' I read out the title of the article. 'Thomas Maisonwood, drummer for 80s rock band Dime's the Limit was yesterday questioned by police after new allegations about lead singer George Addison's disappearance arose thanks to new evidence in Maisonwood's book, which is due for publication later this month.'
I look up at Watson, surprised. 'This is in the newspaper?' I ask.
'Yeah. Are you okay, Emmy?' he places a hand on my arm.
'I'm worried about it. Dad seems to think the police want to get him on the murder. He says there's no evidence, but the police seem to think that something in his book changes something about the case.'
Watson gives me a reassuring smile. 'It'll be okay, Emmy, I'm sure. But there's no point us worrying about it. Your dad and the police will sort it out. Ainsley is already in homeroom. She's got something to tell you.'
'Really?'
Ainsley is sitting at a desk in our homeroom in C block, drawing flowers onto the outside of her notebook. When I take a seat beside her she looks up, and I see a hint of terror in her face. I glance at Watson, who nods reassuringly.
'What's up?' I ask.
'Uh, my parents are going away for a weekend,' Ainsley says. 'And um, I thought, since no one in Cernette has had a big party, maybe I could host one.'
'Oh!' I say, excited. 'Really? Yes, that's awesome! A Cernette party!'
Ainsley looks relieved. 'You need to help me organise it though. I don't know how to host a party.'
'I will, don't worry,' I say. 'I'm sure I can get Dad to hook us up with some great speakers and a light system. Speaking of which, did you hear what happened last night?'
Ainsley nods. 'Dad reckons it's no big deal. He says it's all just formal procedures anyway. The police just have to look as if they're doing something, because otherwise it might cause a stir. A lot of people were really devastated when George Addison died, and there were plenty of theories he was killed. Dad says no one knew much about his girlfriend, and no one knew she might have been pregnant. They said they didn't even know until your Dad started talking to them about the book. But you know what? It's actually a positive thing. It's all just publicity, Em!'
'Dad says they're pushing back the book publication,' I say. 'Until it's sorted out.'
We discuss invitation and set up plans for the party until the bell rings for first period. Ainsley doesn't seem as excited as I do.
As the boys are walking off to class, I grab Ainsley. 'What are you so nervous about?' I ask.
'Well you know I've never hosted a big party before,' she says. Today her blonde hair is pulled back into a very tight ponytail, but the light hair around her face has escaped. She pushes it back from her forehead.
'I'll help organise it,' I say. 'What's really the problem?'
'There are so many problems,' she says. 'Jake has never been to my house. I don't know if he's really my boyfriend or not. I don't know what to wear. It's my party so I feel as if I have to look good, but I never look good. I'm worried someone will trash the house. I'm worried you and Lucas will have a fight. I'm worried Watson and Taylor will spend the whole night kissing, because that means I have to spend the whole night kissing Jake!'
I raise my eyebrows. 'That is too many things to be worried about for a girl your size. Chill, Ains, and don't worry so much. We'll set up this party for you, and you can borrow a dress from me.'
'I wouldn't fit your clothes,' Ainsley shakes her head.
I stare at her, surprised. 'We always share clothes.'
'Okay, fine. Let's just go to class then,' Ainsley says. She grabs my hand to encourage me to walk faster, but I see something out of the corner of my eye that makes me stop.
'I'll be right behind you,' I say, pulling out of Ainsley's grip and dropping back. She hurries to catch up with the boys, and I duck around a corner and into a corridor. I could have sworn I just saw Taylor leading a boy into an empty classroom, and yet Watson was with Julian and Harrison.
I hover outside the door of the classroom, and I can hear voices inside. Taylor's voice is instantly recognisable, but I'm not sure who the other speaker is.
'How much longer do I need to drag this on?' Taylor is whining.
'Here's a pro tip, Tay,' the male inside the room says. 'Crying won't work on me. You know you're much hotter when you smile. Give me a smile, huh?' There's a pause, and then he says, 'That's not a smile, it's just a grimace.'
'That's the face my face makes when it sees your face,' Taylor snaps.
'Shut up,' the guy says, and suddenly I recognise the voice. It's Duncan Forrester. Taylor and Duncan used to go out. So why are they in an empty classroom now?
'You know I like you feisty, Tay. Maybe this weekend I'll get to see you in something other than your school uniform,' he laughs. 'I don't even have to wait until the weekend; I can see you right now.'
Taylor lets out a little shriek, which makes me jump. 'Stop it,' she cries.
Duncan laughs again. 'I've got to get to class, Tay. I've got to keep up my outstanding reputation. See you later, you little slut.'
I hastily creep out of the corridor and around a corner, and watch as Duncan Forrester exits the room, straightening his school tie as he walks. I grit my teeth at him. There was no denying Duncan was being an absolute asshole to Taylor in that room, but what was Taylor doing with him in the first place? Watson wouldn't be happy Taylor was slipping into empty classrooms with her ex-boyfriend.
'Where were you?' Watson asks when I meet him outside of English class. He has his books tucked loosely under one arm. I find myself looking at his collarbones instead of his eyes as I say to him, 'You don't want to know.'
There's an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach and I almost feel guilty when Watson shrugs, and turns into the classroom. I watch his retreating figure, feeling queasy. I need to tell him what I overheard, and yet I know what his reaction will be. Watson already knows I don't like Taylor, and he won't like to hear me telling him about the sketchy sounding conversation I overheard. I reason that I should ask Daniel or Ainsley what to do before talking to Watson, and with that thought, I follow Watson into English.