Friday Barnes 2 (15 page)

Friday, Melanie and Ian walked back to class. They walked slowly, because they knew there was not much point getting there. They would never be able to concentrate on the lesson after the morning's dramatic events. Ian was the first one to break the silence.

‘In a way,' he began, ‘you were only able to put it all together and work out what Chris was up to, thanks to me.'

‘How do you figure that?' asked Friday.

‘If I hadn't framed you with the ricin,' said Ian, ‘you would never have been at the police station and met Malcolm, or heard the description of the escaped prisoner.'

Friday froze and spun around to face him. ‘So you admit you did frame me?'

Ian shrugged. ‘Of course.'

‘Is this some sort of weird backward apology?' asked Friday.

Ian stopped walking and looked at Friday. ‘Maybe,' he said, looking sincere for once. ‘I didn't want to lose my scholarship. This place might suck with all the rules, the teachers and kidney pie Tuesday. But home right now …'

‘Sucks more?' Friday finished for him.

Ian nodded.

‘I can relate to that,' said Friday.

‘Would you two like me to leave you alone?' said Melanie. ‘Maybe I've been watching too many daytime soap operas in the holidays, but this seems to be leading to some sort of public display of affection.'

‘Don't be ridiculous, Melanie,' said Friday.

‘Who says she's being ridiculous?' asked Ian.

Friday looked at Ian. She couldn't gauge the expression on his face.

‘Friday!'

The moment was broken. They all turned to see Thistlewaite, a Year 9 boy, running towards them.

‘It's a world of high drama when you're with Friday Barnes,' said Ian.

‘You've got to come quickly,' said Thistlewaite.

‘Why?' asked Friday.

‘Mr  Davies needs you in the science lab,' said Thistlewaite.

‘Does he need me to explain quantum mechanics to him again?' asked Friday.

‘No,' said Thistlewaite. ‘It's your father, Dr Barnes.'

‘What about him?' asked Friday.

‘He's turned up and taken over Mr Davies' class,' said Thistlewaite.

Friday, Melanie and Ian ran to Mr Davies' classroom. When they burst through the door they saw Mr Davies slumped at a desk, holding his head in his hands while
all the students looked very brain-addled and confused. Friday's father, Dr Barnes, was scrawling equations over every last square inch of the whiteboard.

‘You see, here X is a photon or Z-boson, and here X and Y are two electroweak bosons such that the charge is conserved …' droned Dr Barnes.

‘Dad, stop!' cried Friday. ‘You're hurting their brains!'

Dr Barnes looked up and adjusted his glasses. ‘Ah, Friday. Yes, that's why I'm here. I've come to see you.'

‘Then why have you taken over Mr Davies' class?' asked Friday.

‘I was looking for you and I walked past here,' said Dr Barnes, ‘and I saw the lesson he was teaching. He clearly needed help. His explanation was childlike.'

‘These are children,' said Friday. ‘He was explaining physics to children.'

Dr Barnes turned and looked at the class. He adjusted his glasses on his nose. ‘Oh yes, I suppose so. I hadn't considered that.'

‘Why were you looking for me?' asked Friday. ‘You never have before. Not even the time I got lost at the shopping centre and you went home without me, not realising that I wasn't in the car.'

‘What?' said Dr Barnes. ‘I don't recall the data you're referring to.'

Friday sighed. ‘Of course you don't. Just tell me, why are you here?'

‘Oh,' said Dr Barnes, his eyes suddenly welling with tears, his chin wobbling. ‘It's Dr Barnes.'

‘Isn't that you?' asked Melanie.

‘No, the other Dr Barnes,' said Dr Barnes.

‘Mum?' asked Friday.

‘Yes, her,' said Dr Barnes.

‘What's happened to Mum?' asked Friday.

‘She's disappeared,' said Dr Barnes.

 

To be continued …

To find out what happens next, read the third book in the series …

 

 

FRIDAY BARNES

Big Trouble

Publishing in 2015

Missed out on Friday's first adventure?

 

Check out
Friday Barnes: Girl Detective

OUT NOW

R. A. Spratt is an award-winning author and television writer. She lives in Bowral with her husband and two daughters. Like Friday Barnes, she enjoys wearing a silly hat. 

 

For more information, visit
www.raspratt.com

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