Music and Lies (George and Finn Book 1)

by Gill-Marie Stewart

  ‘I got the painting back, didn’t I?’ said Finn.

  ‘And you’ve got Cami,’ I said.

  ‘Some consolation if I end up in prison,’ snarled Marcus, but he put his arm around his brother as we began to move slowly in the direction of the village.

  ‘Just think, after all this, I managed to miss Murdo Mensah,’ I said. I gave a giggle. As if that was important now.

  ‘You didn’t, actually,’ said Marcus. ‘He never showed. Wanker.’

  And then we all began to laugh, at the complete absurdity.

  FINN

  We met the first police car just above the village. We stopped when the headlights hit us, blinding. There was no point in running, although Marcus was cursing under his breath and Cami shrank into his brother. I didn’t think he was any the worse for his little sojourn with Marcus’s friends, but he still wasn’t that keen on the police.

  ‘Finn MacPherson!’ said one of the dark figures who climbed out of the car. ‘Great timing for the phone call. Very useful. I’d put out a request to be informed if your mobile number called. Convenient that I was on duty. But why didn’t you speak?’

  ‘Er,’ I said. Where did I start?

  ‘Things were a bit, um, difficult,’ said George. ‘We, er, well, it’s a bit hard to explain …’

  I had to hand it to her. Even after the frights she’d had over the last few hours, she was still trying her best. Still interfering. It took a kind of courage to interfere. I knew that.

  ‘It worked out fine,’ said another man. ‘We picked up the men in that car before they reached the main road. Behaving very suspiciously so we needed to have a look. Can’t believe they were stupid enough to all be in the same place at the same time.’

  The guy Morrison took up the story again, watching me carefully as he spoke. ‘No more drugs, though. The last thing we expected to find was that painting. Bloody amazing. Thank you very much.’

  ‘Oh. Er, always glad to …’

  ‘But what exactly were you doing up there?’ he said, sounding annoyed rather than grateful now. ‘Didn’t I tell you to keep out of trouble from now on? Those people are dangerous, you know.’

  ‘It’s a long story,’ said Marcus, deciding to take charge. ‘These kids have been brilliant, it wouldn’t be sorted without them. But now they’re exhausted. Can’t we get them somewhere warm and dry before we go into all the details?’

  The police seemed happy enough to agree.

  So it was, finally, over. Maybe things had even worked out fine.

  I felt absurdly light-headed. Relief? Tiredness? Or just having George reach out to me again and swing our two hands in the air.

  ‘You did it,’ she whispered. ‘Everyone’s safe. Thanks to you.’

  Chapter Forty

  GEORGE

  The following morning – or, I suppose, later the same morning – I woke to brilliant sunshine coming through the thin canvas of my tent. I was alone in here, and had slept perfectly, and now it was a beautiful day, the birds were singing and there was the happy clatter of people packing up.

  I lay there for a while, safe and warm in my sleeping bag, trying to remember everything that had happened and work it out in my head. But I urgently needed to go to the toilet, so I wriggled into my least dirty clothes, and crawled out into the mud and grass clearing for the last time.

  The campsite was already half-empty, I don’t know how I’d managed to sleep so long. Further away I could see crews of volunteers beginning to strike the marquees and the main stage. Marcus was with them, shouting instructions and swearing so loudly I could hear him from here. He didn’t seem any different from normal. The police had interviewed him under caution last night, but they hadn’t actually arrested him and he seemed to hope he could get out of this without too much bother. And it was me calling the police – even if by accident – that had helped. Now Marcus was a witness for the prosecution or something and apparently any involvement he’d had in the crime would be viewed leniently.

  I hoped not too much of this made it into the newspapers. Dad was going to be furious if he found out. And I didn’t even want to think what Mum would say.

  I looked around for Finn. His tent was still there, thank goodness, but there was no sign of him. I concentrated on making myself look as decent as I could, given the resources. Okay, so he’d seen me at my worst more than once, but I could still hope, couldn’t I? I did my best to cover up my freckles, and used masses of eyeliner and the very end of my mascara. Dad might say I’d overdone it when he came to collect me, but it wasn’t him I was trying to impress. I tied my hair back, that way you couldn’t see how messy it was. Bloody hair. I bet that was what had got me into trouble with fat Chester and his friend, they’d spotted it in the darkness.

  I was just starting to take down my tent – what aeons it seemed since I’d struggled to put it up – when Cami and Finn appeared.

  ‘We brought you breakfast,’ said Cami, handing me a cardboard cup of coffee. He looked filthy, with hair hanging in his eyes, but really no different from any other time.

  Finn was carrying bacon rolls and he distributed one to each of us. ‘We didn’t think you’d have any food left to make your own breakfast.’

  ‘I haven’t, not a thing.’ I took a huge bite. Bliss. I was starving and this was amazing. Plus Finn was here. And looking totally gorgeous.

  ‘We’ll help you pack up,’ said Finn.

  ‘I’ve got other stuff to do,’ said Cami immediately.

  Finn ignored him. ‘What time’s your dad arriving?’

  ‘He said late morning.’

  Finn smiled, that lovely smile that lit up his face. ‘Which could be any time now. You slept and slept. We thought you were never going to wake up.’

  ‘I was tired,’ I said defensively. ‘God, I hope Dad doesn’t arrive too soon. I really don’t want to go yet …’

  ‘You want to hang around here, after all the hassle?’ said Cami sceptically. ‘In any case, it’s not the same once the packing up starts. Not nearly as much fun.’

  I could see what he meant. So many tents had gone already. Now the place seemed to be mostly overflowing bins, and piles of rubbish that hadn’t even made it to a bin. I wondered if Marcus’s remaining helpers would stick around to clear it up. Whatever, it wasn’t my problem.

  I wished Cami would go away. I wanted to spend every last possible moment with Finn. I didn’t even want to think about never seeing him again. We had to stay in touch. Should I just ask him for his number now and get it over with?

  Finn, meanwhile, seemed to have no such desperate thoughts. He had swallowed the last of his roll and was methodically pulling up all the tent pegs, cleaning them with a cloth (he was thorough!) and putting them neatly away in their bag.

  ‘Real boy scout, aren’t you?’ said Cami sourly.

  ‘I learnt this on Duke of Edinburgh, actually. Not something I’d pick up from people round here, that’s for sure.’

  Cami snorted. ‘Duke of Edinburgh? Jesus.’

  Finn didn’t seem to care. He said, ‘Anything that gets you out of school has to have a good side.’ Then he began taking off the outer canvas of the tent and laying it out on the ground. I did my best to help, folding it neatly. It was really sad to see the tent poles coming out and the whole of the little igloo shape collapsing onto the ground. That had been my home! I’d got quite fond of it, shared it with both Becky and Finn. Now it really was nearly over.

  Cami didn’t do anything to help, but he hung around, like he wanted to say something. Finn was actually at the stage of inserting the tent into its bag before Cami finally demanded, ‘So, was all that sneaking around worth it? Hey?’

  Finn sat back on his heels. ‘I don’t sneak around.’

  ‘Aye, you do. Always off into the forest and never saying where you’re going. Making notes in your little book. I’ve seen you.’

  I wouldn’t have used Cami’s tone but I had to agree with what he was saying. Finn had been forever
disappearing. I suppose that’s what it took to be a police mole.

  ‘Oh, that,’ said Finn, and actually smiled. He finished with the tent then took the slim notebook from one of his many pockets. ‘Want to know what I was doing?’

  Cami and I looked at each other doubtfully. Was he having a joke on us? We were both pretty sure we knew what he had been up to. I thought I understood why: he didn’t want anyone else to end up like his mother. Cami just thought he was a clipe, which he explained was the Scots word for tell-tale.

  We shuffled forwards and peered at the pages of the book as he showed them to us. Strange little maps, notes of dates and what looked like measurements.

  ‘Is this to do with the drug dealers?’ I asked, confused.

  ‘No.’ His grin was even wider. ‘It’s for a school project. That’s what I’ve been working on most of the time. It didn’t take that long to figure out where Dex was hiding his stuff. I didn’t say anything about this because, well, I know how Cami is about school.’

  ‘You were working on a school project?’ said Cami with exactly the amount of disgust Finn had expected. ‘Jesus.’

  ‘What is it?’ I frowned down at the diagrams, wanting to understand.

  ‘I’m kind of interested in woods, especially semi-natural woodlands,’ said Finn, sounding almost embarrassed. ‘The project I’ve chosen for Sixth Year is going to be about that. Being in the forest here was too good an opportunity to miss. I’ve been mapping any segments of natural woodland that remain from before all the conifer planting. There’re not many of those. But it’s fascinating to see the regeneration in the areas where felling has taken place. Along the water courses especially there are masses of birch and willow, even some hazel.’

  ‘You are so weird,’ said Cami.

  ‘I think it’s interesting,’ I said.

  ‘You would.’ Cami rolled his eyes. I didn’t know if he meant because I was a bore, too, or because I found everything about Finn interesting. I glared at him on either count.

  ‘Of course, I did see a few useful things when I was scouting around,’ said Finn. ‘People going where they shouldn’t, not just Dex, but Chester, and that guy Terry. Oh, and you, too, Cami. You really didn’t cover your tracks very well.’

  ‘Me! I had nothing to do with …’

  ‘Lucky for you the police actually seem to believe that.’ Now it was Finn who sounded disgusted. ‘I don’t suppose this will teach you a lesson, will it?’

  Cami shrugged and stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans. ‘I promised Marcus,’ he muttered, but what he had promised and whether he would actually stick to it was anyone’s guess. I couldn’t dislike Cami, but I still didn’t trust him. He just didn’t think the same way I did.

  As if to prove that point he slouched off without even saying goodbye.

  ‘I can’t believe he’s your cousin,’ I said, watching him go.

  Finn shrugged. ‘He’s not bad. Sometimes.’

  There was an awkward pause. This was it. We had to say goodbye. I needed to speak to him privately before Dad appeared.

  We both started speaking at once. I said ‘I wondered …’ and he said, ‘I’m sorry …’

  Then we both stopped. ‘You go on,’ I said quickly. I felt like I was blushing for no reason.

  Finn moved his shoulders, ill at ease. ‘I was just saying, I’m sorry you had such a rough time here.’

  ‘But I’ve loved it! And you did warn me.’

  ‘And you didn’t listen.’

  ‘And you’ve had a pretty rough time, yourself.’ I had a sudden thought. ‘Did you get your guitar back? We left it up in the forest last night …’

  ‘Yeah, I got it.’

  ‘Thank goodness.’ I hesitated. ‘Maybe I could hear you play it sometime.’

  ‘Maybe.’ He shrugged. ‘Look, I’d better go and help out. Marcus is a bit short-staffed, I wonder why, and I want to keep on his good side so he gives me a lift back to school.’

  ‘Oh, God, school,’ I said. Mum would have a fit. I’d done no revision for two whole days.

  ‘Anyway, keep in touch.’

  That was my chance. At last. ‘Can I get your mobile number, then? And I’ll give you mine. We can, er, text, or something.’

  He seemed pleased. At least, he smiled. He got out his phone and began pressing keys. My spirits lifted incredibly as he put in my name and number. This wasn’t the end! I couldn’t put his number into my phone because the stupid thing was totally dead, but he said he’d text me as soon as he had reception and then I’d have it.

  ‘And I’ll reply straight away. Well, as soon as I’ve charged my phone,’ I said, and then felt like a fool. He probably wouldn’t want to hear so soon.

  ‘We’ll still be on site here for another day so I won’t have great reception, but it’ll be fine once I’m back in Edinburgh. And you can let me know how Beck gets on.’

  ‘Yes. I will.’

  I took a deep breath and then moved a step closer. ‘Well. Goodbye then.’ And another step closer. And then I stood on tiptoe and kissed him. It was just going to be a light goodbye kiss, but he didn’t seem to see it that way. He pulled me nearer and began to kiss me properly, right there where anyone could see.

  I kissed him back. It felt so right. I wanted to hold onto him for ever, to feel his slim body pressed against mine, my fingers in his soft hair. To forget everything except this moment.

  Then I heard someone coughing. ‘Er, hmm, hmm.’

  It could only be my father! Finn and I leapt apart. For the first time ever, I saw Finn’s pale face flush deep red.

  ‘Hello Georgina,’ said Dad, looking over our heads and seeming quite as embarrassed as we were.

  ‘Oh, hi Dad. We were just, er, saying goodbye.’ I realised Finn had hold of my hand and I held on to him for one more moment, then let go. He took a step back.

  ‘Morning Mr. Wray. I’d better, mmm, be off.’

  ‘Morning Finn. Everything go okay last night? Thanks for looking after Georgina.’

  ‘Everything was absolutely fine,’ I said quickly.

  ‘Yes, it was,’ said Finn. ‘Absolutely fine. Okay, I’m off. Don’t forget to stay in touch.’

  ‘I won’t,’ I said, and watched in silence as he strode away, slim and tall and, despite, everything, still looking really quite tidy in his dark tee-shirt and combats.

  ‘I didn’t realise he was your, er, boyfriend,’ said Dad uncomfortably.

  I didn’t know the answer to that so I just shrugged. I hoped so. And if I had anything to do with it, it would be so. We would stay in touch. We could meet up again. We could do whatever we wanted.

  For now I changed the subject, telling Dad everything was packed up and suggesting he give me a hand to carry it over to his car.

  I looked at the spot where I had lived for those past days. The only sign I’d been here was the pale, flattened grass.

  But I had memories and then some. And such good ones. Well, there had been some scary moments but it had worked out fine! I wasn’t going to think about the rest. I grinned as Dad and I walked away.

  All in all, music festivals were pretty amazing.

  Acknowledgements

  Grateful thanks to Pia Fenton who has supported me through so many years of writing and from whom I’ve learnt so much – for her friendship as well as her assistance.

  Writing buddies Gwen Kirkwood, Mary Smith and Zana Bell have proved invaluable encouragement through tough times. My wonderful editor Claire Watts has shown me how to bring out the strengths of a story and spot all those errors I just couldn’t see (any remaining ones are completely my own). The Paisley Piranhas have been a great boon to me and given me the drive to bring this novel to publication. Thank you one and all!

  I would also like to mention the Romantic Novelists Association and express my appreciation to them for teaching me so much about writing, and introducing me to so many wonderful writing friends.

  Although she is no longer with us, a special
thanks to my late agent Dorothy Lumley for her wise advice and her belief in my writing.

  And last, but definitely not least, special thanks to my (mostly) patient husband and two amazing, supportive sons, whose interest in music festivals gave

  me the starting idea for this book.

  Coming in Summer 2015

  Bright Lights and Lies

  The second in the George and Finn series

  When George and Finn meet again in the summer holidays, will the spark between them still be there?

  And can they just have fun, or will family, and crime, and other people’s troubles get in the way

  once again?