Free Music and Lies (George and Finn Book 1) by Gill-Marie Stewart Page A

with you, here you go.’
    I had to put up with Dad saying, ‘You haven’t heard the last of this,’ and ‘We’re going to have a long chat when I get home,’ but I was quite happy to agree to anything. It didn’t matter what happened after the festival, as long as I got to stay here now.
    I ended the call and gave Becky a hug. ‘You’re a star, thanks a million.’
    After a moment’s hesitation she hugged me back. ‘No problem. Right, shall we get back?’
    I nodded, but some of my delight was dulled by the way her body had felt when I hugged her. Tiny, almost skeletal. She’d winced at my touch.
     
    The police car had gone when we returned to the festival site. Dex had been looking for Becky while we were away and screamed at her to get the fuck over to the van. I made a hasty retreat.
    Cami and some others were hanging around near the almost-finished main stage and I slowed down as I approached them, watching to see if Cami was in a friendly mood. Apparently, he was.
    ‘It’s looking better, isn’t it?’ he said, gesturing around at the stage, then at the metal fencing. It was funny how it made the place look organised, kind of contained. It was even more fascinating, because I’d thought it was all going to be snatched away from me.
    ‘Why were the police here?’ I said. My relief had made me forget about the not-asking-questions thing. His dark face became shuttered and the group of youngish, dreadlocked men shrugged and looked uneasy.
    ‘Just nosing about. The usual.’
    ‘Is it to do with the man who was hurt?’
    ‘Dunno, do I? Why don’t you ask Finn, maybe they’re friends of his.’ Cami gave his sneering smile.
    ‘But is the man that was injured okay?’
    ‘Look, I dunno. Marcus says he’s not coming back here, so it’s not our problem, is it?’
    ‘But if he was seriously hurt …?’
    ‘Not as serious as he should’ve been,’ muttered one of the other men, and someone sniggered.
    Cami glared at them. ‘Marcus says he’s out of hospital, so he must be all right, okay? You satisfied?’
    Not so friendly after all. I scowled back and headed on towards the camping area. I didn’t need to hang around with them. And there wasn’t much happening on the work front. The presence of the police seemed to have put a dampener on everything. Dex had disappeared into his van, Marcus and his cronies into the office.
    Or maybe it was just my imagination that people were tense. As the sun began to sink, lighting the tops of the eastern hills with orange and pink, a group gathered. Some people got out guitars and they set up an impromptu arena at the edge of the campsite. Other people brought disposable barbecues, and beers were handed round, and all of a sudden there was a full-blown party going on.
    I hung around on the edges of it. You didn’t need to be asked to join in, apparently. I liked the music they were playing. I’d heard people strumming away occasionally on previous evenings, but this was better. Someone played really good covers of Franz Ferdinand and someone else of Green Day, until they got shouted down for being too American.
    Cami seemed to have forgiven me for earlier. He came over and stuck a can of beer in my hand, which was a surprise. He was normally the one bumming things off other people. I preferred cider to beer but I didn’t say so.
    ‘Seen Finn?’ he asked. He was standing a bit close, swaying like he’d already had a few beers – or something else – himself. ‘Marcus wants him. Never bloody around when he should be. You’d think he’d be grateful to Marcus for bringing us both along, but oh no, not bloody Finn MacPherson. Always sidling off so he gets out of work.’
    Aha. Here was a chance to find out some answers.
    ‘Marcus brought you and Finn?’ I asked, but tried not to sound too interested.
    ‘Finn not told you he’s our cousin? Doesn’t like to admit it, thinks he’s too fucking good for us. But who else would have him when he’s not at