Janie lowers her eyes demurely, then looks back up into his. “Thanks,” she says softly.

He gives her a smoldering look that is unmistakable. Janie hesitates a moment, then waves her fingers lightly as she turns and hurries out the door to her next class.

In study hall, Janie finds Stacey and slides into the chair across from her. Janie wants to be the first to announce the invitation to the party at Mr. Durbin’s, so she can gauge Stacey’s reaction. “Hi,” she says with a grin.

Stacey looks up from her book with surprise. “Oh, hey, Janie. What’s up?” Janie notes with a creepy shudder that she’s reading Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

“You were in Durbin’s Chem. 2 class last term, right?”

“Yesss…” Stacey looks suspicious.

“And you’re going to the chemistry fair, right?”

“Oh, that. Yeah—you are too?”

“Yep. Sounds like fun. I’ll be at the meeting next week to create our display.”

“Cool. It should be easy enough.”

“Anyway, I’m actually here to ask you about Durbin.” Stacey’s eyes narrow. “What about him?”

“Well, he’s having his Chem. 2 party at his house, and our class decided to invite your class to come too.”

Stacey gets a goofy smile on her lips. “Oh cool! He didn’t, by chance, tell you guys what happened last semester, did he?” Janie cocks her head. “No, not really. Just said everybody had a great time.”

Stacey’s grin grows wider. She leans forward across the table, and whispers, “Everybody got completely plastered. Even Durbin and Wang.”

Janie’s heart jumps. She controls her surprise, and speaks softly.

“Wang was there too?”

“Yeah. Durbin and Wang are buddies. I think they play a lot of rec basketball together or something. Durbin said something about Wang being there for entertainment and crowd control.” She laughs, and then grows serious. “Don’t tell anybody about the alcohol, ’kay? Durbin and Wang could both get canned for it. But we chem geeks are a loyal bunch. And we know how to keep our mouths closed,” she adds.

She’s chuckling to herself.

“Of course,” Janie says seriously. “I’d never rat on him—He’s the best.”

“Yeah.” Stacey sighs. “He’s sooo hot. Wang’s not bad either, for a snooty guy who lives up on the Hill.” The girls giggle softly, and Janie pulls out an extra copy of the party flyer. “Here’s the info. Do you think you can make it? We’re getting a head count so we know how much food to make.”

“Hell yes, I’ll be there. I could use a break from this crazy pace. You want me to spread the word? Most of the others are in my physics class.”

“Sure. I’ll get you some more flyers tomorrow.”

“Sweet. And that was real cool of your class to invite us,” she adds with a grin.

Janie grins back. “So, you think most of them will want to be there?” Stacey thinks a moment. “I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t jump at the chance.”

7:02 p.m.

Janie wraps up her notes at Cabel’s house, and muses, “This is getting curiouser and curiouser.”

Cabel reads over her shoulder. He growls lightly. “He did that lame eyelash trick on you? God, what a loser.” He begins pacing.

“Easy, big fella,” murmurs Janie distractedly as she types in the info she got from Stacey that day. When she finishes, she flips screens to the party flyer and prints out ten copies.

Cabel’s on the phone.

“It’s Cabe,” he says. “I think we need to watch Durbin’s house in the evenings up until—” He pauses. “Oh. Well, that’s why you’re in charge.” He grins sheepishly into the phone. “Thank you, sir.” He hangs up. “Did you know Captain’s been surveilling Durbin’s house for two weeks already?”

“Nope. But it’s a good idea. How’s your progress going, Cabe? I think it’s strange that I can’t find a single student who doesn’t like Durbin.

Have you been able to approach that question yet with your new contacts?”

“Some. He seems to be gunning for teacher of the year, though, the way things are going.”

“If a student was the one who made the call, what would make them not follow through and get their reward? I don’t understand that. Not everybody drinks. And if they showed up there last year not knowing it was that kind of a party, wouldn’t they back out slowly, or at least talk to somebody about it? I’ve never heard of this happening before.

You’d think Carrie’d know.”

Cabe begins pacing again. After a while he says, “Carrie wouldn’t know. She and Melinda and Shay and people into high-end Hill parties aren’t science geeks. There’s not one person on the list who I’ve ever seen at a Hill party. It’s two different worlds.”

“So, what is Durbin’s hold over the geeks that makes them want to protect him?”

Cabel’s in the zone. Janie can almost see the wheels turning in his head. She glances at the flyers, and on a whim, goes to her Gmail account and types up an e-mail to the address Mr. Durbin gave her.

Hey Mr. Durbin,

I talked to Stacey O’Grady today, and she’s stoked about being invited to your party. She told me you guys had a terrific party last semester. If it’s okay with you, she’s going to distribute the flyers to the other kids from that class. Would it be cool if she and I came about an hour early to help you set it up?