He says that someone else must have done it and that they have to hide the body before the police find it. Charlie is shocked and scared, but he decides to trust Jasper and help him. They throw the body into a nearby dam and weigh it down with a rock. Jasper tells Charlie that they have to keep this a secret and that they have to find out who killed Laura. Charlie agrees, but he also feels guilty and conflicted. He wonders why Jasper chose him and what he knows about Laura.
The next day, Charlie goes to school and learns that Laura is missing. He sees Laura’s sister, Eliza, who is distraught and angry. He feels sorry for her and tries to comfort her. He also meets Jeffrey Lu, a Vietnamese boy who has just moved to Corrigan with his family. Jeffrey is a cricket fan and a comic relief. He becomes Charlie’s best friend and helps him cope with the stress and fear of his situation.
Charlie also has to deal with his mother, Ruth, who is unhappy and dissatisfied with her life. She is constantly nagging and arguing with Charlie and his father, Wes, who is a mild-mannered accountant and a loving father. Charlie loves his father, but he also resents him for being passive and submissive to his mother.
As the novel progresses, Charlie and Jasper try to investigate the murder and find clues. They suspect that the killer is Mad Jack Lionel, a reclusive and mysterious old man who lives on the edge of town. He is rumored to be a murderer and a cannibal, and he has a connection to Jasper’s past. Charlie and Jasper break into his house and find evidence that links him to Laura. They also discover that he is Jasper’s grandfather and that he has a tragic story of his own.
Meanwhile, Charlie and Eliza grow closer and fall in love. They share their secrets and their feelings, and they try to help each other heal. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Charlie knows what happened to Laura and that Eliza wants to find her.
The novel reaches its climax when the town erupts in violence and chaos. A group of racist thugs attack Jeffrey and his family, setting their house on fire. Charlie and Jasper rush to save them, but they are too late. Jeffrey’s mother dies in the fire, and Jeffrey is badly injured. Charlie and Jasper are also beaten up by the mob, who accuse Jasper of killing Laura. Charlie is rescued by his father, who finally stands up to his mother and defends his son.
