‘I’m sorry, I was looking for the Headmaster,’ said Friday.
‘The Headmaster isn’t here,’ said the woman. ‘He has retired.’
‘What?!’ exclaimed Friday. ‘He’s not coming back?’
‘It would be very odd if he did, considering that he has retired,’ said the woman.
‘Oh,’ said Friday. This was too much information to process and come up with articulate conversation. ‘But I was told to report to the Headmaster. My stuff is being moved out of my room.’
‘Yes, I ordered that,’ said the woman. ‘I am Dr Belcredi, the new headmaster.’
‘You?!’ exclaimed Friday. ‘But you look so …’
‘But I look so what?’ asked Dr Belcredi, a hint of menace in her voice.
‘You look so … sophisticated,’ said Friday. ‘Like you should be flying off to argue a human rights abuse case at The Hague, or negotiating a takeover package for a multi-billion-dollar business.’
‘I can’t think of anything more important than educating the next generation of young people,’ said Dr Belcredi.
Friday snorted a laugh. Dr Belcredi glowered. ‘Sorry,’ said Friday. ‘I didn’t realise you were being serious.’
‘I take everything I do very seriously,’ said Dr Belcredi. There was definitely a sharp edge to her voice now.
‘Then why are you moving my stuff out of the year 8 dorm?’ asked Friday.
‘Because you don’t belong there.’
‘You are expelling me?’ said Friday.
‘Technically, that would be impossible because, according to the paperwork, you aren’t officially enrolled,’ said Dr Belcredi.
‘I meant to get around to filling that out,’ said Friday sheepishly. ‘But things have been busy.’
‘It is ridiculous for a student of your academic ability to be spending her time in year 8,’ said Dr Belcredi. ‘I had only been in the job for an hour when several of the teaching staff complained that you are a constant source of distraction.’
‘I’m guessing that was Mr Maclean,’ said Friday. ‘He doesn’t like it when I point out his errors.’
‘I am moving you to somewhere more appropriate,’ said Dr Belcredi.
‘Not prison?’ asked Friday, beginning to worry.
‘I’m a headmaster, not a dictator,’ said Dr Belcredi.
‘In the context of a school it’s kind of the same thing,’ said Friday.
The new headmaster scowled.
‘Sorry,’ said Friday, realising belatedly that she had been rude.
‘I am moving you to year 12,’ said Dr Belcredi. ‘The work will be more appropriate for a student of your level. You will be able to study with your academic peers. I’ve arranged to have your belongings transferred to the year 12 dormitory immediately.’
‘But what about Melanie?’ asked Friday.
‘Who?’ asked Dr Belcredi.
‘And if I’m in year 12 that means …’ Friday’s brain was racing. ‘I’ll soon be finished with high school!’
‘That is correct,’ said Dr Belcredi. ‘You don’t belong here. I’m going to fix that.’
‘But where will I go?’ asked Friday, her chest tightening as she tried to fight back tears. She did not want to cry in front of the new headmaster. Especially since she appeared to be a cruel psychopath.
‘You’ll have to wait and see,’ said the new headmaster.
Coming soon …
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
Also by R. A. Spratt
The Adventures of Nanny Piggins
Nanny Piggins and the Wicked Plan
Nanny Piggins and the Runaway Lion
Nanny Piggins and the Accidental Blast-Off
Nanny Piggins and the Rival Ringmaster
Nanny Piggins and the Daring Rescue
Nanny Piggins and the Race to Power
The Nanny Piggins Guide to Conquering Christmas
Friday Barnes: Girl Detective
Friday Barnes: Under Suspicion
Friday Barnes: Big Trouble
Friday Barnes: No Rules
Friday Barnes: The Plot Thickens
Friday Barnes: Danger Ahead
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Penguin Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Version 1.0
Friday Barnes: Bitter Enemies
9780143784180
Published by Random House Australia 2017
Copyright © R. A. Spratt 2017
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
A Random House Australia book
Published by Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW, 2060
www.penguin.com.au
Addresses for the Penguin Random House group of companies can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com/offices.
First published by Random House Australia in 2017
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Spratt, R. A.
Title: Bitter Enemies [electronic resource]
ISBN: 978 0 14378 418 0 (ebook)
Series: Friday Barnes; 7
Target audience: For primary school age
Subject: Girls – Juvenile fiction
Friendship – Juvenile fiction
High school environment – Juvenile fiction
Detective and mystery stories
Cover illustration by Lilly Piri, www.littlegalaxie.com
Cover design by Kirby Armstrong
Ebook by Firstsource