Jasper Jones

Charlie is frustrated because Jasper has not come by for a week. Charlie realizes what people would think of him if they knew that he helped to hide Laura’s body. There is a meeting about Laura’s disappearance. While Charlie is with Jeffrey, they hear a scream and a crash as Sue Findlay stomps up to Mrs. Lu and slaps Mrs. Lu’s teacup, scalding Mrs. Lu. Sue’s son was killed in Vietnam, and yesterday another of her sons was drafted. Jeffrey gets his mother away from the situation, and no one inside mentions the incident after the Lus drive away. Charlie is upset that no one helped Mrs. Lu. Later, Jasper comes to Charlie’s window with a beaten face, having been interrogated by the constable about Laura’s disappearance. Charlie leaves with Jasper, and they hide when they see a car coming. They get to the clearing, and Charlie asks for some whiskey. Jasper tells Charlie that he and Laura planned to leave town together. He had been working to save money, and she was going to take some money from her father. Jasper still plans to go to the city. Charlie thinks that anyone can act like an adult, but a true man knows what to do when things go wrong.