Following Jane

In the uproar over the murder of teacher William Anderson, the folks at Berkeley Technical High hardly notice when student Jane Wahlman runs away two weeks later. But when PI Francis ``Tito'' Broz, hired by Jane's father, Andrew, shows up on the doorstep of history teacher Barrett Lake with a few questions, Barrett decides she wants to learn his trade and help find Jane. Since Tito has other pressing cases, Barrett convinces him to coach her through the case. She knows some of Jane's school acquaintances (friend Lorene Johnson, boyfriend Mark Hanlon and drama club advisor Rob Harwood), but discovers it is even tougher to wheedle answers out of people as an investigator than as a teacher. After chatting with Roberta Clapton, Jane's mother, Barrett finds the questioning goes beyond slippery to slimy--Neil Clapton, Jane's stepfather, sexually abused her until Roberta threw him out. Singer ( Suicide King ) convincingly leads her novice sleuth--armed with only common sense, tenacity and Tito's help--through a maze of reluctant witnesses. Although Barrett solves both mysteries, Singer leaves room for her rookie's future development at her new trade. ( Mar .)