Page 116 of Child's Play

The woman shook her head. ‘I’m not connected with the event. I’m here under instruction from the parents. I’m a private tutor, paid for my services to ensure that their children’s continued education doesn’t suffer during the event.’

‘It’s two days’ long,’ Kim said, wondering how much learning they could lose in such a short space of time. ‘And isn’t this event kind of studying?’ she asked.

‘No, officer. Many gifted children are taught to see learning as fun.’

Yeah. Kim wasn’t too sure about that.

‘So, you and Serena get along?’

‘As well as we need to,’ she answered.

Bloody hell this woman was making her look like a chatterbox.

‘Feel free to…’

‘I don’t care much for skirting, officer,’ she said with a half-smile. ‘If there’s a question in your mouth then ask it.’

‘Okay, you two appeared to be having words in the restaurant last night.’

‘I think you’ll find Serena did most of the talking.’

‘If you could just…’

‘But you’re right. She was unhappy with me. I was tutoring an eleven-year-old girl named Carrie Bruce whose mother wanted a ninety-eight per cent pass rate on the history test I’d set her. The child had to re-sit the test and was late to a chess game. Serena tried to insist that I work with her to ensure the children get to their events on time.’

‘And?’

‘She doesn’t pay me. Carrie’s mother does.’

Kim liked the way the woman had stayed calm in the face of the woman’s anger. She suspected that Serena was used to being in charge. She could barely remember what her brother, Jared, had sounded like at all.

‘Do you know about the murder of the victims connected to the event?’

‘No, Inspector, because I’ve been under a rock for the last few days,’ she snapped, and then offered an apologetic smile. ‘I’m sorry, tiredness seems to be linked directly to my enjoyment of sarcasm.’

‘I don’t generally need an excuse for mine to put in an appearance,’ Kim admitted. There was something about this woman she liked. Probably her direct approach.

‘Did you know any of them?’

‘All of them, in passing, if you know what I mean.’

‘You mean you just met them a couple of times?’

‘No, I met them many times. I’ve been doing this event for fourteen years but I prefer to know people only in passing.’

Kim almost offered the woman a high-five. She resisted and frowned.

‘Forgive me but you look a little young to have attended so many times.’

‘I was twenty-four when I first attended and I’ll accept the compliment. Thank you.’

‘And how did you get into?…’

‘Do you have any further questions for me, officer?’

Wow, when this woman didn’t want to talk she shut you down pretty quick.

Kim made a mental note for later. There was a story here, she could feel it, but pressing her further would result in total shut down.