Page 63 of Dying Truth

Heathcrest Academy charged more than thirty thousand a year. Not a fee that seemed accessible for the three-bed semi with a box porch in Hasbury. He checked the details he’d logged into his phone. Yep, he was in the right place.

He walked around a Skoda Fabia before knocking on the door.

A tidy woman dressed in jeans and a shirt opened the inner door. A casual smile on her lips turned to a frown. She did not open the porch door before asking who he was.

Finally, a woman with the sense to keep a closed door between her and a stranger.

He held up his identification while saying his name.

Her expression turned to alarm as she reached for the key and opened the door.

‘Is anything… has something…’

‘There’s nothing wrong,’ he assured her quickly. ‘Mrs Phifer?’ he added, as a question.

She nodded and although some of the anxiety had left her face it was still etched with concern.

‘May I come in?’ he asked, although he was beginning to suspect he knew the answer to his question.

‘Is your daughter home, Mrs Phifer?’

She shook her head, as she guided him into a tastefully furnished lounge.

‘No officer, she’s at school,’ she answered. ‘Has something happened?’

‘Your daughter is fine, I’m sure,’ he reassured.

‘So what…’

‘Carrie attended Heathcrest Academy until a couple of years ago,’ he said.

The tension that filled her jaw was immediate.

‘Yes, that’s right,’ she said, warily, as she took a seat and motioned for him to do the same.

‘She left mid-year?’ he asked.

Mrs Phifer simply nodded.

‘May I ask why?’ he urged, although the answer was pretty obvious. If the family had been able to afford the fees once they certainly couldn’t now.

‘I removed her from the school,’ she said.

‘Would you mind telling me why?’ he asked. He didn’t wish to humiliate the woman by pressing her to discuss finances, but he just had to be sure.

‘Of course, if you’ll tell me why you want to know.’

He smiled. ‘I’m sorry but I can’t really—’

‘You’re here for a reason, officer. What is it?’ she asked.

‘I can’t help but wonder why your daughter was removed part way through the year,’ he admitted. He looked around and then stood. ‘I think I understand,’ he said. ‘And it must have been very difficult for you.’

He had no wish to force this woman into an uncomfortable position of admitting she had been unable to continue her daughter’s education at Heathcrest because she couldn’t afford it.

‘Oh, you’re wrong, officer,’ she said. ‘Removing Carrie from Heathcrest was the easy part. Losing my beautiful home and lifestyle, along with my marriage not so much, but I don’t regret it for a minute.’

Dawson faltered. He’d read the situation and he’d read it wrong. He sat back down.