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The car park was nearly empty as Dawn steered the van into a spot right in front of the main office entrance.
Glancing over, she saw Lisa wiping her face and checking herself in the rear-view mirror. Was she doing the right thing, getting her sister involved like this?
‘I’m sorry to ask you to do this.’
‘It’s okay. If the P & C are the link in your case, then you need the paperwork.’
‘You don’t have to hang around while I question Rhianna, though.’
‘My bubble was burst years ago. Time to put my big-girl pants on and face reality. Even if David was somehow interested in me permanently, I realise now that’s not a good thing.’
The realisation she and Lisa were chalk and cheese when it came to men hit home harder than ever. Dawn had never needed a man in her life, but in being so independent, she often pushed them away when they tried to get close.
While Lisa clung to any man who would have her. And they usually weren’t worth it. Losing their mother during those teenage years seemed to have stuffed them both up beyond any help.
She reached for Lisa’s hand and squeezed. They needed to stick together. But how? She lived in Adelaide. They were thousands of kilometres away from one another.
She opened her door and stepped out. It was a problem she wasn’t going to solve today.
Lisa straightened her loose-fitting floral dress, pulled her shoulders back and planted her usual smile on her lips. ‘Let’s do this.’
As she followed her sister towards the office, Dawn couldn’t help but wonder how many times Lisa had put a fake smile in place over the years. Probably too many.
Lisa held the door open. Cool air wafted from the doorway as Dawn reached it.
Rhianna hurried behind the counter, packing up files and collecting her bag. She glanced up, her expression a mix of suspicion and annoyance.
They were almost too late.
‘Sorry to bother you Rhianna. We know it’s late, but I have a few questions to ask you. And my sister here needs to collect the P & C archives.’
‘Questions? Official ones? The principal has finished for the day.’
Excellent! Maybe it’s my lucky day after all.
‘That’s not an issue. My questions are for you and of a private nature.’
Rhianna’s perfectly waxed eyebrows knitted together.
‘But if you can point me in the direction of the P & C archives, I can get them out while you chat.’ Lisa’s smile was plastered in place.
‘I don’t know. I should check with the principal or the P & C chair first.’
‘I’m on the committee and I have every right to access the records of a publicly incorporated body.’ Lisa’s tone was pleasant, but there was no doubt she knew she had access.
‘Of course. Follow me.’
Rhianna collected a set of keys from a cabinet behind the reception desk and tottered on her bright green high heels down the carpeted hallway.
She guided the key into a storeroom door lock and turned, opening it to reveal a large room, with a dark grey compactus shelving system.
‘How far back do they go?’
‘No idea.’
She shrugged, removed the key and stepped back into the hallway.
‘Pull it shut when you’re done.’
The receptionist tottered away. Dawn peered into the room.
‘I’ll call Ryan. I think we need help with all these.’
‘Thanks. I’ll find them and put them in the hallway for someone to pick up.’
‘Okay. See you soon.’
Dawn dialled and put the phone to her ear as she followed Rhianna down the hall to the reception area.
‘Ryan. We’ve got the records but need a hand to load them.’
‘On my way.’
‘Thanks.’
She hung up as she reached the front counter.
‘I don’t think they’re allowed off the premises.’
‘We’ll look after them.’ Dawn launched straight into her questions, hoping to distract the receptionist. ‘What’s your relationship with David Fairweather?’
‘What?’
‘We have a witness statement stating you were with David Fairweather last Friday night.’
Rhianna’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Instead, her face rolled through a myriad of emotions, landing on suspicion.
‘What’s this about?’
She was smarter than Dawn expected.
‘The murder of Jessica Mills.’
The woman’s expression was identical to the day Dawn told her they’d identified the body at Archer Point as Jessica’s.
‘Were you with him Friday night?’
Rhianna cleared her throat. ‘It’s frowned upon.’
‘What? Sleeping with a staff member or a married man?’
‘His marriage has been a sham for years.’
‘They all say that. Were you with him or not?’
‘Yes.’
She bit the word off like it was red hot.
‘All night? From when to when?’
‘All night. We had quite a night. Do you want details?
Dawn resisted the urge to cringe and decided to take another tack.
‘You know Fairweather has been accused of having sex with under-age girls.’
Rhianna didn’t flinch.
‘You know where this is going. If you are covering for him, you’ll be charged.’
Rhianna pressed her lips together.
‘So, you’ve never fielded a complaint from any of your high school students?’
Silence hung in the air until the front door opened.
Ryan stepped in. Dawn turned and pointed down the hall. He strode past without a second look.
‘Hang on. What’s going on? Isn’t he the detective?’
‘He’s just here helping a friend.’
‘I need to make a call. This isn’t right.’
Rhianna picked up the phone on the desk and dialled. Dawn watched the numbers being punched and realised she wasn’t calling the principal.
‘We’ll be gone by the time they get here. Tell whoever you’re calling they can find the records at the police station.’
‘But!’
Dawn rushed down the hallway, as Rhianna started talking down the phone.
‘Let’s get these out. Larry Summerset is on the way.’
‘Summerset?’ Ryan grabbed three boxes. Dawn lifted two.
‘I guess it makes sense. He’s the chairman,’ Lisa reasoned as she collected two boxes and followed.
‘Did you get them all?’
‘They only went back seven years. The rest are either gone or archived elsewhere.’
‘Damn.’
Ryan pushed the door open with his back and held it for Dawn and Lisa. ‘It will have to do.’
‘You can’t take those,’ Rhianna rushed around the counter.
‘I most certainly can, and I have,’ Lisa huffed. ‘If anyone has an issue, they can take it up with P & Cs Queensland.’
All seven boxes were loaded into the back of Dawn’s van. She slammed the side door as a black Mercedes scrambled into the driveway.
‘Time to go.’
Ryan ushered them into the car. Dawn didn’t argue. Ryan stepped back as she reversed out of the parking spot.
The last thing she saw in the rear-view mirror was Larry stepping out of the car, hands waving, Ryan standing legs splayed, arms firmly folded across his chest.
She smiled.
The chairman wasn’t getting anywhere with Ryan. The detective was going to stonewall him at every turn.