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Dawn opened the door to the first interview room. Trevor jumped up, then slowly sank back down into his chair, alongside his brother. Brad’s eyes were fixed on his hands, clasped together on the table, knuckles white.
‘What are you doing here?’ Trevor didn’t hide his distaste.
‘I’m not here as a cop.’
‘Because you have no jurisdiction here.’
‘True. I’m a consultant, but I’ve got sway. I’m here to make you an offer.’
‘No deals. Brad didn’t do anything wrong.’
‘What about you?’
‘Are you charging my client?’
Dawn laughed aloud. ‘I told you. I’m not here to charge anyone. I’m here to make sure Brad doesn’t do a life sentence for murder.’
‘Murder!’
Trevor lifted his nose into the air. ‘He’s on a mental health directive. He waved a gun around. I’ll get him off with a psychiatric reference in a heartbeat.’
‘We’re ... Detective Ryan and the sergeant are still gathering evidence, but they have enough to charge you both with financial fraud.’
Trevor sat back, exhaled, ran his hand through his hair and pressed his lips together.
‘Here’s what I know.’
‘Is this being taped?’
‘No. I’m here as a friend. I told you already. We’re after a murderer. In exchange for Brad’s testimony, we’ll do all we can to minimise the fraud charges. I’m guessing you started ripping off the grant money back when you were at school. A judge will take that into consideration. You were only kids. I don’t think you masterminded this.’
Brad finally glanced up, meeting her eyes.
‘I didn’t kill anyone.’
‘Be quiet, Brad. I’ll do the talking.’ Trevor interrupted, then glanced at his brother. Wrapping an arm around Brad’s shoulder, he squeezed. A tear rolled down Brad’s face.
‘I believe you. You thought Fraser killed Tracey, until you found out about Jessica.’
Dawn watched Trevor closely, trying to read exactly how much he knew about the whole scheme.
‘How did you find out about Jessica?’ Dawn held Brad’s gaze as he opened his mouth to speak.
‘Don’t answer that.’ Trevor was quick and focussed. Still the lawyer, despite the circumstances. Dawn was mildly impressed.
‘This all sounds like a fishing expedition. If you had any real evidence, you’d be charging my client.’
‘Oh, I’m not authorised to charge anyone, as I’ve told you. But have no doubt, Brad is facing charges. Assault. Unlawful use of a firearm. I’m sure Detective Ryan will think of something else to add and it won’t take long for all the paperwork to come through about the fraud charges. Brad is the auditor. He must have known.’
Trevor bit his lip. Brad sat back in his chair, pulled his shoulders back, appearing to rally.
‘I’d like to see Veronica now. Is she alright?’
‘She’s recovering. But she’s still unconscious. I’m sure I can arrange a visit soon, but you’re still being held for questioning for now.’
Dawn knew Trevor wouldn’t complain. Time was on his side. The fact Brad hadn’t been charged yet was a good thing, and the lawyer knew it.
‘You’ll get one shot to roll on whoever is driving this train. I’ll give you a bit of time to consider it.’
Dawn slowly rose, then stopped.
‘You’ve got young children Brad. Ask yourself when you’ll see them again, if you keep quiet.’
Dawn opened the interview door, hesitating, hoping Brad would speak up. When he didn’t, she stepped through and closed the door behind her.
Ryan met her in the hallway. Sergeant Martin a step behind. ‘I thought you had him for a second.’
‘So did I.’
They made their way back down the hallway to the main office area. Sergeant Martin strode down the centre to the whiteboard, turned and pointed at Reynolds.
‘ASIC report.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Who are the directors of the Summerset Trust?’
Reynolds wore a grin from ear to ear as she rolled her chair back and strutted towards the sergeant and plucked a whiteboard marker off the shelf below the board.
‘Larry, Trevor and Brad Summerset. And you’ll never guess who else?’
‘Tom Fletcher,’ Dawn offered.
‘How did you know?’
‘Call it instinct. Do we have Fairweather’s bank records yet?’
‘Here.’ Constable Jamison held a wad of paperwork in his left hand. Ryan was closest. Stepping forward, he reached for it and began scanning.
Dawn watched as a smile crept across his face.
‘I knew that new-model Prius was outside his pay grade.’
Dawn scooted around behind him. ‘That’s a lot of money.’
‘And it’s every month.’
Ryan shuffled through the paperwork, then tossed it down on Jamison’s desk.
‘Let’s get Fairweather back in here, and I need someone going through Tom Fletcher’s financials with a fine-tooth comb.’ Sergeant Martin snatched the whiteboard marker from Reynolds’ hand and used it as a pointer.
‘We need to charge Fletcher or take his statement about Brad’s attack and let him go very soon, so let’s get cracking, people. I’ll get a warrant for Fletcher’s phone records. Reynolds, I need you and Jamison going over the receipts for the grant money. Anything weird, I want to know about it.’
The room exploded into action.
‘I want the CCTV footage from the school. Where the hell is it?’ Dawn scanned the faces in the room.
‘It arrived this morning, before all hell broke loose.’ Reynolds started typing on her computer, then slipped out of the chair. ‘Here. I’ve queued it up for you.’
Dawn slid into the seat, adjusted the height, checked the time stamp on the footage and set it running.
‘Don’t you want to come with me to get Fairweather?’
Dawn glanced up as Ryan hovered over her shoulder. ‘I want to see this footage first. I’ve got a hunch it is going to help put all this information together.’
‘I’ll wait then.’
She wasn’t sure if it was the adrenalin of seeing the investigation coming together or if it was Ryan’s body heat, but a flush hit her system like a hot iron.
Shaking it free, she upped the playback speed and watched the stream of children leaving school until the school resembled a ghost town.
Her heart rate kicked up a notch as a white Prius pulled into the parking lot.
‘That’s Fairweather’s car.’ Ryan said.
She checked the time stamp.
‘Three forty-five. Well after school finished.’
They watched the footage continue. Sergeant Martin’s phone pinged in his pocket. He glanced at it as Dawn looked up.
‘Warrant is in. I’ll pull the financials. Keep me in the loop.’
He rushed to his office. Dawn’s eyes returned to the screen to see Jessica get into the vehicle.
Ryan patted her shoulder.
‘Let’s go pick him up.’