Dot shook her head.“There’ll be one more in the lock up tonight, but I need to ensure Kurt Webb doesn’t see her.”
The man nodded.“We can arrange that.What else do you need?”
“A computer.I need to search for a couple of things.”
“This way.Some of the guys have gone home.”
Dot started by calling Colin.“What have you found on Myra?”
“She’s got no social media presence and the only mention of her online is on the school website.”
Very few people weren’t on social media.“Keep looking.”She searched forteacher scandaland then addedAustraliawhen the results were too broad.Far too many results still, but she opened a dozen windows to see what they were about.She closed any relating to men or incidents over five years ago.The last link contained the headline,Graduate teacher fired for sleeping with student.The photo of the female teacher had been taken from a social media site and Dot nearly closed it, but something in the woman’s eyes grabbed her.She enlarged it and visualised the woman with brown hair instead of blonde, a smaller nose, higher cheekbones, and larger breasts.It could be Myra Simpson.Stonefish had the resources to change a person’s identity.
Dot typed the teacher’s name into the police database and discovered she had skipped bail and hadn’t been seen for almost twelve months.She printed the photo and then returned to the interview room.Myra straightened her spine but didn’t look at Dot.
“Do you have anything you want to add to your statement?”Dot asked.
“No.”
Dot compared the photo with the woman in front of her.Same hairline and skin tone, same jaw and lips, same eyes.When they fingerprinted her, they would get confirmation, but Dot was already convinced.“You must love teaching.”
Myra frowned.“I do.It’s my life’s work.”
“Why come back to Australia then?Why not work overseas?”
“My family is all here.”
Not a strong enough motivation.She’d know the police would watch her parents, waiting for her to contact them.“Stonefish ordered you here, didn’t they?”
She jerked at the name.“How—” She stared at Dot.
“Courtney, you need to tell me everything you know about Stonefish.”
Myra gasped at the use of her real name and then buried her head in her arms and cried.
***
It was almost nine o’clock before Dot left the Carnarvon police station.She’d considered spending the night in Carnarvon, but she wanted to be on hand when the search for Nhiari started tomorrow.It was pitch black after leaving the town’s outskirts and she put her high beams on to give herself more field of vision.The last thing she needed was to hit a kangaroo.
Fatigue pummelled her, and all she wanted to do was pull over at the next rest stop, but she kept going.She had to process the information Myra/Courtney had given her after she’d realised Dot knew everything.
She wound down the window and let the cool air flow over her face.
Courtney had had an affair with a year twelve student.When it had been exposed, the boy’s parents had been out for blood and Courtney had gone to a friend who could help her.In a matter of days, she had a fake passport and had travelled to Thailand to get plastic surgery.
When questioned about what she had to promise in return, Courtney said Stonefish had told her they liked helping people in need.She’d been too desperate to question it further.
So Courtney had changed her appearance, adopted the name of Myra Simpson and spent a year abroad while Stonefish had cemented her identity back in Australia.She kept swearing she’d done nothing wrong, that the relationship had been consensual, and she shouldn’t be punished for it.
Others Dot had come across who had been ensnared by Stonefish had been trapped trying to protect loved ones; Courtney was in it for self-gain.Much like Mark had been.
Dot ignored the dual stabs of guilt and grief at the thought of her brother.In the two months since his death, she still couldn’t shake the idea that she should have known, should have made more of an effort to find out what he was up to.Should have supported him better.
She exhaled and focused back on the road, slowing as eyes glowed on the side.The kangaroo watched her drive past but didn’t move.
Stonefish had arranged Myra’s job in Retribution Bay.She’d been told she needed to keep a low profile before she moved back to a city to resume her life.A punishment in her eyes.Then Kurt had started his demands, and she’d realised how trapped she was.
She wouldn’t be teaching again any time soon.
