The Date

Emma looked at the top of the letter. There was a date.

14 October 2026.

That was yesterday.

Anyone could write a date on a letter. Emma knew this was not proof that Claire was alive. But she wanted to find out more.

She searched for Claire Morrison on her computer. She found old newspaper stories and a television programme about the missing teacher. Then she found an article that she had written herself.

Missing Teacher May Have Left Village After Personal Dispute.

Emma did not like the headline now. In 2011, somebody had told her that Claire was unhappy and wanted to leave. Emma wrote about it, but she did not have good proof. She was young and wanted to write an important story. Now she felt sorry.

Emma opened her old notebook. She found her notes from 18 September 2011.

Claire Morrison. Café. Education foundation. Claire did not want to talk about the directors. “Truth more dangerous than a lie.”

Emma remembered that she had not asked more questions.

She looked for the foundation online. It was called the Glenarraidh Education Trust. It helped students. Its chair was Malcolm Vale.

Emma remembered Malcolm. He wore expensive clothes and spoke with confidence. She had interviewed him twice in 2011.

She found an old email from him. It said that Claire was a good person, but that she had personal problems before she disappeared.

Emma stopped. Was Malcolm the person who had told her that Claire wanted to leave? She did not know. The name of her source was on an old computer drive. She needed to find it.

Her phone made a sound. Sarah Bennett, her editor, had sent a message.

Someone called our office this afternoon. They asked if you still worked here.

Who? Emma wrote.

I don't know. They talked about your old story about Claire Morrison.

Emma looked at the letter. It arrived on the same day as the call. Were the two things connected? She was not sure.

Sarah sent one more message.

More people than usual looked at your old article today. We don't know who they were.

Emma wrote back: Can we talk tomorrow morning?

Then she wrote three questions in her notebook.

Who sent the letter?

What happened at the foundation?

Who told Emma that Claire wanted to disappear?

She could start with the last question. Emma went to look for her old computer drive.