The Names

Emma woke up early. She had not slept well. The letter was still on her kitchen table. She read one sentence again: Look at what was promised to those students, and what they actually received.

She made some coffee and opened her laptop. She wanted to understand the scholarships from 2010. The Glenarraidh Education Trust had helped young people pay for their studies. Its chairman was Malcolm Vale.

Emma found an old brochure on her computer. It showed twelve students standing outside a college. Each student had received an offer of help. The brochure said that a scholarship could be worth up to £3,000.

Emma stopped reading for a moment. The words up to were important. They did not mean that every student would get £3,000. Some might receive less.

She made a table with the students' names. Next to each name, she wrote three questions: How much money was offered? How much was received? Was there a letter or another document to prove it?

Before contacting the students, Emma checked the dates on the brochure. One photograph had been taken in spring, but the report beside it covered the whole year. She almost counted the people in the picture as proof of the number of awards. Then she stopped. A photograph could show who attended an event; it could not show who received money. She wrote the distinction beside her table. It was a small correction, but the kind she had failed to make in 2011. She returned to her list of names, aware that some of the students might not want to speak to her.

She found contact details for two former students. She sent them short, polite messages. She explained that she was checking the old scholarship programme. She did not mention Claire Morrison or the strange letter. She still did not know who had sent it.

Her editor, Sarah, phoned.

“Any news?” Sarah asked.

“I found twelve names,” Emma said. “But another report says fewer students received payments.”

“Does that mean money is missing?”

“Not yet. The reports might be counting different things. I need to speak to the students.”

“Good. Ask simple questions first.”

After the call, Emma looked at the photograph again. These students were real people. Their plans had depended on the help they were promised.

Before lunch, an email arrived from Ailsa Grant.

I remember the scholarship, Ailsa wrote. I can speak to you, but please don't use my name in a story without asking me again.

Emma thanked Ailsa and asked when they could speak. They agreed to speak that afternoon.