What Was Promised

Ailsa called at three o'clock. She sounded careful rather than frightened.

"The paperwork never made much sense," she told Emma.

Emma asked permission to take notes. Ailsa agreed, but said that her name must not appear in an article without another conversation. Emma wrote down the condition.

In 2010, Ailsa had been offered support for a nursing course. The award letter mentioned up to three thousand pounds. She had been delighted: the money could help pay for travel and equipment.

"How much did you receive?" Emma asked.

"Nine hundred pounds, in two payments. I've kept my bank statements."

"Did the letter promise the full three thousand?"

"No. It said 'up to'. I understand that. But when I asked about the rest, someone told me the scheme had changed. Nobody explained the change."

Emma asked whether Ailsa still had the letter. She thought it was in a box at her parents' house and promised to look.

Then Emma mentioned Claire Morrison.

"I met her at an information evening," Ailsa said. "She told me to keep every page of the paperwork. She seemed worried. But perhaps I remember her that way because she disappeared later."

Emma appreciated Ailsa's caution. Memories could change over time. She asked her to check the dates against the documents before their next conversation.

After the call, Emma entered the figures in her spreadsheet: maximum advertised award, £3,000; amount Ailsa said she received, £900. She added a note: Documents not yet checked.

The trust's annual report said that some awards depended on continued eligibility and available funds. Perhaps that explained the smaller payment. Emma could not decide without more information.

That evening, another former student replied. His name was Calum Reid. Emma noticed the surname because an old police officer involved in Claire's case was called Daniel Reid. But Reid was a common name. She had no reason to believe the two men were related.

Calum wrote: I was offered help with my course fees. The college never got the money. I still have the invoice.

Emma asked whether they could meet and whether he would allow the college to check its records. She now had two different stories. Neither proved wrongdoing, but both contained details that could be checked.

Before closing her laptop, Emma looked at the word “missing” beside Calum’s payment. She crossed it out and wrote “not confirmed”. Calum’s email described what he believed had happened; the college’s records might tell a different or more complete story. She would ask his permission before seeking those records. The correction looked less exciting on the page, but it was closer to what she knew.