Lockheed was expelled from the school a week after that date. Cardilini checked for Lockheed’s address.

‘I’m going out and taking the car,’ Cardilini called.

‘It would be good if you could come to Aunty Roslyn’s for dinner tonight.’

‘We’ll see,’ Cardilini said and started for the door.

Claremont

2.45 p.m. Wednesday, 28th October 1965

Lockheed lived in Claremont. Cardilini pulled up at a single level red brick house with a ‘For Sale’ sign in the front yard. He knocked. A woman in a blue blouse and slacks opened the door. A dark blue band held her blonde hair back. Thin wrinkles gathered under her eyes giving her attractive face a harried expression.

‘Yes?’

‘Mrs Lockheed?’ Cardilini asked watching her wary eyes.

‘Yes.’

‘Detective Sergeant Cardilini.’

‘Yes?’ Mrs Lockheed asked without a hint of interest.

‘Is your son home?’

‘Yes. Why?’

‘You heard about the death of Captain Edmund?’

‘Yes.’

‘We’re following up on any student who had a falling-out with him,’ Cardilini tried to capture an official tone.

‘Why?’

‘Just procedure.’

‘I heard it was an accident,’ Mrs Lockheed shifted her weight and looked past Cardilini uninterestedly.

‘That’s right, Mrs Lockheed, that’s what we’re thinking. Nothing to worry about. He was a strict teacher.’

‘That’s not all he was.’ Flint cracked in her eyes.

‘Meaning?’

‘Nothing. It would just be perfect for them if I was to say anything to you now.’ Mrs Lockheed started to turn aside.

‘Them?’

‘The school principal and my husband for starters. Anyway, let’s get this over with,’ she gestured him into the house, ‘we have a lot to do.’

‘The school principal and your husband?’ Cardilini asked.

Mrs Lockheed turned a stony gaze to Cardilini and walked down the passage into the kitchen. As he followed, Cardilini noted boxes in various stages of being packed in the side rooms. In the kitchen a slender teenager wrapped glasses in newspaper.

‘Detective Sergeant Cardilini, John. The detective is following up with students who had a . . . falling-out with Edmund,’ Mrs Lockheed said acidly as John looked questioningly to her.

‘If you have any information that might assist,’ Cardilini said to Mrs Lockheed. She narrowed her lips and shook her head in the negative. Cardilini looked to John. He watched his mother.

‘John,’ Cardilini said.

‘Yes?’

‘Why were you excluded from the cadets?’

‘This is ridiculous, you know why,’ Mrs Lockheed jumped in, ‘I’m sure the whole school population knows why. And if you don’t know, ask them, it’s their story.’

‘No one has told me anything,’ Cardilini said. He was trying to understand the situation but nothing was making sense.

‘Did you ask them?’

‘Failure to accept authority, is what’s written in John’s file,’ Cardilini replied.

‘Really? And is that why he was expelled? Is that why we’ve both been publicly humiliated and his father . . . oh. Do whatever you have to do, but we’re not going through that again.’

‘What? What happened?’

‘The principal will give you the answers. That’s how it works, isn’t it? You’ll all get together and make up what you want. I know. My husband’s a St Nicholas’ old boy. So are the deputy police commissioner and the superintendent. I know exactly how this will end. Experts have taught me. You’re an amateur, Detective,’ She spoke with such venom that Cardilini took a half step back. John sunk into a kitchen chair.