Part Thirteen   "Enquiries"

 

 
Friday 23rd January
 

There was a heavy frost overnight and everything exposed was icy, including Tammy's nose until she pulled her scarf up to cover it. Even the short walk from her father's car to the school entrance was too far. It was still before eight in the morning but she wanted to join her fellow sixth formers at breakfast.

This was the first time since the New Year that Tammy had taken breakfast at school but it seemed Angela was there every day because her mother was often seeing students before lessons started. It was a mark of her impact on the school, only three weeks on, that Tammy's presence at breakfast was now a non-event.

Talk, however, concerned her business studies tutor, Mr Carmichael. The story, it seemed, was becoming embellished and now included Tammy modelling lingerie at the fashion show, according to one wag.

"You have a dirty mind!"

"Oh, Tammy, we're sure you'd look nice!"

He didn't see Deputy Head Mr Thompson walking up behind him, although most of the table did.

"Miss Smart, please go to the Head's office. Mr Finch, my office."

After her experiences with the police over Christmas Tammy was more than prepared for her meeting with the school's solicitor. What surprised her, however, was who she was meeting in the Head's conference room.

"Ah, Miss Smart."

"Mr Smith?"

"Jeremiah Smith at your service."

"But what are you doing up here?"

"My firm has represented the school for over a century, as well as many other private schools in the Highlands."

The Head coughed.

"Mr Smith, is your familiarity with Miss Smart going to cause a problem?"

"No, Steven, Headmaster, I represented Miss Smart and her father in the High Court last year in the matter of the school's former catering manager, with the support of the school. That was all, there is no conflict of interest."

"Very well, I will leave you to it." The Head left the room and closed the door.

"Please make yourself comfortable Miss Smart, I must say that you do look very nice today."

"I'm flattered, Mr Smith."

She'd noticed a lady sat near Jeremiah Smith. "Ah, this is Miss Younger and she will be recording this meeting. You will receive a transcript of the meeting at which time you can challenge the meeting record."

Tammy nodded and sipped from a glass of water that had been placed on the conference table.

"Let us begin, when did you first become aware of Miss Stewart?"

The interview had taken almost an hour but Jeremiah Smith had been pleased with her testimony.

"If we have others corroborating this then it would demonstrate a very deliberate campaign against you."

"You might like to speak to Mrs Sarah Bonney who owns Sarah's Boutique in town, and Sandy Smith the hairdresser as they both encountered her."

"If needs be, but this investigation has to be focussed on the school as it is an unfair dismissal claim."

"Understood. Could I just ask you a question?"

***

Tammy had walked to the common room to make herself a coffee, passing Joan and Angela who were impatiently waiting to go in. She found out later that the interview slots were half an hour long so Tammy had already put the schedule out.

By the time she was ready to face the world again it was just a few minutes before the bell for break. She wasn't aware, apart from those names she had been told, who knew about the investigation or the reason for it. There was an understanding, or perhaps an instruction, that matters were not to be discussed nor disclosed outside of the conference room.

When the rest of the sixth form came in Tammy was looking calm with her latest cup of coffee, whilst all the others were aware of was that she'd been summonsed to the Head's office. Louis Finch, however, had spent fifteen minutes of a study period in Mr Thompson's office followed by the rest of the hour, as detention, in the library. Tammy suspected his original plan was to go up to his bedroom and check out some of his supply of illustrated literature. He was not happy and snarled at one prefect too many.

"Mr Finch, I want to see that attitude problem vanish before you leave this room."

"Yes, prefect. But if she's 'ad to see the 'ed how come she smiling? Don't get it."

"That lady you are referring to is a prefect, she can hear you clearly and your reference to Miss Smart at breakfast landed you in this mess. Don't make it any worst."

John Hibbert walked away from Finch and sat with Tammy.

"My appointment is after break."

"Don't rely on it being on time, John."

"Someone overran?"

"Me."

"Okay. Who's there now?"

"Angela and her mum but they should both be finished."

There was a noise as Angela came in through the door looking upset, grabbed Tammy and flew back out the door to the female staff loo.

"What's going on Angela?"

"She was having an affair with my Dad!"

"I know."

"How could you?"

"I found out by chance, about a week ago. Your mum was told straight away." Tammy fudged the dates.

"Even so, why couldn't you tell me?"

"I was asked not to, it had to be your mum who told you."

"So she waited until I came out of the interrogation, drags me into her office and then tells me?"

"Do you want me to come with you to see your mum?"

"No. I want to deal with her later, alone."

"I hope you'll have a sensible conversation with her."

"Maybe."

"Come on, freshen yourself up because the bell's about to go for third period."

"Okay."

Tammy walked back to the common room with Angela who was now calmer than ten minutes earlier. Tammy sent two texts before going to Maths.

To Joan:
Angela is upset because of Yvonne's affair.

To Jill Davison, local shrink:
Angela's found out Yvonne Stewart was having affair with George Small. Joan dealing with it okay but Angela upset.

A reply from Jill was quick:
Was going to ring them tonight as had report from Glasgow. Is this same Yvonne Stewart as in today's local rag?

Tammy quickly replied that she hadn't seen the weekly Thurso Echo, but likely the same one. She was a minute adrift walking into the classroom but it appeared not to matter.

***

Lunch seemed to pass quickly and quietly, although one of the office staff, Julianne Sutherland came up to Tammy with a large, sealed, envelope. Tammy carefully opened it and slid out the two stapled sheets within. It was a photocopy of the front and business page of that day's Thurso Echo. She slid the copies back into the envelope before anyone else could see what they were.

The next period was English Literature with Mr Wright. This session on a Friday was now taken up with learning Macbeth so that the sixth form could put it on for the year elevens. There was a secondary reason as both the Upper Sixth and the year elevens had the Scottish Play as a set text in their English exams.

In the classroom version, John was playing Macbeth himself whereas at the theatre he had landed the part of Duncan. He was therefore getting to know both parts well. Tammy was Lady Macbeth in both productions, so between them they knew the play very well and were able to guide the rest of the students, Mr Wright was more than pleased with the way things were going.

"Mr Hibbert, Miss Smart, I am grateful for the work you are putting in and it won't be unrewarded."

"Thank you, Sir."

It was intended that John and Tammy would run a workshop for the cast during the study period that was last on a Friday. Many of the cast, however, had other ideas and they were rapidly disappearing. John shrugged and suggested the workshop was scrubbed for the week.

Back in the common room the phone was ringing. John answered it, spoke briefly then hung up.

"We're wanted."

"Where, why?"

"Mr Thompson wants to see both of us, now."

"Oh well."

When they arrived the business studies tutor, Mr Carmichael, was with the deputy head. He stepped outside as the two prefects entered the office.

"Miss Smart, could you please tell me what happened during business studies yesterday?"

"I told Mr Carmichael that I had been asked to be a model and he queried if I would be modelling swimwear?"

"What was your response?"

"I don't believe I had one Sir."

"Mr Hibbert, I understand you received several complaints?"

"Yes Sir, and all corroborate Miss Smart's recollection."

"Miss Smart, why did you not make a complaint yourself?"

"I believed the remark to be more a slip of the tongue than anything malicious."

"I see. Have you changed your opinion of the remark since then?"

"No, Sir."

"How would you feel if it was said a second time?"

"Is it likely, Sir?"

"No, what I'm trying to say is that the remark, from a teacher, was unacceptable. I had to punish a boy this morning for a similar flippant remark and the same yardstick should apply whether staff, student or visitors. You should have reported it."

"I see, Sir."

"Miss Smart, this school is going through a revolution at the moment but civil war has not broken out, thankfully. There are many changes to attitudes, attitudes that had persisted for two centuries at this seat of learning, and these changes could upset and challenge staff and students alike. You are the catalyst for the revolution but not the cause, it would have happened regardless. That notwithstanding, how you work with the rest of the school will define our new working practices. This includes defining the boundary between humour and sexist dribble, what Mr Carmichael said was not humorous. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

"You can go, please ask Mr Carmichael to come in."

The pair walked back to the common room as a very sullen faced tutor was about to find out his fate. When they reached the room it was virtually deserted, Tammy had John sit next to her then retrieved the envelope from her bag.

"I was given this today, from Mrs Adams I guess."

She pulled the sheets out. The first one was interesting:

The second one was from an inside page

Who had put the press release out?

"Tammy, did we have that interview for no reason then?"

"No, despite this she could still sue the school for breach of contract and the school might even have to settle if their evidence is not strong enough. That's why the interviews are still needed."

"I see."

"There's another reason, what if she decided to make someone's life a misery in the future? Their contemporary testimony has been recorded here today."

"True, if I want to study law then I should know that."

"What are you going to do, and how did the chat with your parents go?"

"Mum was delighted and Dad still reckons I'm a small kid."

"Did you send photos?"

"Yes, some of them."

Tammy blushed, "are they coming up for the engagement party?"

"Sure, try stopping them. Dad's really concerned about my law degree course but something strange happened this morning when I saw that solicitor."

"Well?"

"He offered to sponsor me through my law degree and I would work for the firm during holidays, their nearest office is Inverness. One condition though, I have to get a driving licence and a car."

"That's great news, and I'm sure the car can be sorted but now you've got to tell Tanya."

"And my parents, they were expecting me to be living at home once school's finished."

"So you'll need somewhere to live?"

"Yes, Sandy's not comfortable if I share Tanya's bed in her house, and I can't use her brother's room all the time."

"I'm not surprised, she's very protective."

"Hopefully my folks will help me find a flat when they come up here."

"Okay, when are you thinking of holding the party?"

"When we break for Easter, the last weekend in March. I wonder if I can get an intensive driving course over Easter?"

"I might do the same thing if I haven't found enough time before then."

"Sensible idea, have you started driving yet?"

"No, Dad's promised me some experience around the estate before I go out on the road but there's still loads of ice and snow off the main roads. Plus we're moving soon."

"Where to?"

"Just down the road, you'll have to visit when we've moved in."

"Thanks Tammy, thanks for being a good friend."

He leant over and gave her a kiss on the cheek just as a crowd of sixth formers entered the room. It was John's turn to be embarrassed, but the ribbing he received was gentle.