"Here it is," said Natalie and turned south into Stillwater Drive. "What do you notice?"
Karla glanced around at the new houses. On her left the houses were built on what would have been the top of the ridge that had been levelled so behind them the land dropped away into rolling hills of more streets and houses.
"They look down on another subdivision," she commented.
"Exactly but there was a strip of bare land on the hillside," Natalie replied. "Let me show you Mudgeway Crescent."
They came to a corner that Natalie turned into. There, Mudgeway Crescent was cut into the side of a steep hillside before it turned a ninety degree corner along a straight section with houses built on the left and the steep hillside covered in bushes to the right. Further along there were four houses also on the right before the road curved up a steep section back to Stillwater Drive.
"It is almost a kilometre by road between the Mudgeway Crescent houses and the ones further south even though in a straight line, it is only a couple of hundred metres from each other. My clients' argument is that they have more in common with residents in the Joseph Ward school zone than those other streets. Also that boundary that followed the ridge, consisted of bare land when it was drawn up has not been updated."
"So why is there a problem?" Karla asked. "It is obvious that they should be in our zone with Stillwater Drive."
"True and it was all ready to go when your friend, Peter Niles at Westview Intermediate got his board of trustees to seek a high court injunction to stop any changes being made to the zone boundary this year, thus stopping the Year 6s in the street from enrolling with you next year."
"He's no friend of mine," Karla replied. "What's his gripe anyway?"
"He's losing more pupils to high schools than he's receiving from contributing schools and his roll will drop. He wants every pupil he can get next year and will stop at nothing to get them."
"Was the injunction made?"
Natalie grimaced. "It will be heard next Tuesday. I'll be there presenting the Mudgeway Crescent case and would like you to be there to explain the Joseph Ward Junior High's position."
"But I will probably be of no use to you. Next year we will be full and will be able to take a mere handful of out-of zone students."
"No, it will be to explain why the zone has been superseded by the new subdivision. My main argument will be the community of interest of the Mudgeway residents. I'll be calling on the families with Year 7 children next year to support this."
"Okay," Karla replied. "Just tell me where and when."
*
Judge Parker who would be hearing the merits or otherwise of granting the injunction was, in Karla's opinion a miserable old sod on the wrong side of seventy who had been bought out of retirement to help in a backload of civil court cases.
He barely glanced at Karla when she told where the boundary of Joseph Ward's school zone was placed. Finally he looked up and questioned her. "So in this particular section of your school's zone neither Mudgeway Crescent or Stillwater Drive are mentioned, Mrs Spicer?"
"Yes."
"Will you read how this boundary is described?"
Karla glanced down at the written version of text in her hand and began to read. "The boundary will follow the edge of the Clipperdale Escarpment from..." She stopped when the judge held his hand up.
"Not the Clipperdale Ridge?"
"No, Your Honour."
"I see. Thank you, Mrs Spicer. I have no more questions for you."
Karla frowned but stepped aside. She was even more curious when Peter Niles was asked exactly the same question. The Westview Intermediate northern zone description was identical to their own southern one.
The hearing continued with the judge looking to be almost asleep as the Mudgeway residents stated their reasons why they wanted their children to be included in the Joseph Ward Junior High zone. It concluded fifty minutes later with the judge stating that his decision would be announced the following day at ten am.
*
Karla was curious so accompanied Natalie to hear the outcome. Peter Niles who was also there, ignored her while they waited. At five past ten the judge appeared began to read his judgement.
"Neither written versions of the school zones of Westview Intermediate or Joseph Ward Junior High School mention Mudgeway Crescent. This will need to be corrected in this year's revision. However, the present description is the legal one on which I have based my decision. I have consulted the New Zealand Geographic Board for their interpretation of the words used in describing this area." The judge glanced around the room before continuing. "It comes down to the terminology used. The Clipperdale Ridge is the line along the top of the hillside whereas the Clipperdale Escarpment includes the land sloping down the hill as well as the terrace on which Mudgeway Crescent is built. I rule that the word 'boundary' used means the bottom of Clipperdale Escarpment and not the Clipperdale Ridge at the top. The injunction is therefore superfluous and will not be granted."
He packed up his documents and without another word, walked out of the hearing room.
Karla glanced at Natalie who grinned back. "So it all came down to a couple of words?"
Natalie nodded. "That's about it. According to the judge, Mudgeway Crescent was never in the Westview zone. They also have to pay for the costs of this case." She turned to explain the details to the smiling residents she represented.
Karla glanced across the room to where Peter Niles and his companions looked tight-lipped as they stood and almost stormed out of the room.
*
On the car journey back to school Natalie who was driving, glanced across at Karla before blurting out. "What is Hunter Meehan like as a teacher?"
Karla knew than Avery and Hunter were dating and suspected that Natalie was very protective of her daughter and even more so after Avery had been attacked. She glanced back at her companion who by now was looking at the road ahead. "You know that I cannot comment on the ability of one of my teachers with you."
"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I meant how do you find him as a man?"
Karla chuckled and lightened what could be a tense situation. "Shouldn't you be asking Avery this, for you are concerned about her, aren't you?"
Natalie nodded. "I don't want her to rush into a romantic liaison with Hunter only to find out he's just interested in having sex with her and in a couple of months will move onto someone else."
"So why do you say that?"
"Every Friday she packs a small bag, goes out with him and doesn't return home until Sunday afternoon. She's even admitted that they sleep together."
"Probably half my staff are single and sexually active but their private lives are of no concern to me. It's the modern way."
"But doesn't make it right."
"I can't comment on that either. What I can tell you though, is that Avery is one of my most conscientious teachers and even after that terrible stabbing, is a delight to have on my staff. She is respected by both her students and their parents and has the ability to run a friendly classroom that her students love being in without falling into the trap that some beginning teachers do of trying to be everyone's buddy. I tell you this because you are her mother and I know you love her dearly. Remember, though that she is twenty-two and is not a teenager any longer. As for Hunter, I can say that in my opinion he is not the sort who would take advantage of Avery just for sex. In fact, I think Avery is fortunate to have him as a friend and partner." She gulped. "I've really said more than I should about them."
Natalie glanced across the car and smiled slightly. "Thank you, Karla," she said. "The past still hangs over us, especially with Elliot's trail coming up in a few months. The police have upped the charge to attempted murder, you know."
"And he's back in prison?"
"Yes, he was recalled for breaking the terms of his parole. This new charge is completely separate but he would be remanded in custody for that anyway. He will not be out before his trial."
"So how are you coping?"
Natalie shrugged. "I'm trying not to be a neurotic mother and move on in my life. I have a male friend too but haven't told Avery about him."
"So why don't you?"
Natalie grimaced. "Perhaps I will." She glanced across the car again. "Thank you for being so easy to speak to."
Karla smiled. "If you want to have a chat anytime, you know where I am. Right now, what say we stop somewhere and have a coffee?"
"Aren't you needed back at school?"
"It won't fall down just because I'm away for an extra hour."
Natalie smiled. "I'd love a coffee, Karla. Will the local Westfield Mall do?"
*
The following day, school had barely commenced when Maureen's voice came through Karla's intercom.
"Nicky Aldvark is in the office and would like to interview you. Shall I tell her she'll need to make an appointment?"
"And who's she?" Karla asked.
"Sorry, I thought you'd know the name. She's an investigative reporter for the New Zealand Herald." This was the country's largest newspaper.
Karla frowned. "She's not one of those scandal stirrers is she?"
"No. She covers more serious stuff such as local government and national issues. You may have read her articles about how house prices in Auckland have become unaffordable for young families and suggestions about what should be done."
Karla did remember the articles that were balanced and informative. "I did. Okay, what is she investigating that concerns us?"
"That court ruling about Clipperdale Escarpment and how it affects other streets across our boundary."
"What other streets?"
"I've no idea. Want me to make an appointment for her?"
"No, I'll speak to her now but stress I only have half an hour."
A well-dressed woman about her own age was escorted in and introduced by Maureen. Karla waved her into an armchair, agreed to have their conversation recorded and listened as Nicky began by telling her why she was interested in the court ruling.
She placed an iPad on Karla's desk that showed a map of their southern zone boundary. "There are wider implications from Judge Parker's ruling than just the Mudgeway Crescent residents." She zoomed in on the site and brought up a light brown section like an elongated balloon along the boundary. "This shows an area that his ruling stated is Clipperdale Escarpment compared with the ridge at the top. What do you notice?"
"It becomes quite wide in a couple of places. Is that important?"
"It is. If you look closely you will see three roads entering this area from the south and another one half a kilometre along from Mudgeway Crescent from this northern side. Those streets are now in Joseph Ward Junior High zone and not the Westview Intermediate's one. All of these roads are new sub-divisions and are not mentioned in the present zone descriptions."
"Affecting how many families?"
Nicky took out her mobile and brought up some notes. "Including those in Mudgeway Crescent, there are twenty-one Year 6s who would have gone to Westview Intermediate and another fourteen Year 9s who are zoned here rather than at one of the high schools to the south."
"Thirty-five students! On the numbers I have we are close to being full next year. We have two hundred and thirty one Year 10s going onto the senior high next year and around two hundred and fifty coming in. Add these new numbers on and we'll have about three hundred new enrolments next year."
"There may be some relief. Mr Niles at Westview has refused to meet with me but other sources indicate that they will not have a zone next year, as they are not overcrowded. Some of those twenty-one Year 6s may chose to go there. The high schools are still zoned though so I guess the fourteen Year 9s will come this way." Nicky switched off her recorder. "Can my photographer take a few shots of your students at work to accompany my article?"
"What would you like to see?"
"Something that will make the school stand out rather than just a sports team."
Karla immediately thought of Aja and Lalu's work "How about a couple of my Year 10 Indian girls who designed and built an innovative computer table?"
"Sounds great. Anything musical? I heard you have a wonderful performing arts auditorium."
"There's the school orchestra that is having as practise this afternoon." Karla smiled. "Our cafeteria is quite innovative. We even have students from the senior high and adults in for breakfast. It is run by a private company."
*
"Look at this," Ryan said on Saturday morning and opened the New Zealand Herald out over the kitchen table.
In the magazine section there was a full-page aerial photograph of Joseph Ward Junior High with Karla's photograph superimposed in the bottom right corner. The headline above blazed out; New Zoning Laws make Joseph Ward Junior High the fastest growing school on the North Shore. Smaller words read; North Shore intermediates bleed pupils to this innovative new concept under the guidance of one of the youngest senior principals in the country.
Ryan turned the page to show a two page article including photos of Aja and Lalu smiling beside their computer table, the orchestra playing in the auditorium and a breakfast scene in the cafeteria that showed several senior high students and a family with two little children enjoying breakfast. The article itself included a map of the southern zone boundary and gave a detailed account of the new zoning law and how it would affect the school as well as Westview Intermediate. Nicky's interview with Karla followed along with articles to go with the other photographs.
"Did you know about this?" Ryan said and pointed to a side box article. Usually reliable sources have stated that three new relocatable classrooms will be brought into Joseph Ward Junior High to cater for next year's intake of three hundred Year 7 and 9 students.
"No," Karla admitted. "There was some discussion at our board meeting about asking for more classrooms but that was before this zoning issue came up."
The phone began ringing with calls from Jon, chairman of the board, other teachers and parents all wanting to congratulate her on the article. One parent from Mudgeway Crescent said he would be enrolling three of his children at the school for the new year, a Year 7 girl and two boys in Year 9 and 10 with the older one coming across from one of the high schools. After more than a dozen calls Karla felt almost exhausted but had to smile when Alexis glanced at the paper.
"You're in the paper Mummy," she said. "But how did you get in the air above our school?"
*
CHAPTER 9
Karla was angry at the uniformed police officer who was leaning across her desk with his two hands on it. His jaw jutted out as he fixed her with an icy gaze.
She held his eyes without blinking. "You will not come into my school and try to order me around Chief Inspector James Wilson. I am not one of your subordinates trembling at your very words and, indeed if you try any more of your autocratic ways I shall have you removed from the school grounds. Take your hands off my desk and sit down!"
The man's eyebrows were creased in his own anger but perhaps he realised he had overstepped his mark for he lifted his hands off Karla's desk and moved across to the armchair he had jumped up from mere seconds before. He sat down and crossed his legs, obviously not used to having his words queried.
Karla glanced across at the detective sergeant who stood at the back behind the chief inspector and noticed a slight grin across his face. It told her a lot about the man before her who had apparently risen through the ranks in almost exactly the opposite way to her own promotion. Sure, the police force was by necessity, a more military type organisation than the teaching profession but the days of intimidation and using the power of a position should have long gone in modern New Zealand.
Wilson almost choked over his words but muttered an apology before adding. "All I asked for was the names of the girls in contact with this enoon paedophile."
"You did not ask chief inspector, you demanded. As I told your detective inspector yesterday, I am not going to have any of my s
tudents interviewed by yourself or any other police officer for one extremely important reason." She stopped talking and waited for her words to sink in before continuing. "One of my students involved is in a vulnerable position. She belongs to an autocratic family and because of her culture, is terrified of the consequences if her father even guesses that she has been using a computer on a social site, let alone communicating with a male on a one-to-one basis. I regard any information given to myself by her or any of the other girls as entirely confidential in the same way as a doctor or lawyer's privileged information."
"And what culture is that?"
Karla raised her eyes. "That is also confidential. The other girls involved are also worried and scared and I have promised not to contact their parents. They are all fourteen, not children and have the right to be protected by this school. All I will say is that they have all agreed to discontinue using their sites to contact this man."
"So you'd rather that this paedophile goes free to continue his foul deeds?"
"Did I say that, Chief Inspector Wilson? As you know, my husband has a contract to help the police in this case. However, he does not discuss confidential information with me and also knows my position in regard to my students. He can though, offer you an alternative method of finding evidence that does not involve them." She stood up. "I regret that I cannot help you any further but do not apologise for my stance. I am responsible to my board of trustees for over a thousand students, their parents and caregivers, as well a staff of over a hundred. I do not take that responsibility lightly."
Wilson also stood, muttered an apology almost under his breath and accepted her hand in a shake. Without even glancing at the sergeant he strutted out of the office.
After the other man left, Karla sat down, allowed herself a couple of moments to cool down and chastised herself for allowing her emotions to control her actions. She rang Ryan and told him everything that had happened.
He laughed. "So Iron-fist Wilson met his match, did he?"
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