The Girl in the Yellow Vest (45 page)

Mark’s jaw ached as he gritted his teeth.

‘I see,’ the judge remarked as Ms Pylforth looked up from the letter. ‘That adds some complexion to things.’

Charlotte’s stomached flipped as Ms Pylforth read Zara’s innocent words. Even though she had seen Dennis Mayer’s affidavit including the letter before, the effect of it being read out loud was like hearing it for the first time. She closed her eyes in sorrow as she heard her sister describe herself as a nuisance. How blind had she been and how thoughtless! Her fingers gripped each other tightly in her lap. She should have paid more attention to what Zara was going through. If she had been a better parent, none of this would be happening. It was all her fault.

‘It is clear from the child’s letter,’ Ms Pylforth went on to say, ‘that Zara Templeton would benefit from having a father figure in her life. My client does not believe his daughter is being mistreated as such, but the child’s letter, in her own words, demonstrates that Charlotte Templeton is finding it difficult to maintain her duties as a single parent, a struggling business owner and full-time carer to an invalid. The letter shows, your Honour, an insight into a lonely child reaching out to a lost father. In these circumstances, it is no reach for your Honour to conclude that Charlotte Templeton would benefit from some help from my client. Your Honour, my client submits that such an outcome would be in the best interests of the child. She did, after all, reach out to him. My client is merely responding to that call.’

‘I understand your submission; it has some merit.’ The judge nodded.

Charlotte’s fingernails dug into her palm. She could not bear it if this monster got even three minutes’ access to her sister. It was unthinkable!

‘But only superficially,’ the judge continued. ‘If this is your client’s only evidence it is not enough to make a ruling today.’

‘My client,’ Ms Pylforth straightened, ‘has done some research into the Templetons’ financial situation and has evidence to suggest that their business is one step away from insolvency. This is also contained in my client’s affidavit.’

Charlotte’s jaw clenched.

The judge opened the file in front of him. ‘One moment, please.’ The court gave him pin-drop silence while he read Dennis’s so-called evidence. It was all Charlotte could do not to scream out, ‘I’ll sell the business if I need to!’ But she had to wait her turn.

‘Curious.’ The judge’s mouth twitched. ‘It appears that a year ago, Ms Templeton had her resort on the market and Mr Mayer posed as a potential buyer.’

Charlotte’s lip curled. She was glad that the judge was going to highlight what a creep Dennis had been getting the information. She still couldn’t believe herself that he’d already been in their lives for over a year and she hadn’t even known about it. A sudden chill ran through her and she shuddered.

The judge looked down from the bench over Ms Pylforth’s head. The light seemed to catch the Commonwealth emblem above his head. ‘Mr Mayer, please step into the witness box.
You
will explain this to me.’

Dennis’s lawyer turned and nodded to him.

Zara’s biological father stood up, entered the witness box and was sworn in. He addressed the judge. ‘Er . . . yes, your Honour. That’s true. As part of due diligence I was able to obtain financial records from the Templetons’ agent showing the dire circumstance under which the business was operating.’

‘I do not wish you to explain to me how you obtained the evidence,’ the judge said sternly. ‘That much is already clear. What I do wish to know is why you were snooping around their business at a time that pre-dates the receipt of your daughter’s letter.’

Charlotte turned narrowed eyes upon her foe.

However, Dennis did not even blink. ‘I am a successful businessman with friends in Mackay. I was looking to expand my business portfolio. Virginia Templeton is an old friend, as you have probably guessed. At the time, I did know of Zara but I thought that she was Charlotte’s daughter. When I saw Virginia’s business for sale, I took an interest. At one point I even hoped to rekindle our . . . er, friendship, until I found out that she had Alzheimer’s disease.’

Friendship . . . yeah right.
Perhaps when he found out her mother was an invalid, he considered revisiting his old victim less interesting. Charlotte tasted bile in her mouth.

‘Very well,’ the judge said. ‘Is there anything further you wish to add to your case before I go on, Mr Mayer?’

‘Just to say, your Honour, that I am a family man. I am married with one stepdaughter already, who is two years younger than Zara. I feel she would fit well into my family. I am distressed that I have already missed so much of her life. Her mother, Virginia, deliberately and purposefully kept the knowledge of our child from me. I have been robbed of my rights as a father and feel that I should at least be compensated for that. I am a partner with my brother in a well-respected pharmaceutical business, which we both inherited from my parents. I earn good money. I know that I will be able to pay for private schooling for Zara, give her top medical insurance and ensure that all her needs are met from a financial point of view. Respectfully, I believe I deserve this chance to be included in her life, especially when it’s what she wants as well and she can only benefit from my involvement.’

The judge nodded. ‘Is there anything further you wish to add, Ms Pylforth?’

‘No, your Honour.’

‘Then I will ask Mr Townsend to respond.’

Trent stood up beside her and she had to brace herself. Now it was their turn.

Please, please. Let us make an impression.

‘Your Honour, in this case, I represent both Virginia Templeton and her daughter, Charlotte Templeton. As you know, Virginia Templeton has Alzheimer’s disease and her daughter Charlotte has been the guardian of her estate and the informal carer of her youngest daughter Zara Templeton since she was diagnosed eight years ago.’

‘Thank you for the recap, counsel, but I would prefer you cut straight to your response to the applicant,’ the judge instructed.

Trent raised his chin. ‘Charlotte Templeton wishes to apply for parental responsibility and residence for Zara Jane Templeton in Mr Mayer’s stead with no rights granted to Zara’s biological father at all.’

The judge raised his eyebrows. ‘Tell me, Mr Townsend, how is that in the child’s best interest given the financial aid her father might provide? Not to mention the fact that Zara asked to be part of her father’s life.’

‘My client requests this parental order on the grounds of the likely psychological damage to Zara if she is forced to be involved in her father’s life.’

The judge pursed his lips. ‘To be honest, Mr Townsend, I find your client’s affidavit to be rather ineffectual in supporting such an argument. If you propose to continue in that vein, I will have to stop you here.’

‘Your Honour, please excuse our incomplete material. Mr Mayer gave us a mere seven days to prepare our case.’ The judge’s glare swung to Dennis’s hung head as Trent continued talking. ‘Despite this, however, we have managed to secure a police report and also a statement from Zara’s clinical psychologist for examination today. They have been annexed to appropriate affidavits.’

The judge’s gaze returned to him. ‘You understand that I will have to call a thirty-minute adjournment to allow Mr Mayer’s lawyer time to read these documents.’

Trent inclined his head. ‘I understand, your Honour.’

‘Very well. Mr Mayer, in the circumstances, you are released from the witness box.’ Trent reached into his materials and passed a copy of each of the new documents to the judge’s associate and then across the bar table to the scowling Ms Pylforth.

The judge then nodded to the clerk of the court, who proceeded to announce the adjournment, adding, ‘Court will resume at eleven am.’

The judge and his associate filed out, taking the new documents with them. Charlotte resisted the urge to bite her fingernails. Thirty minutes of limbo was going to be pure agony. The last thing she wanted to do was sit around and speculate on what was about to happen next.

‘I’ll be right back,’ she said to Trent and walked out of the courtroom, making a beeline for the ladies. After splashing some water on her face, she felt only marginally better. She hid in there for as long as she could, but it wasn’t long before Emily came looking for her. After that, it was back to the courtroom and she didn’t know whether to be anxious or relieved.

When the judge and his associate were seated again, Trent stood up to make their case.

‘Your Honour, any contact between Dennis Mayer and Zara Templeton would be psychologically damaging to his daughter. It is my client’s case that Mr Mayer sexually assaulted Virginia Templeton. Zara Templeton was conceived as a result of that sexual assault.’

The judge sat back further into his chair. He looked around the courtroom in a brooding fashion before focusing on Trent once more. When he spoke again his tone was grave.

‘This is a very serious allegation, Mr Townsend, and not one for this court.’

‘I am aware of that, your Honour,’ Trent acknowledged. ‘However, my client feels it is an issue that must be raised. The letter from Zara Templeton previously read by Ms Pylforth was written, as stated in the letter, at a time when Zara did not know her father’s history. She has recently found out he was jailed for three counts of rape and has also been told that the relationship he had with her mother was non-consenting and that she was the product of this one sexual assault. Zara Templeton was deeply disturbed by this knowledge and has since been receiving counselling from a therapist in Mackay. It is my clients’ understanding that at this point it would be more damaging to her mental health to be threatened with living with her father.’

‘Objection,’ Ms Pylforth stood up. ‘Your Honour, this is all hearsay from the bar table. My client was never convicted of the rape of Virginia Templeton.’

‘Nonetheless, counsel,’ the judge looked at her rather crossly, ‘your client is a convicted rapist who has served time. That information should have been declared in your own affidavit. Why wasn’t it?’

Ms Pylforth lifted her chin. ‘Your Honour, as you have just said, Mr Mayer has served his time and has been a model citizen for two years. He is no danger to anyone, including his daughter.’

The judge snorted. ‘You are in no position to guarantee that, Counsel, and nor is such an assertion any excuse for the lack of disclosure. Sit down, Ms Pylforth. I will hear again from Mr Townsend.’

Ms Pylforth, much to Charlotte’s delight, shrank into her seat.

‘Although Mr Mayer was never convicted of Virginia Templeton’s rape,’ Trent continued, ‘he was convicted of the rape of three other women and so any contact with Zara Templeton is not, according to my client, an acceptable risk. At this point, your Honour, I think it prudent that my client address the court directly.’

‘Very well.’

At the judge’s nod, Charlotte stood up, moved around to the bar table and was sworn in. She knew that everything she said was crucial to their winning, and pressure gathered on her head like magnetic filings on the point of a needle.

‘Your Honour,’ she croaked and then hastily cleared her throat, ‘in my opinion, I do not think my sister would benefit from a relationship with her father. Her distress at finding out about his past was extremely hard on her. In lieu of her presence, I have a letter from her therapist, which accords with my own opinion, and also a copy of the police report my mother filed after she was raped sixteen years ago. If you would like me to read them to the court, I can do so now.’

The judge shook his head. ‘That will not be necessary. Is there anything else you wish to add, Ms Templeton?’

Her breath caught and her mouth dried. Did he need more information? What had she left out? She wracked her brain and could think of nothing. She gripped her hands together; she could make promises at the very least. ‘Only that, although our financial situation is not ideal, Zara has never wanted for anything. And should we need to sell the business at a future date to make ends meet, then that’s what we’ll do. I will always make Zara’s well-being my top priority.’