Wisps of Cloud (7 page)

Karla brought up the Top Plateau ERO report and noticed that it was dated only three months earlier. She began read through the somewhat flowery review typical of these reports but realised this was not a run-of-the mill one. Unlike the confidential document sent to the Board of Trustees, anything negative was rarely mentioned in this public document. However, after praising the Board for its financial and maintenance work, this one had a list of scathing comments about the children's lack of progress and the absence of teacher planning. Furthermore, it gave the principal three terms to implement their directives to improve student progress. The ERO report concluded with a statement that they would return within one year to review the situation.

Karla frowned and looked up. "Ted Wilton's in trouble," she said. "Come and have a look at this ERO report."

Ryan wandered over and listened as Karla explained how the system worked.

"For them to be so blunt in this public document makes me wonder what was said in the confidential one," she concluded.

"Yeah. I heard the only time the kids there learn anything is when the release teacher comes on a Friday. I think this latest report is the end of the line for Ted as they have been trying to get him to improve for years now. The roll is dropping and several families have shifted their Year 7 & 8 children to private boarding schools in Masterton."

"So you know what will happen, don't you?"

"The school will close. It almost happened ten years back. The Board of Trustees threatened to go to court to keep the school open and the local Member of Parliament got the Ministry of Education to reverse their decision. If it happens again, I doubt if that will help."

"Oh well," Karla said. "It's sad in some ways."

She switched off her laptop but couldn't stop thinking about Ted and the school. In a large school, a weak teacher was helped or if their attitude was poor, given time to improve or asked to leave. It was hard to actually fire staff but in most cases the teacher took the hint and moved elsewhere or gave up teaching, At Tui Park this hadn't happened for the school attracted a huge number of applications for every vacancy. The problem was more in picking someone from several highly qualified short listed applicants to fill the vacancy. Country schools such as the local one were usually quite popular too for a teacher wanting promotion. Perhaps Ted had just been here too long or something had happened in his personal life.

Ryan shrugged when she asked him about Ted. "I don't know of anything. His wife is a pleasant woman and their own three kids went right through the school. You're probably right. He's just been here too long. I heard that a few years back he tried to get a larger school but kept missing. He had also reached the age when younger teachers won all the better positions. I guess that he decided to drift through to retirement. He wouldn't have long to go."

Karla grinned. "You keep saying 'I heard'. The country gossip line is going strong, I gather."

"Yes, a regular hot line. By now the whole district will know about you being here with me, who you are, that you're probably pregnant with twins and that you won your new Mazda in a lottery."

"And Top Plateau Station?"

Ryan rolled his eyes, "It's being bought either by a Chinese Syndicate or an American rock star who will build a heliport and run a casino in the old homestead."

"So everything about Ted could be exaggerated, too."

"Possibly!" Ryan laughed and switched his attention back to the television.

*

The rest of the week went far too quickly with no problems even when Anne and Alan returned on Wednesday morning. Alan took Ryan's decision that he wasn't interested in selling his part of the farm to his mother or the development company, well. He actually seemed relieved that Ryan made no counter arguments about keeping the whole farm in the family. Anne said nothing but also appeared relieved that everything was discussed in a business like way with no emotions or disagreements.

"Lucky Trish wasn't here," Ryan said after his mother and Alan left after lunch. "She can be difficult."

"So they'll go ahead with Plan B, the one without your third?"

"Except for one thing," Ryan whispered. "My third only covers part of the hill country, too. Mum has gifted the rest of the hills to me. The only condition is that I don't tell my sister. I think she feels guilty about helping Trish with that almost no-interest loan I told you about."

"It's still a generous, offer," Karla replied. "Does Alan know about this?"

"Yes. I think he agreed so Mum would go in with him on the development deal. As she owned the farm before they were married it is excluded by the matrimonial act. I must admit I've changed my opinion of him lately. Their marriage seems to be sound."

"I'm pleased," Karla said. "I hope the subdivision works out for them, too."

"Time will tell," Ryan said. "Now, I have to work out what I'm going to do with my farm. It should be self-sufficient but I can't see any huge profits being made, even with all the hill country added. Pity Clive is retiring. Having a smaller farm to manage and less responsibilities could solve the problem for both of us."

"So ask him," Karla said. "He's got this summer to make up his mind,"

Ryan nodded. "I will," he replied. "There's nothing to lose, is there?"

"No. Nothing at all," Karla replied.

In many ways, running a farm was similar to administering a school. The people involved made all the difference.

*

The first two weeks of the final term began well for Karla. Through Val hadn't really became friendlier she now usually treated her as an equal rather than one of her subordinates, the spring weather was warm and daylight saving had arrived. However, it was almost inevitable that when everyone began to think of summer the weather would turn bad for three weeks with an icy southerly blasting Wellington in its full fury. So it was on the third Wednesday of the term.

It was almost five before she left her room and headed out to the Mazda. She noticed that only Ryan's pickup was still there and even the cleaners' cars had gone. No doubt Ryan would be doing the final rounds to see that everything was secure before heading home, too. She grinned when she thought about him. He had hinted that they should shift in permanently together; she had resisted but was fast weakening. Over the previous two weekends he had stayed at her place on both the Friday and Saturday nights and this partial arrangement helped her to separate her professional and personal life. She owned a small modern home whereas Ryan's place was an older villa at the top of a long zigzag set of stairs with no driveway access. His pickup had to be parked in his small garage cut into the bank beside a narrow windy road that much of Wellington was known for. Also there was no parking for visitors to park. He loved the villa but she preferred the access and facilities of her own place though admitted it did seem somewhat pokey when they were both there.

Damn the wind and rain! She just about had the door handle wrenched from her hand when she opened the rear car door to deposit her box of gear inside. Just as she was about to climb into the driver's seat, the screech of a high powered car braking made her glance up.

She recognised the BMW that pulled in beside her and the frantic looking woman who leaped out. It was Pauline McKay and her mannerism suggested that something was wrong.

"Stephanie's missing!" Pauline had to almost shout above the roar of the wind. "Did she come back to school?"

"Not that I know of," Karla took out her mobile phone and pressed Ryan's code. "Are there any children around the school?" she asked.

"I don't think so," he replied. "Is there a problem?"

"Stephanie McKay didn't get home."

"Right. I'll skirt around the back bush area and get back." On a steep slope behind the school there was a patch of thick trees that was within the school property. It was out of bounds for pupils but on occasions children would sneak into the trees to play.

"I was running late and phoned the school to tell her to walk home." Pauline was almost in tears. "We have a baby-sitter who is at home to look after Stephanie's pre-school brother and sister. She thought Stephanie was with me so didn't worry when she did not arrive home."

"Right," Karla said. "Come into the staff room and I'll see if I can find out when Stephanie was last seen. Have you checked all the places she could have gone to, such as a friend's house?"

"Yes. The three who sometimes have her at their place haven't seen her. We only live four blocks away, she's a responsible child and even though the weather's bad there are no busy roads to cross and she has walked home by herself before."

By now they had reached the staffroom and Karla guided Pauline into a chair. She phoned Chrissy but was told that Stephanie had left her classroom as usual and was wearing her blue raincoat and little red backpack when she walked out of the coat-bay.

"I'll phone the duty teachers," Karla said and glanced at the duty roster on the wall. There were two teachers on duty after school with one at each school entrance. As well as the main gate where cars had access to the parking area and pickup bay there was a back entrance beyond the top field with a walking track that led up to a higher road. Off this was a walking track that went up through bush-clad hills that surrounded this part of the city.

The teacher on the main gate stated that hardly any children left the school grounds on foot and for several moments there had been a traffic jam as cars arrived to pick up children. She had stayed at the gate until all the cars and children had gone before taking the usual walk back through the school corridors and locking the administration block doors, as the duty teacher was required. Being from the Senior Syndicate she did not know Stephanie personally but had seen several little girls in a blue raincoat leave by foot.

"Stephanie!" said Heather Westmore, the teacher on the back gate and one of the Junior Syndicate teachers. "Yes, she left by the back gate. She is usually picked up by her mother down the front so I actually asked her why she was leaving that way."

"And her reply?" Karla added.

"She appeared quite happy and almost proud of herself; told me she was walking home herself as Mummy was at a meeting. It was okay though because Charlotte was at home. Apparently she is a baby sitter who looks after her younger siblings after school."

"Did you notice anything else about Stephanie or other children there at the time?"

"A couple of boys began a bit of a mud fight but stopped when I told them to cut it out. That was it. Not many children left that way. This is usually the case in bad weather for their parents pick them up at the other entrance."

"Right! Thanks Heather." Karla clicked off and turned to Pauline with the news.

"The little monkey," Pauline gasped. "I purposely told her to go home via the road."

"So why would she go that way?"

"It's a shorter distance but you have to go through the bush walk for a couple of hundred metres to a set of stairs that come out near our place. We walk to school that way sometimes but she has never done it by herself." She frowned. "I'll check it out."

"I'll come too," Karla said. "I'll tell Ryan."

He answered his phone straight away and reported that there were no children in the school buildings or the grounds. Yes, after locking up he'd drive around and give them a lift back for their cars after they arrived at Pauline's place.

"Is that okay?" Pauline gasped. "I mean there must be other things you need to do."

"At the moment finding Stephanie is my priority," Karla said. "Come on. I know the track forks further up. If we go in both directions we can cover a larger area and keep in touch with our phones."

"Thank you." Pauline gave a tiny smile but was obviously still very worried as they rushed back outside.

*

Once they were on the track and under trees the pair became sheltered from much of the wind and rain. Except for an occasional calling of Stephanie's name, they walked in silence before Pauline grabbed Karla's arm.

"Oh my God," Pauline hissed. "I almost missed it."

Karla turned and noticed that foliage almost covered a narrow set of steps leading up out of sight. "To your road?"

Pauline's lip quivered when she nodded. "I think she missed seeing the steps."

"It looks that way. Look, you go up and I'll continue on this track. If she's back home you can call me." Karla took a notebook from her pocket, scribbled down her number and handed it to Pauline. "She could have gone to another friend's place during that heavy shower just after three and now be at home."

"Charlotte would have called me!"

"Go and look anyway. If she kept going on this track she would either come out on Grover Road or reach the steep track that goes up towards the television tower.  I doubt if Stephanie would go up such a steep track. If she's not home, why don't you walk around to Grover Road? There are several bus shelters up there. She could have stopped in one. I'll phone Ryan and ask him to do a tour of all the other bus shelters within walking distance of got on a bus, thinking it would take her home?"

"Doubt it?" Pauline whispered. "She never travels on a bus alone but your idea of her huddling in a bus shelter is a possibility. Thanks Karla." She squeezed her arm, brushed the foliage aside and disappeared up the steps.