Menal College

Detectives Velasco and Rollins enter an office where sits a large man 6"3 with a balding head of hair and lift their badges where Rollins says "Mr Berman, we're with the Police, we'd like to speak to you please". Mr Berman stands to welcome them closing the door and says nervously "Why yes certainly, more than happy to help our finest and sits back at his desk". Joe opens the conversation and says "We've got a few questions we'd like to ask you. We have reason to believe you've been engaging in some innappropriate activity with some the students here".

Berman took in a deep breath and said "You've come an awful long way to throw false accusations around. I've been here for 17 years, since the school was in it's infancy. Do you know what I've been through here. I didn't start as a deputy principal, I had to work my way up from teacher of religious studies as a young man with a head still full of hair" and pointed to his wall with various photos of himself with pictures of students throughout the years. "Tell me this why don't you. Is there any particular students who want to smear my good name and reputation".

Rollins replied to him "Damian Gregory". Berman's face shifted from his narcisistic rant to a more subdued expression as he leaned forward with his chin on his fists and began "Yes. I do know that particular student". She continued "So you do recall about giving him a lift to school and then some". He responded "Yes I did give him a ride to school a few times a couple of years ago. He often ran late and I thought I'd help him out since he was still new to the school back then but it did become a bit of an odd thing so I had to stop after 3 or 4 times"

"Define odd thing" said Amanda and he resonded "You give one student a lift to school, others get jealous when they see you drive past another time, then half the school expects you to drive them and think you're playing favourites". Velasco asked "And so what, you think that after two and a half years he's angry you stopped driving him to school"?

At this point Mr Berman stood up and began to talk uneasily "You have to understand detectives. Damian Gregory is a very troubled child. He's been here for some time now and he doesn't have any friends anymore, they've all moved schools for whatever reason. He doesn't excel in the classroom or at sport, and his home life is troubled". "And just how do you know about his home life" asked Velasco and Mr Berman continued "I've seen him at parent teacher nights. His father doesn't speak much english so he doesn't pay any attention and his mother takes all feedback as if he's failing and I've seen him go home in tears. Not to mention the end of last years incident".

"And that would be" said Rollins half turning her head to listen as he continued "At the end of last year we had function after school where all the parents came to discuss the kids choice of elective subjects. Thirty kids showed up with one or both parents and his were completely disinterested and didn't want to be there. When it came to speaking to the teachers about their subjects his dad was the only parent to go outside for a smoke while his mum made a fuss about him taking too long so he just turned around and left. Poor child, you could even hear his parents yelling at him for wasting their night on the way to the car".

Both detectives nodded and Joe said "I see you recently turned 40 by all those cards behind you. Just curious Mister B, I take it you're not married and all this time around younger kids. Be honest with us, you never got curious or had any thoughts"? At this point the deputy principal took a deep breath and said in his booming voice "I have been polite. I have been diplomatic and helpful. But if you wish to accuse me any further then you can see yourselves out at once"! "Thank you Mr Berman, we'll be in touch" said Rollins as they both left.

Joe and Amanda made their way down to see the next of the accused coach Franklin and on their way they bumped into another of the teachers, an older woman with long greying and blonde hair and Amanda said "Excuse me do you have minute" and showed her badge. The teacher replied "Only a minute I'm on my way to set up the lab. My name is Mrs Redhill, I teach science". Joe then said "We won't be long. We've just got a few questions to ask about deputy principal Berman. Anything you can tell us". The science teacher looked up and said "Oh Bermi. Well I started not long after he did so we've both been here for quiet a while. Never made friends with the guy outside of teacher functions but he's always nice, the students love him".

Rollins asked "And in that time has there been anything out of the ordinary at work or outside". Mrs Redhill responded "No not really. He used to teach religious studies so he's very religious Jewish man. He always goes to the school camps for the younger students just to get them more comfortable and get acquinted with the environment". "And is there much you know about his personal life" asked Velasco to which she replied "No not really. I'm a married mother so I have my own life to worry about but he's never been married or had a partner so this school is like his second family". Then she paused for a moment and continued "No wait hang on a second. A few years back, not long after he was promoted to head of the department there was a new younger girl they hired to teach in his stead, straight out of college and after a while they started dating".

Amanda asked inquisitively "And what's the school policy on that". The teacher explained "Nothing too harsh, we've had teachers meet and marry here over the years it's nothing new. She was at least 10 years his junior and like I said straight out of college. Then one day we came in and got told that she had fly back home urgently, no explanation no nothing. He never spoke about her after that, it was like she was never here".