Chapter 28 Bardy
BARDY
And though she be but little, she is fierce.
Tay is waiting for him in reception. She looks smart.
Black trousers, white shirt. A bit like the café uniform, but there she wore them baggier with a loosely tied apron, more in her normal style.
They don’t hug. Just nod at each other. He looks over his shoulder.
“Pia’s outside, she said we could text her if you get any tricky questions. She’ll meet us later.”
Tay nods again.
“Was she helpful, yesterday?”
“Yeah, kind of. I’ve got this stuff she’s put together for me.” Tay holds up a folder. “Okay, I guess I’d better sign you in.”
Tay signing him in to the office where she works.
It gives him hope. It’s a long way from basketball club. Or the police station.
He checks: a little muted maybe, but still red ocher.
Tay leads him to a meeting room on the ground floor, then knocks and enters. There are two other people in the room. Introductions are made.
Jonathan is a man in his late forties, suit slightly shiny, nondescript tie, and a moist, limp handshake.
He has black glasses with overlarge frames that make Bardy wonder if he works with a team of younger people and is worrying about his age.
He’s seen it in some teachers: the very latest sneakers and hoodies.
One guy traded in his Vauxhall Vectra for a Harley-Davidson.
Jan is more impressive. A tall woman with glasses that suit her look and her face.
If Jonathan’s glasses say sad man walking in inappropriate shoes (Bardy glances down—yep), Jan’s say woman on the up, a woman who means business.
He can’t decide if this will ensure Tay gets a fair hearing or not.
She does keep glancing at her phone, and that worries him.
More important things to do? Short of time?
Jan is also nettle green. He can’t decide if this is a good thing or not, either.
Jan starts. “Tay, I am sorry that it has come to this. Mr. Shakespeare, thank you for coming along this afternoon. My aim is that we hear the results of the investigation into Mrs. Noble’s complaint, and my hope is we can find a positive way forward.”
Tay just stares at Jan.
“Right, Jonathan, over to you.”
Jonathan flicks open the file in front of him and also adjusts his laptop screen.
He makes a nervous beginning, stumbling over some words, but then gets into his stride, even sitting back in his chair, and bouncing slightly.
The more he talks, the more Bardy hopes it will tip over backward.
Bardy glances down at the phone he has discreetly in his lap. Nothing to report to Pia yet.
The case, as told by Jonathan, seems to be that Mrs. Noble claimed Tay told her to “Piss off.” Twice.
And that this was heard by two other members of staff who also made statements.
Mrs. Noble claimed Tay was surly and uncooperative, not fitting in with the team.
There are also notes about Tay’s work. Her record is undeniably good, but her team expressed concerns about her manner on the phone, which Mrs. Noble described as too casual and unprofessional.
There did not appear to be other witnesses to this.
At the end, Jonathan shakes his head as if disappointed with an unruly child.
During this recital, Jan takes notes while also glancing at her phone. She now asks, “Tay, is there anything you would like to say to this? Or any questions you have?”
Bardy’s hands are clenched tight. He wishes he could stop this. Do these people have any idea of what this girl’s life has been like? Is like?
Bardy can see Tay’s knee bouncing under the table, but her voice is steady. A little squeaky, but her words are clear. “I have a statement and some questions.”
Bardy sees a look of surprise on Jan’s face. She stops looking at her phone. Jonathan is picking at something on the sleeve of his jacket and doesn’t look up. Tay’s knuckles are white where she is holding tight to the page that Pia has prepared for her. She starts to read.
“I don’t deny that I told Mrs. Noble to piss off. Twice.”
Bardy’s not sure it’s wise to put so much venom into the two words.
“I would like to apologize for my choice of words . . .”
How did Pia get Tay to agree to that?
“. . . but the language I used demonstrated the frustration I was feeling at my work situation and came about because of Mrs. Noble’s behavior toward me.
Specifically, bullying by Mrs. Noble and her contact with one of my clients, thereby breaching company guidelines and undermining my position in the team. ”
Tay takes a deep breath and keeps reading. “I would also like to state that my position was made worse due to the lack of support that I have received from HR.”
Jonathan stops picking.
He goes to speak, but Tay talks over him.
“I have here a list of times and dates on which I spoke to HR.” She flicks a quick look at Jonathan.
“I have noted my questions and their responses.” Tay starts to fumble for the sheets.
Bardy takes them from her. These people will not see her hands shake.
He passes papers over to Jonathan and Jan, and keeps one for himself.
Tay reads it out. It itemizes the times Tay asked for Jonathan’s help.
Firstly, to explain to the team that she had to attend college and that she wasn’t skipping off and missing any dates.
His response was that she should just ignore it.
Then, on a number of occasions, she asked Jonathan to provide more training for the team on Excel, as she was being called upon to constantly help people with spreadsheets.
It seemed no one even asked politely anymore; it was assumed her role was spreadsheet support.
Jonathan had said he would look into it, but that budgets were tight.
Nothing was done. The next item makes Bardy want to grab Jonathan by his badly tied tie and throttle him.
It relates to a date when Jonathan found Tay alone and upset in the corridor.
In her statement, she records that she asked for his help as Karen had told her that her mother was a piece of shit and that Tay might not know who her dad was, but anyone could see who her mother was.
His response apparently was to tell her to just try and get on with them better, and especially not to upset Karen.
Finally, there is the date on which she asked Jonathan whether Karen was allowed to just take over the client she was dealing with, Mrs. Willis.
She had asked if she could speak to Mrs. Willis.
Tay’s record stated that Jonathan had said that it was far easier to let Karen do what she wanted and that it was against GDPR rules for Tay to contact Mrs. Willis.
She had asked if he could contact Mrs. Willis. He had said he couldn’t.
“This is nonsense . . . you’re making this up . . .” Jonathan splutters.
Jan holds up her hand. “I think we will want to come back to discuss these very serious points. But before we do that, do you have any questions, Tay?”
Tay looks around helplessly, “Well, only it’s about that list. He did do all of that. He can’t say he didn’t.”
Bardy can feel Tay losing it. She’s been amazing.
But she can see where this is heading, where it has always been.
Her word against theirs. She doesn’t have anyone in the team who will stick up for her.
They are going to want evidence, and that’s what they don’t have.
Bardy stands. He has their attention. He isn’t sure what he is going to say, just anything to stop them looking at her, seeing her vulnerability.
“Jan, Jonathan. I would like us to take a break now. This is a difficult situation, especially for Tay. Could I ask you to leave the room for just a few minutes so I can talk to Tay privately?”
They look surprised, but after glancing at each other, Jan says, “I can give you five minutes.” She checks her phone and continues. “Jonathan, would you get some water for the room?” Jonathan obviously hadn’t thought Tay important enough to provide the normal meeting room refreshments.
As the door closes behind them, Tay starts to shake, shivering violently. Bardy puts his arm around her. Not their normal style. But then he’s never been in a disciplinary meeting before. Never wants to be in one again.
“Look, we can’t prove anything, but we can ask some questions. Just get it into Jan’s mind that it might not be as clear-cut as Jonathan is saying. God, he’s a prize prat.”
“Told you,” Tay says, trying to smile.
His phone vibrates. It’s Pia asking how it’s going.
He types quickly. We need a bloody miracle.
Then he sets about logically working through what questions it is best to ask.
He knows he will be repeating the points Tay has already made, but maybe he will hammer them home.
He just hopes Tay holds it together. He wishes he could ask them for her, but Pia said it should come from Tay.
Said it would make her stronger. For fuck’s sake.
He wishes Lou were here with his big stomach.
Clemenza would know how to deal with these people.
They set about making a list. Before they are ready, Jan and Jonathan are back.
Is it his imagination, or is Jonathan looking flushed?
Has Jan had a go at him? Water is provided.
Bardy takes some. Tay doesn’t. Probably wise.
Might spill it over herself. Or throw it at Jonathan.
He just hopes Tay can read his list of scribbled questions.
Bardy begins. “Tay is now going to ask some questions. While these might not constitute evidence for her case, I think they cover such serious issues that at the very least they warrant proper investigation.” He glances at Jonathan and looks meaningfully at Jan.
Still nettle green. Bardy still doesn’t know what that might mean for Tay.