Teacher's Pet

Chapter Twelve

Ford

I ran up the stairs two at a time and wished I could outrun the look in Clarity's eyes. She was upset, and there was something more than her father's mistake. A bad feeling chased me. Libby would not stay quiet for long. The thing that slowed me down, dragged me down with every step, was the guilt over what I had done.

I charged up the steps and did not pause for breath on the landing. A sharp turn and another flight of stairs, and the sound of student laughter faded away. I was almost to my office floor when I heard heavy footsteps above me.

Florence Macken rounded the corner on her way down, and I skidded to a stop. I stumbled backward on the next landing and grabbed the railing for support.

"Professor Bauer, just the man I was hoping to catch," she said.

My department head stood over me, three steps up, and made no move to join me on the landing. She settled her hands on her hips and smirked at me from above.

"I imagine you've heard that rumors have come to light around Landsman campus," Macken said. "That means changes that have been stymied for some time will be going ahead soon."

I braced myself against the railing. "Rumors. Let me guess, there was a student report made this morning," I said.

I couldn't blame Libby for beating me to it. She knew her leverage was not going to last long, though I was surprised she went ahead before even making a specific demand of me.

Then my stomach sank. If Libby had lodged a complaint against me, it meant she had confronted Clarity. When Clarity did not believe her or bend to her blackmail threats, Libby had no choice but to go ahead and make the complaint against me.

"Student complaint?" Macken asked. "This morning?" Her faced smoothed into a superior mask. "Of course, I'm surprised that you want to discuss first."

I paused and listened for a moment. Macken prided herself on knowing everything first, so it was not hard to believe she would bluff. "I'm assuming nothing can happen until it comes before the Honor Council," I hedged. "So, really, there is nothing to discuss until that happens. You wouldn't step outside of protocol, would you?"

"Honor Council," she muttered. Macken let her fists slip off her hips and crossed them over her formidable stomach. "You're just trying to distract me with some student drivel, Professor Bauer. Not everyone on campus is as interested in the personal lives of the students as you are."

She didn't know. Libby had not yet filed a complaint against me for our inappropriate relationship. When the weight did not lift from my shoulders, I knew it was time for me to declare the mistake myself. Luckily, I did not have to discuss it with Florence Macken.

"Sorry, I won't waste your time anymore," I said. I climbed a step upwards, but my department head refused to move.

A reptilian smile curved the corners of her mouth. "You can't tell me you don't already know. You haven't heard?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. I was teaching this morning," I said. When her smile did not fade but stretched farther, the knots in my stomach returned.

"Your friend, Dean Dunkirk, got some bad news while you were rambling on to your students in class," Macken said. She unclenched one arm to toss a hand around in the air. "The Dean of Students has been suspended as of ten o'clock this morning."

My confusion was genuine. It was impossible to imagine Clarity got up this morning, turned her father in to the college administrators, and then calmly attended my class. No one else knew about the doctored application unless the dean had confessed to his other friends at Thanksgiving.

I thought over the day, forced myself to ignore the bright spots of Clarity's smiles, and assured myself Dean Dunkirk had not had time to tell anyone else about his mistake.

"Why would Dean Dunkirk be suspended?" I asked. "Please tell me Landsman College is not going on a witch hunt."

Mackey shook her head, her smile still in place. "Turns out we don't need a witch hunt," she said. "With your friend the dean out of the way, our department budget will go to review. Landsman College is anxious to conduct business better than usual, so it seems department cuts will be made sooner rather than later. Separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Seems the Dean has managed to kick start that process instead of save you from it."

I scowled up at her and climbed the steps that separated us. "Why do you think I would ask Dean Dunkirk to help me?"

"You need it," Macken said flatly. "Why else would you go out of your way to befriend the dean? I know you were invited to his house for Thanksgiving. Must have been quite a cozy little celebration with him and your star student."

I swallowed hard. The only other explanation that Macken would think of was my interest in Clarity. I had to steer her in the other direction. "So what if I made friends with an administrator? I would think that would be encouraged."

"Not if he turns out to be a disgrace," Macken crowed.

"Is he okay? What was he accused of? Is Dean Dunkirk still on campus?"

My department head raised an eyebrow. "Concerned for your friend? I wouldn't be. If I were you, I wouldn't go near Patrick Dunkirk with a ten foot pole."

"What has he been accused of?" I asked again. "Clearly the evidence is not all in if he was only suspended."