“What evidence do you have?” I demanded. “Tell me right now or I’m walking out that door.”
“Fine. You got me,” he admitted. “I don’t have any real evidence. I sent that email to every professor at school.”
I suppressed the urge to pump my fist.Yes!
“But,” he said, aiming an accusing finger across the booth, “you’re the only professor who responded. The only one with a guilty conscious. And now that you’ve admitted it by coming here, I know thetruth. Even if I don’t have any evidence, I’m betting you don’t want me going to the head of your department with my accusation. That would bring a bunch of scrutiny down on you. And once a bright light is shone on your activities, emails, text messages…”
He sneered at me, and I felt a whole new level of despair. Even though we had been careful, and had only sent encrypted texts through Signal, I wouldn’t survive a real investigation. And my reputation would still be damaged beyond repair.
“What do you want?” I asked in a small voice.
“I’m glad you asked!” He crossed his arms on the table lazily. “I looked up the salary for an Associate Professor. It’s kind of pitiful. The American education system really is in bad shape. But for now, I think you can afford to part with a thousand dollars a month. How’s that sound?”
“Fine,” I agreed. If that’s what it would take to save my career…
“That’s not all. I’m currently getting a D in my Calculus class because my professor is a piece of shit who has it out for me,” he complained. “I need you to convince him to change my grade before the final exam.”
I gaped at him. “How am I supposed to do that? This is my second semester here. I don’t know anyone in the math department.”
“That’s your problem to figure out!” he said cheerfully. “And while we’re on the subject of finals, I want copies of all your final exams. And all the ones in your department.”
“Why? You’re not a Criminology student.”
He shrugged. “I’ll find a way to trade those exams for some other favors. All you need to worry about is getting me the exams. This will be a recurring thing, by the way. Not just this semester. The good news for you is that I graduate next year, so you’ll be off the hook, then.”
Once again, I felt powerless. And it was my own fault for replying to his email.
I should have listened to Cam.
“Okay,” I said. “Congrats. You win.”
“No,” said a deep, familiar voice, “he doesn’t.”
There, standing next to our booth, was Brock.
And he had a huge smile on his face.
43
Lila
“Who the fuck is this?” my accuser demanded. “I told you to come alone! It was my one fucking request!”
“Brock, don’t do anything drastic,” I said, imagining the bigger man beating this kid into a pulp and getting arrested for felony assault.
“Relax, Lila,” he said. “Everything’s under control.”
Tonight, telling me to relax actually worked. There was a certainty in Brock’s voice that instantly made me feel like everything was going to be okay.
“This guy’s name is Jerry,” Brock said, sliding into the booth next to my accuser. “And he doesn’t have any hard evidence.”
“Don’t need it!” Jerry gloated. “She already basically admitted to it. Hey man, don’t come any closer. Or I’ll tell the entire department you two are fucking.”
Brock smiled at me. “We know his name is Jerry because Cam’s been looking him up since he came in.”
“Cam’s here?” I asked.
“Sitting in that booth by the bar, barely out of sight. Jace is with him.” Brock raised a hand to wave behind him without looking.At the edge of my vision, where the wall blocked most of the rest of the bar, Jace raised his large hand in response. I could see his smile even from across the crowded room.
