I let go and stepped aside. "Alright, fine, go check the websites, but I bet I can predict what you are going to find," I said. I poured myself a cup of coffee while she settled in front of my computer.
"You want the good news or the bad news?" Clarity asked.
"Bad news first. Always," I sighed.
Clarity waved me over to the computer. "Well, the article is gone from both your department website and the student newspaper website."
"So there's good news?"
She squeezed the hand I laid on her shoulder. "There's a social media storm. All the students are in an uproar about something being removed from the student newspaper website. There's a mounting protest about corruption and censorship."
I brushed aside her soft, red curls and kissed the side of her neck. "I'd say that's the best news I've heard all day, but I think this might be better." I left a trail of warm kisses down to wear the large tee-shirt collar hung loosely over her shoulder.
"Thank god the Landsman students are getting involved," Clarity said, doing her best to resist my lips. "Maybe they can take it from here and we can skip town for a few days."
I melted behind her. In one simple comment, Clarity had just voiced the hope I hadn't allowed myself. She wanted to spend more time with me, just me. It wasn't the excitement of the expose or the convenience of hiding out at my apartment: Clarity was actually interested in me.
I knelt on the floor beside the desk chair and slipped an arm around her waist. "I've been thinking about your road trip idea—"
A heavy-handed knock on my apartment door interrupted us.
"Should we pretend we're not home?" Clarity whispered. Her eyes took on a mischievous emerald glint. "Or pretend we didn't hear. We can sneak back to bed and try to be quiet."
Clarity's lips were irresistible and I drank in ,a delicious kiss before the loud rapping sounded again. This time my phone rang in conjunction with the knocking and voices in the hallway heard it too.
"Why do you look so worried?" Clarity caught my face in between both her smooth hands.
I thought about the man on the phone, but didn't want to panic her. "It's nothing. We expected all of this." I picked up my phone and showed her the caller ID. “It's the president of the college, I'd better answer," I said.
Clarity zipped her fingers across her lips and promised to be quiet so I put the phone on speaker and answered it.
"Professor Bauer, I'm assuming you know exactly what this call is about," the president began.
"Seems you have a student uprising on your hands," I said. "They seem to be upset about proof of administrative corruption, oh, and this whole censoring the student newspaper thing."
The president's voice turned icy. "This is a courtesy call, Bauer. Campus security guards have been sent to pick you up. I thought it would look better for you and for Landsman if the police didn't pick you up this morning. The guards will discreetly escort you to the police station."
Clarity's mouth dropped open and she flapped her hands in panic but I waved her quiet. "What if discreetly doesn't work for me?" I asked.
"You need to start making some serious career choices here, Bauer," the president said. "I'm trying to help you."
"You should be helping Dean Dunkirk," I pointed out.
The president ignored me. "The head of our campus security assures me they are outside your door at this moment. They know you are at home. Do yourself a favor and let them take you into the station. It won't be so quiet if the police need to come."
"I've got nothing to hide," I said. "In fact, I think you are the one that should reconsider. This makes it seem like Landsman College has something to hide."
"This has nothing to do with Landsman College," the president snapped. "You are being charged with libel by a private citizen."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Clarity
I bit my tongue again and it hurt. Ford tried for the third time to explain to the president of Landsman College that our article was the truth.
"Libel charges are never going to stick because there is actual evidence to back up our claims. Did you even read the article, sir?" Ford asked.
"I am not in the business of reading every conspiracy theory that comes along," the president said. "I'm sure you think you are showing your students the essence of some journalistic ideal, but attacking a donor with unsubstantiated claims is not the lesson they should learn."
"No," Ford snapped, "the students are learning how power corrupts and corrupted power uses censorship as a weapon."
"The truth of this is for the police to decide," the president said dryly. "I am merely trying to extend a courtesy to a former employee."
"Oh, so there it is," Ford gave a humorless laugh, "you're final stance is to ignore the truth, get rid of me, and sweep everything else under the rug. I suggest you read the article, sir. I also suggest you listen to your students or there won't be much of a college left for you to make look good."
"Again, Mr. Bauer. I am trying to help you. Security is there to make sure you are not taken away in handcuffs. If there's nothing else I can do or say—"
"Oh, but there is," Ford snarled. "How about you send campus security to check for the men harassing Dean Dunkirk and his daughter."
"What?" I whispered. A cold hand closed around my heart as I thought about my father. I had sent him a text the night before and assured him I was safe. It had never occurred to me that he might be in actual danger.
Ford's stormy eyes flashed an apology at me before he continued. "Clarity Dunkirk received a threatening phone call this morning. A man claimed to be a professor, then immediately recanted the lie. He said he was waiting for Clarity on campus. Doesn't that sound like a student's safety is being jeopardized? Isn't that a better use of your security team's time?"
"Someone called and threatened me?" I whispered. Fear made my voice catch and it was louder than I intended.
"Mr. Bauer, please tell me you do not have a student with you at your private residence. You are far outside the bounds of propriety," the president said.
I snatched the phone from Ford before he could move. "I'd like to talk to you about propriety, sir," I snapped. "Suspending an administrator without properly reviewing the accusations seems to be a very large breach of propriety. As does compromising your students' rights to free speech by tampering with the student newspaper website."
"Ms. Dunkirk, this is an inappropriate conversation at this time—"
"You haven't even read the article. You obviously care more for the public relations look of Landsman College than the ideals it is trying to promote," I cried. "That is what is inappropriate."
"My dear girl," the president said in soothing tones. "I understand how this can all be very confusing for you."
Ford stood back and held up his hands. The president of Landsman College was on his own and I was angry.
"I refuse to let you condescend to me," I snapped. "I corroborated the evidence in the plagiarism case and that paper was planted. The facts support it. If you were interested in anything other than your image, you would open an investigation yourself. Or should I ask my fellow students to do that for you?"