Soraya raised her eyebrows at him and closed the file ceremoni-

ously, tossing it onto his desk.

“What kind of interest does the complainant have in making

such an allegation?”

David glared.

Soraya looked from the Dean to the chair and back again. “Per-

haps the complainant’s true target is Professor Emerson. Why am I

suddenly getting the impression that my client is collateral damage?”

“Any other matters are outside your purview, Miss Harandi.”

The Dean’s chin began to wobble. “Even if this office would prefer to ignore the supporting information filed with the complaint, we

can’t. The newspaper article demonstrates that Miss Mitchell and

Professor Emerson were romantically linked only days after the end of the semester. It appears to demonstrate the existence of a prior inappropriate relationship, if nothing else.”

“I can’t believe you summoned my client to listen to these bizarre accusations. The complainant is clearly unstable and living in a fantasy world. If she has an issue with Professor Emerson, she needs to pursue a complaint against him, not my client. Given what I have seen here today, I will advise my client that she is well within her rights to file a harassment complaint against Miss Peterson and to see that she is investigated for making a fraudulent and defamatory charge.”

The Dean cleared his throat noisily. “If your position is such

that Miss Mitchell and Professor Emerson engaged in a consensual

relationship, I will gladly make note of such a declaration and we can dispense with the charade. When did this consensual relationship begin?”

186

Gabriel’s Rapture

“The only charade is the one your office is performing, in which

you attempt to appear to be investigating an academic infraction but rather are engaging in some kind of prurient sexual McCarthyism.

This meeting is over.” Soraya closed her briefcase dramatically and stood to her feet.

“Just a minute, Miss Harandi. If you had troubled yourself to

take a closer look at Miss Mitchell’s academic file, you’d have seen a form signed by Professor Picton and dated in October, declaring

that she would be supervising Miss Mitchell’s thesis because Professor Emerson had a conflict of interest. What reason would he have

to approach Professor Picton other than giving Miss Mitchell what

she wanted? What kind of conflict of interest could there be, other than an inappropriate relationship?”

Julia opened her mouth to answer him, to reveal the fact that

she had known Gabriel since she was a teenager, but Soraya grabbed her forearm in a death grip.

“You sound as if you have already taken a position on the com-

plaint, Dr. Aras. Perhaps your letter would have been less disingenuous if you had stated that your true purpose in this meeting was to poison the well against my client so you could punish her.”

The Dean appeared to swallow his growing anger. He gestured

to the paperwork in front of him. “The complaint alleges that aca-

demic favors were granted to Miss Mitchell for reasons other than

academic performance.

“The complainant testifies that Professor Emerson and Miss

Mitchell engaged in a lover’s quarrel in front of a room full of witnesses during one of his seminars. Shortly after that embarrassing public display, Professor Picton signed the paperwork that allowed her to become Miss Mitchell’s thesis advisor. Quid pro quo. Quod erat demonstrandum.”

“Nemo me impune lacessit, Dr. Aras.” Soraya smiled at Professor Martin, before turning a stony gaze in David’s direction. “I started studying Latin when I was in kindergarten.

“The complaint is malicious and false. If the Provost decides to

lay charges on the basis of this complaint, I will pursue other avenues of remedy against the complainant and this office.”

Julia watched as the Dean gripped his pen rather tightly. “Are

you sure this is the position you wish to take, Miss Mitchel ? An

argument for leniency can be made if you cooperate.”

187

Sylvain Reynard

“You’ve basically called my client a whore and accused her of

sleeping with a professor to gain a preferment. I don’t need to remind you of the laws regarding defamation of character. I believe we found ourselves in a similar situation last year. We don’t give in to threats.”

“We do not threaten, we adjudicate. We will be interviewing

witnesses and other relevant parties and then we will repeat this

conversation. Jeremy, have you any further comments or questions?”

Professor Martin measured Julianne with his gaze, then shook

his head dispassionately.

The Dean closed his file. “Since you refuse to answer my ques-

tions, Miss Mitchell, you are dismissed.”

Soraya nodded at the two men and escorted Julia out of the room.

188

Chapter 21

“That meeting was a confederacy of dunces,” announced Soraya, leaning against the banquette in the bar of the Windsor Arms

Hotel.

Julia nodded, wondering if she was Ignatius Reilly, the protagonist of that book, or whether Gabriel was Ignatius and she was Myrna

Minkoff.

The bartender delivered their martinis with a smile and a few

dishes of tapas, “on the house.” He winked at Soraya, who was a

regular, and returned to the bar.

She took a long sip of her drink and settled herself in her seat.

“My advice is to file a harassment complaint against Christa Peterson, citing malicious intent, as soon as possible. There are provisions in the university’s academic policies that are supposed to protect students from fraudulent accusations.”

“I’m not sure I want to antagonize her.”

Soraya laughed darkly. “What more could she do to you? Boil

your bunny?”

Julia cringed.

“Listen, a complaint against her would be a shot across the bow.

We don’t have to follow through on it, but it would give her and the Dean something to think about. You told me that she accused Gabriel of sexual harassment. Don’t you want to strike back?”

“I want all of this to end. I don’t understand how she can file a

complaint against me when my situation has nothing to do with her.”

“Based upon what we learned today, I think it’s pretty clear what

she’s doing. She accused you of sleeping your way to the top, and

she accused your boyfriend of trying to make the same arrangement

Sylvain Reynard

with her. It’s clever, really, because she doesn’t need her complaints to be successful in order to take both of you out at the same time.”

Julia blanched. “What do you mean?”

“She’s forcing you into admitting that you had a relationship

with your professor. Then the university can hit you and him with a fraternization charge. She’s either bril iant or she’s had some coaching.”

Julia traced a finger up and down the side of her martini glass,

fighting the urge to be sick.

Soraya sipped her cocktail once more. “I need you to make a list

of people the Dean might interview and anything they might say that would be damaging. The evidence he has is slight, but if you put it all together, it could be enough to convince a tribunal that Gabriel gifted you with favors because of your relationship.”

Julia began sawing on her lower lip with her teeth.

“Don’t worry, yet. Let’s focus on beating this complaint and worry about everything else later. The administration is very cautious when it comes to matters involving faculty members because of their union.

The university will continue the investigation until they’re sure, and then they’ll pounce.

“In the meantime, let me file a complaint against this Christa

Peterson character. From now on, you and Gabriel need to stay out

of the public eye. David will be investigating both of you this week, and we should assume he’ll interview everyone who has come in

contact with both of you.”

Julia shook her head, a wave of nausea crashing over her as she

thought of other faculty and students from the department being

asked to give testimony in front of the Dean.

“All right, Soraya. File the complaint. I don’t think it will accomplish anything other than to antagonize her, but you’re the lawyer.”

“Excellent.” Soraya smiled widely and downed the rest of her

dirty martini.

P

190

Gabriel’s Rapture

Later that afternoon Julia was exiting the elevator on Gabriel’s

floor. She passed his French Canadian neighbor as she walked down

the long hallway, and they exchanged a brief but friendly nod. Then she let herself in with her key.

“Julianne? Is that you?”

“Yes. How was your meeting with the Chair?” She quickly re-

moved her coat and boots and was ready to walk into the living room when Gabriel met her in the front hall.

“I want to hear about your meeting first.” He placed his hands

on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “Are you all right? What happened?”

“They asked me a few questions and let me go.”

He let out an expletive and pulled her into his arms. “If anything ever happened to you…”

She returned his embrace, exhaling slowly against his dress shirt.

“It was Christa Peterson.”

“What?” He pulled back so he could see her face.