The Pleasure of the Dean

by Nelson, Ann Marie

  “It’ll be tough for me too, Sophie. I’ll be traveling quite a bit over the next few months, which will hopefully make the time go by quicker.”

  Sophie felt a sense of relief. Maybe if she didn’t see him, being apart wouldn’t hurt so much. “Why are you going to be traveling?”

  “I’ll be shuttling back and forth to Scotland. I’m trying to convince an old college buddy, Liam MacGregor, to transfer to University of Seattle. We have a Service Chief vacancy in OB/GYN, and Liam would be the perfect fit. He’d also come with a lot of research money, which the department desperately needs.”

  “What are we going to do about Dr. Mapleton? He either knows or suspects we’re involved. He’ll make my life a living hell over the next six months.”

  “Leave it to me, Sophie,” Cole replied. “I put a plan in place to take Bruce down ages ago. I’ve been biding my time, waiting for the right moment. It might take a couple of weeks, but he’ll definitely be getting his comeuppance.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “The private investigator came through,” Crystal said gleefully. “I picked up a memory stick loaded with pictures of Drs. Armstrong and Benedict this morning!”

  Bruce barely repressed the urge to pump his fist in victory. Instead he began stroking his mustache, the soothing motion calming the excited jitters coursing through Bruce’s body. He couldn’t wait for Cole to finally be taken down.

  Although two weeks had passed, Bruce was still furious with Cole over their confrontation in the surgeon's breakroom. He didn’t remember much from that night due to his slight overindulgence in bourbon. However, Bruce recalled Sophie trying to seduce him before Cole burst in and threw him across the break room in a jealous rage. He woke up on the floor. Thankfully a custodian shook him awake before any of the other surgeons arrived.

  “How damning is the evidence?” Bruce asked.

  “There’s obvious evidence of an affair,” Crystal replied. “The private investigator photographed the doctors walking to Dr. Armstrong’s vehicle, holding hands, and kissing outside of his home.”

  Bruce tamped down his disappointment the investigator wasn’t able to catch Cole and Sophie in flagrante delicto. However, the photographic evidence the private investigator provided was enough to prove Cole and Sophie were in engaged in an inappropriate relationship. University of Seattle Medical School policy strictly forbade fraternization and forming personal relationships with subordinates. As the Dean, Dr. Armstrong was held to the highest standard. When the photographs came to light, he would be disgraced.

  “Marvelous,” Bruce replied, continuing to stroke his mustache, lost in thought. “How should we reveal the photos?” he asked himself. “We could compile the photos into a collage, print it on a banner, and then hire a pilot to fly the banner over the stadium during the next Malamute football game! Or, we could have a picture printed on mugs and send them to the faculty council. The possibilities are endless.”

  “Actually, there is a time limit on our proof,” Crystal said, interrupting his musings. “Alex Jones left a note with the memory stick. He said the photos are only good for 48 hours. After that point, an embedded program scrambles the drive. The pictures can’t be saved on any other device. If we want access for more than 48 hours, we have to pay the investigator an additional $2,500.”

  “That’s outrageous!” Bruce yelled. “I told you private investigators are lowlifes.”

  “I agree,” Crystal replied with a sharp nod. “Since we are not paying that scam artist another cent, we need to act fast. I think we should reveal the photos at faculty council meeting tomorrow. I can add them into my quarterly HR presentation.”

  “Excellent idea, cupcake,” Bruce said with a grin. “It doesn’t have the wow factor I was going for, but it’s very effective. After the big reveal, I can move for an immediate vote to terminate Cole’s appointment.”

  “Then they will finally realize you should have been appointed Dean, not Cole Armstrong.”

  “Precisely. I’ll magnanimously offer to assist the council in cleaning up the mess resulting from Cole’s affair. We’ll terminate Sophie from the Residency program and provide her with a modest settlement. Cole will be offered a payout as well, but only if he signs a gag order and adheres to his non-compete agreement. He’ll have to move out of state if he wants to practice medicine. Finally, after everything is wrapped up, I’ll ascend to my rightful position as Dean of the School of Medicine.”

  ****

  Samantha Walberg flushed beet red and broke out into a nervous sweat. She was desperately trying not to eavesdrop on Crystal and Dr. Mapleton’s conversation, but their loud voices carried through the closed office door. She wrung her hands in consternation. Sam couldn’t believe they were trying to get Dean Armstrong fired! He was the nicest man. Dean Armstrong always took the time to chat with Sam and indulge in the chocolate bars she set aside for him.

  Crystal’s office door opened, startling her. Sam stifled a squeak. Dr. Mapleton walked out and exited the suite without even acknowledging her presence. Crystal stepped out of her office and barked, “Assemble my slides for the HR presentation tomorrow. I need you to compile all of the reports and graphics. Leave room at the end of the presentation for an impromptu revelation.”

  “Yes, Ms. Bridges,” Sam replied. “I’ll get on it right away.”

  “Make sure you do Sam,” Crystal replied with a frown. “Keep in mind, you are currently on probation due to your failure to adequately review my paperwork.”

  Crystal slammed her door. Sam felt anxious tears prick the corners of her eyes, and blinked them back. “No crying at work,” she mentally admonished herself. Sam stared at Crystal’s closed door for a minute before opening up her desk drawer and gathering her purse. She was NOT going to let Crystal and Dr. Mapleton ruin the Dean’s career. Sam stood up and marched out of the office. If Crystal wanted to fire Sam for abandoning her desk, so be it. She could take the job and shove it!

  Chapter Fourteen

  “As you can see from this chart, state funding decreased 5% this quarter and research funding was up 7.5%. This is the result of an increase in funding to our institution, as well as a strengthening of the overall state economy. Based on my projections, this will become an ongoing trend,” the finance presenter said.

  Crystal looked away from the screen and out on the audience. The majority of the faculty in attendance were either sleeping, surfing the internet, or texting on their phones. She resisted the impulse to snap at them. Didn’t they realize this information was important?

  Crystal smiled to herself. They would be paying attention soon enough when they got an eyeful of Dean Armstrong’s indiscretions.

  She looked around the room. Bruce was at the front of the room, as always. He had his laptop open pretending to take notes, but Crystal knew he was really reviewing university code so that he’d be ready to cite the books when making the argument for Cole’s firing.

  On the other side of the table sat Cole himself. He looked cool and unruffled, as always. Cole’s skin glowed against his crisp white shirt. He appeared to be devoting his full attention to the presentation. Crystal was momentarily pleased, but then remembered herself. “Enjoy your last few minutes as Dean,” she thought.

  At the back of the room running the A/V was Eric Chambers. Light from the projector reflected back at the tall IT Director’s handsome face, casting it in long shadows. He was looking at Crystal, his gaze aggressive and hostile. She broke the eye contact and turned away, uncomfortable. “Once Cole is out of the picture,” Crystal decided, “I’ll have to start looking into the IT department. It could use some tightening up.”

  The finance speaker finished and left the podium. It was Crystal’s turn to present the latest HR facts and figures, something she relished since she loved talking about herself and educating others on human resources - the lifeblood of any organization.

  Crystal watched Eric load her memory stick into the room’s computer. Her first slide popped u
p, detailing statistical data on the School of Medicine’s latest hiring and firing numbers. She went into autopilot mode, droning on about the importance of a strong HR presence in everything Medicine was involved in.

  Crystal looked over the audience as she spoke. She met eyes with Bruce who gave her a private wink. As soon as the slide with the pictures popped up, he’d be ready to take over and start the termination voting process. They had it all worked out.

  “As you can see by this chart,” Crystal droned on, trying to tamp down her excitement. The big finale was at hand. “It’s imperative that any large university and research institution be led by people of strong character and values. Strict policies against employee fraternization, like the ones we have here at the University of Seattle, are vital in keeping the lines clear between reporting relationships. The stronger our program is, the higher our retention rates are for quality faculty and staff.” Crystal turned on her laser pointer, and aimed it at the screen. “On this graph, you can see this trend is also true over all our peer institutions.”

  She cleared her throat loudly, causing some of the gathered faculty to look up in annoyance. Crystal smiled smugly and said, “This is why it’s so unfortunate that here in our very own institution the very leaders we count on to be held as examples and set standards for the rest of us have let us down.”

  She cued the next slide, which should have been a close up of Cole and Sophie on his front porch. They had their arms wrapped around each other and his head was bent towards her, with obvious intent. Crystal knew the room would go nuts. She couldn’t wait to see their expressions and hear their outrage.

  She looked out into the audience. Everyone was paying attention now, their gazes locked onto the screen. Crystal heard heavy breathing playing over the speakers. “There’s no audio in my presentation,” she thought, confused. Crystal turned to face the screen.

  Instead of the still photo damning Cole and Sophie, a video clip was playing. The shot was a dark interior, the lens panning around to reveal bookcases. “What the hell is this?” Crystal snapped. She looked back at Eric Chambers. “This isn’t my slide.”

  Eric shrugged nonchalantly and made no move to stop the new show.

  The camera angle opened up to reveal more of the office. Crystal saw a familiar dartboard on the back wall and her heart started to race. “No!” she screamed.

  She looked at Bruce who was staring at the screen in puzzlement. She saw the moment of realization on his face when he recognized it was his office on the screen.

  The heaving breathing grew louder as the camera panned out further. The frame soon included two people. Bruce Mapleton was standing in front of his desk, pants bunched around his ankles. Kneeling at his feet, head bobbing back and forth like a piston, was Crystal Bridges.

  Crystal snapped. She tore at the projection screen, trying to stop the damning video, but instead the anchors ripped from the wall and the screen fell at her feet. The film did not stop. Now it was projected, with equal clarity, on the whiteboard behind the screen. Crystal shrieked in frustration, vaulted over a chair, and clawed her way to the projector. She pushed Eric Chambers aside, picked up the computer, and threw it on the ground. It cracked, freezing the video at the moment Dr. Mapleton reached his climax. The shot of Bruce, face twisted in ecstasy, remained projected on the whiteboard.

  Shocked silence fell over the room. All eyes swiveled to Crystal, who was panting from her exertions. Crystal’s efforts had knocked her tight bun loose and now long dull brown strands fell over her face. Her eye makeup and lipstick were streaked, giving her a clownish appearance.

  “He made me do it!!” Crystal screamed, pointing a finger at Bruce. “He forced me! He said he’d get me fired if I didn’t do what he wanted!” Her voice screeched higher and higher as hysteria consumed her. “I’m going to sue! You’ll all be sorry!!” Crystal tugged at her bun and it completely came undone, covering her face with a brown veil. She barreled out the heavy double doors of the conference room and started running down the hall.

  After her dramatic exit, everyone’s head turned towards the front of the room, only to discover the seat previously occupied by Bruce Mapleton was now empty. A door in the back corner of the room, leading to a shared kitchenette area, was wide open.

  The room erupted in confused conversation.

  Cole stood up and addressed the audience. “Ok everyone,” he said. “Let’s settle down.” The roar got quieter. “Eric, can you please shut the projector off?”

  Eric nodded and powered down the a/v equipment. Bruce’s O-face faded from everyone’s view, but not before a few faculty members pulled out their phones and snapped a picture. Erick stuck the memory stick into his pocket with a satisfied smirk on his face.

  “It seems fairly obvious a very serious violation of school policy has been committed by Dr. Bruce Mapleton. I move Dr. Mapleton’s hospital and university privileges be suspended immediately, pending further investigation. All in favor?”

  The room ran with a resounding “aye” from the assembled faculty members.

  “All opposed?”

  “Let the record show the faculty council unanimously voted to suspend. Dr. Mapleton’s privileges,” Cole said. “Please be assured, I will put an investigative team in place to immediately to assess these infractions. The next time we convene, we can discuss the findings as well as the severity of Dr. Mapleton’s punishment. You are dismissed.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sophie rode the elevator down to the emergency room. She was covering a shift as a favor for Dr. Evelyn Feldstein.

  “Better to stay as busy as possible,” she thought to herself. “The busier I am, the less time I have to think about missing Cole.” Sophie recalled her last night with him. She longed to be back in his arms. Sophie sighed at the memory and allowed herself a moment of grief before stiffening her spine. She thought, “Covering this shift is going to be grueling. I’m going to have a terrible night.” You never knew what was going to come your way in the ER.

  The elevator stopped at the third floor. When the doors parted a familiar looking figure rushed in and slammed at the buttons for the basement. The woman was sniveling uncontrollably. Her menswear style business suit was unbuttoned and wrinkled. Her downward turned face was obscured by a waterfall of dingy hair. Streaked make-up ran in colored rivulets down her face. She was a complete mess.

  “Crystal?” Sophie asked in disbelief.

  Crystal jerked her head up in surprise. Her eyes were crazed and feral.

  They stared at each other for a moment until the dinging of the elevator caught their attention. The doors opened. Sophie moved to exit the elevator. Before she stepped out, Sophie turned back towards Crystal, reaching into the deep pocket of her white clinic coat. She withdrew something and held it out.

  Crystal reflexively took the offered item and turned it over. The familiar sad face of the depressed malamute looked back at her from the Sharelink brochure.

  Sophie walked from the elevator towards the emergency room. She heard the echoing wails from Crystal grow louder and then finally cut out as the doors closed behind her.

  “This evening is looking up.” Sophie smiled and continued her walk with an extra bounce in her step.

  ****

  Thanks AJ. Everything went as planned.

  Cole hit send and put his phone on his desk. He leaned back in his chair, and looked out at the moon’s reflection on Lake Washington. It was a satisfying day. Months of planning finally came to fruition.

  He took a sip of his scotch and thought back to the events of the afternoon.

  Kelsey Briar was at her post, knitting a pair of purple arm warmers, when Sam burst into Cole’s office suite. Her face was rosy from her dash to the office. Sam’s normally perfect coiffure was askew. Unshed tears pooled in her eyes.

  “May I help you dear,” Leslie asked, continuing to knit.

  “I need to speak to Dean Armstrong right away!” she gasped. “Please. If he’s available.�
�� Sam added. She didn’t want Kelsey to think she was rude. “I’ll sit over there,” Sam said, pointing to a waiting area. “No rush. Whenever it's convenient for him.”

  Sam vibrated in her seat as Kelsey set down her knitting and buzzed Cole. A minute later he strode out of his office. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, exposing his powerful forearms. Cole’s hair looked like he’d been running his hands through it.

  She shot up like a bullet. “I’m sorry to disturb you Dean Armstrong,” Sam said. “I wouldn’t bother you unless it was absolutely vital.”

  “No worries Sam,” he replied with a disarming smile. “I always have time for the person who squirrels away special chocolate bars for me.”

  Sam smiled and flushed in pleasure. Then she remembered why she was there, and tears filled her eyes again.