Stepping Up To Love (Lakeside Porches 1) (12 page)

Phil gave him an incisive look. “There are probably complaints being issued, but they’re going nowhere or being misdirected or mishandled, don’t you think?”

“I agree. What’s unbelievable is that we handpicked the people who act as point persons for students with concerns and allegations. We’ve followed up with those people, and they say complaints were filed and forwarded to the officers and to the authorities. But there’s no record anywhere that complaints were ever filed.”

Phil opened his hands and offered his explanation. “That tells me Kristof has a student hacker at his disposal altering the systems, besides having connections inside and outside the college.”

Joel nodded, his mouth set in a grim line. “Exactly. He’s been very well-protected by persons still unknown. He probably has the goods on one or more college officers who look perfectly respectable. And I’m sure from what the police said he has connections in the community.”

“And in law enforcement?”

“Almost certainly. I’ve talked a few times now with the police chief, and I know he’s digging within his organization.”

“This is a serious investigation then?” Phil asked for confirmation.

Joel nodded and took a deep breath to calm the turmoil in his stomach.

“Does that mean Manda’s name has been on the table as one of the victims?”

Joel breathed quietly for a minute, trying to keep his emotions under control.

“Joel, I’m waiting for an answer.”

“Yes, it does mean her situation is known to the president and other administrators, as well as the police, campus security, counseling services, and residential services.”

“And does she realize this?”

“Not about the administrators, no.”

“Are you going to tell her?”

Joel snapped, “How can I? Without destroying her self-esteem, which is pretty fragile at this stage.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

It was Phil’s turn to be quiet.  He responded with another question. “Is she a good student?”

“Nearly first in her class. All her professors vouch for her genuine talent and intelligence and diligence.”

“So there’s no question. She was not looking for a kinky kind of grade inflation.”

“Not at all.”

Phil pressed Joel’s arm to offer support. “I don’t know how to advise you about what you say to her and when. But I do know if it comes out publicly, she’s going to have a very bad time with it.”

“I know. But I couldn’t keep her name out of it and also conduct the thorough investigation we needed.”

Phil nodded his agreement. “I’m sure that was a very difficult decision for you. It shows a lot of integrity, Joel. Think anything will come of it?”

“The investigation? The police are handling things from the criminal side. At the college, I think we’ve built a solid case for blackballing Kristof in higher education in this area. But I don’t see any way for the college to prosecute without dragging at least a dozen students’ names into the media at a time when they’re trying to move on with their lives, get into grad school, get jobs and start careers.”

“Is Manda the only one among them that was not looking for grade inflation?”

“Not at all. We’ve heard some serious accusations by very strong students. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was ugly and alarming both.”

“Anyone else threatened with loss of scholarship or other funding?”

Joel opened his window a crack. “Not that we’ve heard yet. We will continue to investigate, but the more we dig, the more we’re in danger of exposure to the media. If the alumni hear about this, our development dollars are impacted. If parents and high school counselors get wind of it, our applications and admissions will suffer.”

Phil flipped his hand over and back as he concluded, “So potentially, doing the right thing could sink your college, the one your forefathers’ founded in what year?”

Joel shrugged, “I don’t know. Eighteen something.”

“Sucks.”

Joel let out his breath in a laugh and nodded his agreement.

“Joel, I admire you for having the courage to go forward with the investigation. I wish I’d been here for you.”

Joel gave him a warm smile. “Thank you. Because you were away, I tried to get hold of Justin to—"

Phil squinted. “Your uncle? Who is a Cushman but not a Tompkins?”

“Family just the same. With a right to know and to weigh in.”

“Did you get him?”

“I did. I don’t know what’s up with him. But he did get back to me and gave me his blessing.”

Phil’s voice cracked in surprise. “But not anything more?”

“Some good advice. What were you thinking?”

“I’m just thinking he’s been very hands-on in the past when you’ve called upon him.”

Joel shrugged. “Like I said I don’t know what’s up with him. He didn’t sound well.”

“Physically?”

“Yeah.”

“Is he one of us?”

“I’ve never known Justin to over-indulge in anything, including alcohol.”

Phil’s eyebrows arched. “Not even women? What is he, a saint?”

Joel laughed. “Can’t be a saint. He likes money too much.”

“More than women?”

Joel tipped his head from side to side as he thought about it. “Could be.”

Phil sighed and sat back against the seat. “Doesn’t sound a bit healthy to me.”

They drove in silence for another mile before Phil asked, “What happened with the scholarship program Manda was on?”

Joel shook his head in frustration. “That’s looking like a corruption case—embezzlement.”

“You can’t be serious?” Phil sat forward again and turned for a better look at Joel’s face.

Joel was wearing a grim smile. “A few years back, someone made a stellar case for having the Presidential Scholars give up their room, board, and living allowance to engage in community service. They would be guided to other funding to make up the shortfall as needed. The pitch was linked to the new college initiative for civic engagement.

“However, no one followed through with the scholars about their unmet financial need. All the scholars were left stranded with just tuition reimbursement. Most had to leave the college entirely. Or go part time, which jeopardized their standing as Presidential Scholars; their scholarships were demoted to part-time. Manda is one of the few that toughed it out and found a way to finance the missing pieces as well as graduate in four years.” Joel smacked his hand on the steering wheel. “Why would anyone target the top students? Or was it just a handy source of money for someone?”

Phil’s face filled with disbelief. “And no one realized all this?”

“I didn’t. None of the trustees did. The president had no clue.”

Phil waved his hand. “No one realized the best and brightest students were disappearing in large numbers?”

Joel shook his head. “Possibly the people who had set up the situation to siphon off the money — room, board, and living allowances — for their own purposes.”

“You can’t be serious?”

Joel nodded. “We can identify one individual who retired very recently —February of this year, to be specific— who apparently master-minded the scheme.”

Phil waved his hand back and forth. “And no one knew? No one stopped him? Or her?”

Joel shook his head. “We’re pretty sure a few others knew about it and were paid to let it happen without opposition.”

“How much money are we talking?”

“At least half a million.”

Phil jumped in his seat. “What! What’s going on at that college?”

Joel sighed heavily. “There have been more than a few people shocked by both situations—Kristof’s long-term harassment and the embezzlement on the backs of our brightest students. Myself included. And I think I can identify a few bad actors at pretty high levels of administration who must have known all about it. I’m committed to cleaning it up and keeping it out of the media as much as possible.”

Phil directed his finger back at Joel and shook it at him. “I didn’t hear ‘we’ this time. You cannot take full responsibility for this. You do know that?”

Joel nodded. “I do know that. I threatened to resign from the board and withdraw the Tompkins name and backing from the college if the trustees don’t receive a full accounting for the Presidential Scholars embezzlement and recommendations with an action plan, and the same for fixing the holes in the reporting system for sexual harassment. No later than the end of June. This June.”

Phil dropped his gaze for a moment and then raised his eyes to Joel. “Good use of your power, Joel.”

Joel blinked and then met Phil’s gaze. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. I am probably the least popular figure at the college at this moment. Even Kristof is coming off as a harmless lecher in comparison.”

“I doubt that. And I’m sure people are aware that without your backing the college is history. Are you prepared to follow through?”

“Pull out my support and financial backing? I believe I am. Not as early as June, perhaps, but by the end of the calendar year.”

Phil folded his arms and heaved a sigh. “That would be a sad day for the town and the college.”

“I am not insensitive to either. At the same time, the college is struggling like all small liberal arts institutions, and there are plenty of other colleges nearby to serve the students. I’m sure that scares anyone who’s hearing rumors about the investigations even if they’re not involved in the corruption or the harassment.”

“Good point. And related to that…” Phil sat up straighter and uncrossed his arms.

“What?”

“Rumors. I’m sure people are seeing you with Manda and speculating about your relationship. Maybe no one spotted you on campus picking her up for your phone date, but I know you. You’ve probably been walking with her at work and around Lakeside Terrace. Tony certainly knows about you, and he’s not the soul of discretion.”

“Tony’s been warned to keep it quiet,” Joel defended his friend.

“Tony’s got a lot of friends who know how to get little tidbits out of him and turn them into juicy stories.” 

Joel rolled his eyes.

“Am I right?”

“You’re right, but he is not malicious, and I am a big boy.”

“But Manda is not.”

Joel thought a moment and let out a frustrated breath. “You’re right. I’m not used to thinking that way.”

Phil exhaled loudly. “Start thinking that way. And, realistically, Manda may have to face that one way or another.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you are doing all in your professional power to protect her and to protect the college, but she’s vulnerable all the same. In a way that can affect her sobriety. Does she have a strong sponsor?”

“She’s asked Barb, but I don’t think—”

Phil twisted in his seat. “Barb with the ‘bad picker, good picker’ story?”

Joel nodded.

“That’s a mistake.”

“I know. What can I do?”

Phil opened his hands and offered, “Everything you can—as her employer and her friend—to strengthen and support her program. Including giving her a wide berth at her meetings.”

“I don’t go to her meetings.”

“Good.”

“In fact, I haven’t told her I’m in the program.”

Phil studied Joel’s profile, the firm jaw and patrician nose. “What’s up with that?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I guess I want her to find her own way with the support of others in the program and not rely on me.”

Wondering about his silence, Joel looked over at Phil.

“You think I’m wrong?”

“No, I’m just surprised. But I think it’s going to come up soon, and I’m hoping you’re not uneasy or ashamed in any way.”

“I’m not. I half suspect she’s already figured it out.”

“How?”

Joel shrugged. “We in AA have our own vocabulary sometimes, and I’m sure I use it when we talk about her sobriety.”

Joel dropped Phil at his house on the lake, returned to Lakeside Terrace before midnight, and slept like the dead. He had desperately missed his sponsor and their long, candid talks each week. It felt good to unburden the way he had.

When the sun rose outside his French doors, he drifted awake and ran through his litany of morning prayers. Usually his first thought was coffee. Today it was Manda.

He stumbled half asleep onto his porch and breathed in the fresh morning air. Pockets of mist clung to the islands this morning; an orange sun blazed a trail across the lake toward him; a flock of geese honked to his left as they rose from the water. His eyes followed their flight until a movement on the beach caught his attention. An early-morning walker was stretching, warming up for the trek. He saw it was Manda in blue jeans and a hoodie.

Joel pulled on blue jeans and a sweatshirt, laced up his sneakers, and pounded down the stairs. He called to her from the parking lot to wait for him.

She waved happily and gave him a thumbs up. When he caught up with her, she asked, “Were you going to yell at me for walking alone?”

“That was going to be my excuse,” Joel said, his eyes sparkling in the sunrise. “Truth is I wanted to walk with you. But,” he emphasized, “Kristof is a free man and a danger to you. You’ve got your cell phone?”

Manda whipped it out of her pocket and showed him it was already programmed to autodial 911 with a single press of a button in an emergency. “I know you wanted me to have GPS or whatever that’s called. We’ve already had that argument, and I’m not a sore winner.”

Joel ruffled her hair.

“Any hope he’ll ever be detained for more than the hour it takes him to summon his lawyer each time he’s arrested?”

Joel exhaled in frustration. “I can’t speak for the police. I know they’re committed to this case, and they can do more than the college to put him out of action. If he’s not behind bars by the end of the semester, I think the college will make him an offer her can’t refuse to take an extended sabbatical. Far away.”