Confront the problem

OK. You’re doing it, here and now.

“Yeah,” you say, putting your mug down. “A big problem.”

“What happened?”

“What happened is that I found out that one of my girls was with Professor Austen yesterday. I had a bad feeling about it, so I had to make sure that she was OK. I went to Professor Austen’s place, and she was there.”

“And was she OK?” Ms. Griffin’s face gives nothing away.

“I think so,” you say with a nod. “She was having a good time. They both were.”

Ms. Griffin purses her lips and looks away. “Then what was the problem?” she asks after a moment.

“That girl’s not the only one who’s been in Professor Austen’s bed,” you tell her.

Ms. Griffin’s scowl deepens.

“And I think that we’re going to find out that the girls who’ve been there are the ones with the highest grades,” you say.

She sighs.

“Like I said. It’s a problem,” you say.

“It’s not a problem,” Ms. Griffin murmurs. “It’s a catastrophe.”

You shrug. “Agreed.”

“Professor Austen is highly regarded. She’s up for tenure,” Ms. Griffin says, meeting your gaze. “Something like this could ruin her. She might never work in academia again. Is there any chance that you could be wrong?”

“I wish there was.”

Ms. Griffin sits back in her chair and crosses her legs. “Well,” she says tiredly. “I can’t say that I’m surprised.”

“You don’t have to take my word for it, Ms. Griffin,” you tell her.

“I know you aren’t lying. I’ve known her for a while. And you can call me Mavis. If you get a few drinks in Professor Austen, you notice things. I wouldn’t have thought it was students, though.”

“It surprised me too,” you admit.

She sighs. “This needs to be handled correctly. We don’t need a scandal. And you certainly don’t,” she adds.

“The university hates us enough already,” you agree.

“Will you help me on this?”

“You’re willing to work with CCL?”

“Not officially.”

“I don’t need to see anyone embarrassed, but what she’s doing isn’t OK. She has to go,” you say.

Mavis nods. “You’re right. She’s putting everyone at risk. If this got out, people would look at us the same way they look at you. It would be devastating.”

“Not quite the same,” you correct her. “CCL girls have fun. Professor Austen is causing harm.”

“I’ve heard about your dungeon and your hazing,” Mavis tells you.

“Girls volunteer to join us. We aren’t abusing a position of authority,” you argue. “If you want to see the dungeon, just ask. I’ll give you a private tour.”

“Really? You’re trying to flirt with me? I thought this was what the problem was.”

“I’m just being friendly. CCL girls are good hostesses,” you say.

“OK. Thanks for the coffee.” Mavis pushes to her feet with another deep sigh. “Let me think about this. I assume you have evidence?”

“Of course.”

“OK. Let’s get together later and make a plan.”

You stand up. “You got it.”

She offers her hand, and you shake it, then show her out.

Outside in the cold, you wrap your arms around yourself and watch her walk down to her extremely nice car.

Of course, you’ll need evidence. Mavis believes you, but nobody else will.

As for the evidence… you see two options. There are other witnesses: mainly Kris, but also the others.

Or… there’s the grade book.

Which should you go with?

Witnesses?

Or the grade book?