Chapter 14 - The Hearing
The university conference room was smaller than I'd imagined. No stadium lights. No cheering graduates. Just a long table, a recording device, and people who were finally required to listen.
Professor Hughes chaired the review. Dr. Shah sat beside me. Across the table, Richard's attorney arranged his papers with the calm of a man billing by the hour.
"Miss Bennett had unauthorized access to confidential research," he began.
"My name is currently Emily Bennett on university records," I said. "Please don't confuse that with who owns my work."
Dr. Shah slid forward a folder. "I supervised Emily's project. Here are the lab logs, approval forms, raw data, and time-stamped drafts. She designed the sampling plan. She collected the data. I signed every required review."
The attorney frowned. "A cooperating professor could easily cover for a student."
Dr. Shah didn't raise her voice. "You are accusing me of misconduct without evidence. Put your source on record."
He hesitated.
Maya displayed a video of my thesis presentation, filmed months before the anonymous complaint. Ethan submitted his phone recording and a signed statement admitting he'd helped Richard write the allegations. I sat perfectly still while my brother described a lie that had almost taken my degree.
"Why did you do it?" Professor Hughes asked.
Ethan swallowed. "Because my father pays for my life. And because I knew Emily would be the one who got hurt, not me."
That answer was uglier than an excuse. It was also the truth.
The panel recessed. I waited in the hallway, clutching the diploma I'd nearly dropped into the fountain on graduation day.
When they returned, Professor Hughes spoke plainly. "The allegations are unsupported. We find no basis to question the award of your degree. We will address the false complaint separately."
I nodded. I wanted to feel triumph. Mostly I felt tired.
"Your work stands," Dr. Shah whispered.
Outside the building, reporters crowded the sidewalk. A campus officer approached, joined by a detective in a brown jacket.
"Emily Bennett?" the detective asked.
"Yes."
He held up a court order. "We have a warrant to search your apartment in connection with a reported theft of corporate property."
Maya's hand closed around mine.
"What property?" I asked.
May you like
The detective looked at his list.
"The black flash drive."
