Page 135 of Cold as Ice

“You must be Elliott,” she said, nodding at him and rising. “I’m Dr. Howard.”

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity,” Elliott said. His hands were trembling a little, but he shoved them in his pockets.

“I’m sorry we’ve got the need to do this at all, but I need to make sure everything in my department is aboveboard. If you pass this test, as Dr. Bricker thinks you will, there will be a more formal investigation launched into Dr. Prosser.”

Elliott wanted to say he wasn’t looking to get her fired, but then, if it came down to him or her, he would pick his own card over and over again. Hehadto.

“I just want to keep playing hockey,” Elliott said simply.

“Right. Of course.” She gestured to one of the empty chairs around the table. In front of it was a pile of papers. “I think this will take you about an hour, give or take.”

Elliott glanced over at Mal, who nodded encouragingly.

“Malcolm and I will go have a nice catchup chat,” Dr. Bricker said. “You’re in good hands here, with Dr. Howard.”

Elliott nodded. “Thanks again, Dr. Bricker.”

“You did the work, you should get the grade,” Dr. Bricker said solemnly. “We’ll be in the kitchen grabbing some coffee when you’re done.” He directed this comment towards Dr. Howard, and then they were gone, the door closing behind them.

“You’re ready for this?” Dr. Howard asked as he took a seat.

“Never been readier,” Elliott said, and he was surprised to discover that it was true. And when he picked up the pencil, his fingers weren’t shaking anymore.

It was the third period, and the Evergreens needed a goal to win the game.

And Elliott was going to goddamn make sure they got one.

“I still can’t believe you scored ninety-seven percent.Ninety-seven percent.”

Elliott wasn’t offended at the incredulity in Malcolm’s tone. He was a mixture of shock and relief and joy, too.

“I guess I really did know the material,” he said with a triumphant laugh. “I can thankyoufor that.”

They were on their way to the rink, to Coach, to tell him the good news and also to tell him the truth.

Elliott kept switching wildly between exhilaration and well, a little bit of terror, still.

“I’m not sure you ever needed tutoring. You just needed another professor, apparently.” Mal’s grin faded a little. “I wonder why she did it.”

“Tanked me? I don’t know if we’ll ever know. Dr. Howard said she’d be talking to her, hoping to resolve it without opening an official investigation that might go on her permanent record.”

“Is that okay with you?” Mal sounded concerned, like he wanted to charge back into Dr. Bricker’s office and demand that satisfaction be given.

“Actually, I suggested it,” Elliott said. After Dr. Howard had graded his test, looking at him with astonishment, she’d asked him if he had any clue why Dr. Prosser had done what she’d done, and Elliott, other than offering his one theory that she didn’t particularly like student athletes, hadn’t been able to say why. But he had gone out of his way to inform Dr. Howard that he didn’t want her career destroyed over this.

“But she almost destroyed yours,” Dr. Howard had pointed out seriously. “I will talk with her. It’s possible there’s something else going on. If that’s true, and we can resolve it, without official disciplinary action . . .it might get her another job, later. Because I will tell you, she’s no longer going to be welcome in my department, no matter what.”

“You’re too nice,” Mal said.

“And you can be too rigid, sometimes,” Elliott said lightly. “We balance each other out. That’s what matters.”

Mal still appeared to be concerned. “Do you really mean that?”

Elliott stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk. Put his hands on his hips and shot Mal the fiercest look he could dredge up. “Are you serious right now?”

“Well,yeah,” Mal said. “This is . . .do youreallywant to do this?”

“Tell Coach and the rest of the team the truth, assuming that the news will travel?” Elliott nodded. “Do youreallywant to liveyour whole life like this? Hoping that nobody sees me touch you, or sees you look at me a certain way? It made sense at first, but now? No.”

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