I Woke Up 348 by M.P. Arsent
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Which is exactly what I did. I ran everything once and then I hit the pool along with a few of the guys. Then it was into the whirlpool. I didn't have to defend myself to these guys at least. They were all still jogging with us in the morning and had heard what I had to say the other day.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with everyone. Morgan from the football team joined me in the whirlpool.
"Hey Dennis, what's this I hear about a drug ring?"
"Morgan, it's bullshit. Karl and I were being set up to take the fall for it. The police cleared us of any participation in the ring. With any luck it should be covered in the next edition of the school paper."
"With any luck? I'd think they'd be all over a story like that."
"You'd think so wouldn't you?"
I wasn't about to spout off about my concerns about the editor. Sure as death and taxes, it would get back to Hasting and then I'd likely be defending myself in a slander suit.
"So, what do you do if they don't print the story?"
"Hopefully it will just go away. I've already defended myself to the school and Dean Evans is satisfied, and so is my frat and the Coach. It's just public opinion I have to put up with now."
"Good luck with that."
"Later Morgan."
"Yeah."
I got out of the whirlpool and hit the showers. I was on the way to my car when somebody I didn't know walked up beside me.
"Rumor has it you've got connections. You got anything good to sell?"
"Listen, friend. I am not involved with anything like that now, nor have I ever been. You make sure that word gets out and I'll forget this happened."
The guy just turned and walked away. I made my call to Karl and got on the road. When I got into the apartment Karl knew there was something bugging me.
"What the hell now Den?"
"I just had somebody come up to me looking to score."
"And?"
"I told him that I am not now nor have I ever been in the business, and to make sure that word got out."
"And what if this Hasting guy put the guy up to it and decides ' thou doest protest too much'?"
"Then maybe the Dean or the faculty advisor will step in, I hope."
"Think you'll have to put up with much of that shit for a few days?"
"I'm hoping not. Somebody is liable to get decked, and the Dean told me to keep a low profile."
"That's if they let you lover."
"True enough I suppose."
"Think we'll have to 'run the gauntlet' in the morning?"
"I'm hoping not, but we've done it before."
"True enough. Let's eat."
Tonight after we got things cleaned up we retired to the bedroom where we spent a couple of hours being good to each other before we crashed for the night.
Hump day morning and when I got up I went to the front window and checked to see if there were any media out front. Happily, there weren't any.
"Looks like clear sailing at least for this morning lover."
"Then I guess we had better get to it."
We got the morning routine taken care of, and then it was off to class.
English and Public Speaking were done for the day and I was over to the student union and my bench. It wasn't long before I saw Bob Watson approaching, and looking rather concerned.
"I don't like that look, Bob."
"You're going to like what I have to tell you less. I submitted a story based on the file you gave me. I just saw the gallies for tomorrow's edition of the paper and there wasn't a single bit of my article in there."
"Did you confront your editor?"
"No, I didn't think that would be a good idea, but it could also have been the faculty advisor who killed the story."
"Neither one of which I would expect you to confront. Now, it's in my hands. You back off unless they give you an assignment to keep at me."
"I won't do you dirty Dennis."
"I know that Bob. I need to get it in gear."
I made it over to the Logic class and got through it.
After class, I went to the car and sat there and thought for a few minutes. I then got out my phone and called the office and got put through to Stan.
"I've got a couple of names I want Andy to run for me."
"Do I want to know why?"
"At this point, the school paper hasn't run the story of Karl and I being guiltless in that whole ring mess. I'm therefore curious about their overall motives. I want to know if it's because either one of them has an axe to grind."
"Give me the names."
"John Hasting and Nathan Grandise. Editor and faculty advisor respectively."
"I'll give them to Andy as soon as we hang up."
"Anything going on there I should be aware of?"
"Nothing out of the unusual. You concentrate on things there."
"I will. Please thank Andy for running those names."
"Done. Later."
I got on the road back to the apartment. I checked to see what was gotten out for supper and got to getting it ready.
Karl eventually showed up just before things were done.
"And how was your day, Den?"
"Could have been better."
"Now what?"
"Bob stopped to see me at lunchtime. He submitted his story based on the file I gave him, and he saw the gallies today and there isn't any of it in there."
"So you think the editor, this Hasting guy, has it out for you for whatever reason?"
"Him or the faculty advisor."
"You going to call Dana?"
"No, I've got Andy looking into it. Maybe if he doesn't come up with something, then I'll call Dana, but I think the police department has done all of the extracurricular help they can."
"I'd say they've already gone above and beyond for you, Den."
"Which is why I didn't call Dana first this time."
"So, what else are you going to do?"
"Not provoke anybody by going out and making a statement, much as I'd like to. I suppose I should tell Dean Evans what Bob had to say today."
"I'd hold off on that if I were you Den. They might just not have had the space in this week's edition of the paper."
"Always possible I suppose. I'll give it another week unless something else happens. Let's eat."
We had our supper and then hit the books before crashing for the night.
Thursday and we were at it again. When we got to the campus the guys seemed a little on edge.
"Damn it, what's the rumor now?"
"That you're supplying."
"Bullshit and you all know it. That's it I've had enough of this. I don't care how low a profile the Dean wants me to keep."
"Easy lover. At least talk to him first."
"And what is he going to say that he'll look into it and not say anything? Meanwhile, my reputation gets trashed. I'm not standing for much more of this and when we get back to the apartment I'm making some calls. Let's get this done."
We ran our laps and once we were back at the apartment Karl hit the showers and I hit the phone. I ended up leaving messages as it was way too early for people to be in offices.
When he got out of the shower, Karl could see I was still pissed.
"You need to take a deep breath lover, probably several."
"I doubt like hell it will help. I could lose my license and the whole damn business, not to mention the gym."
"We'll get through this Den. We always have and we always will. Now go grab your shower. Those calls get returned and you might not have time later."
I went in and grabbed a quick shower and got dressed for the day. I ate a little breakfast and then waited. I didn't have to wait long.
The phone rang and the called ID told me it was Mr Jacobs.
"Well Mr Sawyer, what has you so upset this early in the morning?"
I filled him in on all that was going on and the newest of the rumors.
"I assume you don't have any idea of who is spreading these rumors?"
"Up until recently, I would have said Mr Adams, but in a meeting with Dean Evans, he flat out denied it. I'm beginning to suspect someone else but I have no proof whatsoever."
"Who is it? I'll get the investigators going to see if they can find a motive."
"As I said I have no proof, but the editor of the campus paper, John Hasting, and the faculty advisor Nathan Grandise. I obtained the police report from the drug ring case and gave it to one of the paper's reporters, someone I trust by the way. He wrote a story and turned it in but it wasn't included in this week's run. I'm thinking one or the other cut it."
"Well, I'll have the investigators on it this morning. Now, who else have you called?"
"Just the office to put them on the alert. My security guy there is also looking into these guys. I intend to go to speak to the Dean again this afternoon to see just what he will let me get away with in the form of rebuttal."
"Dennis, I know you well enough at this point that what I'm going to say will likely go in one ear and out the other. If I were you I would not say a thing."