Page 38 of The Other Side of Green

“Because there was a death in the family?” It even sounded like a question. Where the hell was this conversation going.

“Oh, right. That explains it, but a phone call would have been nice.’

“I’m sorry. I did tell the office.” All lies but who cared?

The bourbon heating my veins told me not to care at all.

“Strange though that Lyra’s grandmother died at the same time.”

He must be calling my bluff, surely that’s the only explanation.

“So strange.”

“So how long do you think you’ll be? I’m guessing you’ve seen the news? We are being overwhelmed with press. We’ve never seen anything like this. The Dean is… well I don’t really know what he’s going to do.”

“Nothing, surely?”

“Nothing! The college is being ridiculed in the national press. Not just the local Boston rags, but everywhere. Even the others of the pond. We’ve had phone calls from London asking for explanations. Three of the major worldwide orchestras have called to say they won’t be attending any concerts to scout this year…” he trailed off with a dramatic sigh.

“And our star isn’t even here,” he added as an afterthought.

“Lyra, you mean?”

“Yes of course Lyra! And will she even come back now she’s had all this bad press?”

I thought back to our earlier conversation. “She might, if she felt she had a point to prove.”

“Well, I just hope to fuck she can play.”

“I think she can.”

“I hope you’re right, Jack. When’s the funeral?”

“Sorry, what?”

“For your relative?”

“Oh, next week.” Shit, I hadn’t even asked Lyra that. Hell, maybe if I acted less like a dick she’d consider me as boyfriend material and not listen to whatever bullshit her brother had put in her head.

“Good. I’ll see you after that. Assuming we have a college still standing.”

“Yes, sir.”

I went to hang up, but then had another thought. “Professor, what exactly has happened to the Collins family? Surely they are going to clear their name?”

“Not this time. The documents that leaked show they definitely put Lyra above another student.”

“Which student?” I wondered if it was one already on the degree.

“Alex Collins.”

“But he wouldn’t have got the scholarship anyway, surely?”

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say he’s pretty pissed off at Daddy. Jack, surely you know all this? I mean, I’m asking you to come back to work because I value your skill and talent, but you were dating Jensen Collins’ daughter. Is this a conflict of interest for you; is that why you aren’t here?”

I snorted a laugh. “Believe me, Miriam and I ended a long time ago.”

“Oh right, I’d just…”