Part 54 (1/2)

'I can't.'

She regarded him. 'You okay?'

'No. Mail?'

She aimed a thumb at his office. He turned to his office, but- 'You don't have time. You're late for the big faculty meeting. The new a.s.sistant dean.'

Book entered the faculty meeting and found an open seat between Henry Lawson and Professors Sheila Manfried and Jonah Goldman. Professor Manfried whispered to Jonah, 'I wonder if we can make more money at the new Texas A&M law school?'

The school had settled her s.e.x discrimination claim by paying her $25,000 more in salary, giving her a $250,000 forgivable loan, and granting her a contractual right to see every other professor's compensation numbers.

'Admin admitted a hundred fewer tuition-payers for next year's one-L cla.s.s,' Professor Goldman said. 'That's three million in lost tuition. They've got to cut our salaries.'

'I'll go to A&M for more money,' Professor Manfried said.

Professor Goldman grimaced. 'And be an Aggie? Just the thought of it makes me shudder.'

Book popped the top on the plastic container and offered fried chicken to Henry. He grabbed a drumstick and bit into it. Dean Roscoe Chambers stepped to the head of the conference table. The faculty fell silent. Roscoe looked like a senior U.S. senator. And he had the voice to match.

'I have a big announcement to make. Professor Lawson, would you please step to the front?'

Henry turned to Book with a puzzled look; Book shrugged. Henry stood and walked over to the dean, who put an arm around Henry's shoulders. Henry continued his a.s.sault on the drumstick.

'Oh, my G.o.d,' Professor Goldman said, 'Roscoe's appointing Henry our new a.s.sistant dean.'

'But he's not a lesbian,' Professor Manfried said.

'He's married with two children.'

'I want to be the first to welcome Henry Lawson to the club,' Roscoe said.

'Tenure?' Henry said.

Roscoe laughed. 'Tenure? No, the dean's club.'

'I'm the new a.s.sistant dean?'

'No. The new dean.'

Book thought Professor Manfried might faint.

'You're retiring?'

'What? h.e.l.l, no, I'm not retiring. You're not the new dean here at UT, Henry. You're the new dean at the new Texas A&M law school.'

Henry almost choked on the chicken. 'I am?'

Roscoe laughed again. 'Listen to him playing coy with us. Now, Henry, you're going to be sitting on a pile of money with the two hundred million James Welch donated to the A&M law school-'

James Welch had earned his MBA from UT, but he had earned his B.S. from A&M. He supported both of his alma maters generously. And he kept his promises.

'-so promise you won't steal all my professors.'

Henry gazed upon the a.s.sembled faculty, at the HarvardYale cartel.

'Oh, don't worry, Roscoe. I would never do that.'

Dean Roscoe Chambers applauded Henry, and the faculty joined in.

Book waited for Henry to accept congratulations from the other faculty members. Then Henry came over to Book; he arrived with the drumstick in his hand and a suspicious look on his face.

'I think I owe you big time,' he said.

'For what?'

'This.'

'Congratulations, Henry. That's where you belong. Just make your law school the best in Texas, or at least as good as the football team.'

'The football team's got more money.'

'It is Texas.'

Professor Manfried walked past and said, 'Henry, I'll email you my CV.'

After she was out of earshot, Henry said, 'I've got to remember to block her email address.'

They shared a chuckle. Roscoe called to Henry, so they shook hands. Henry took a step away but stopped.

'Book, anytime you want to move to College Station, there's a tenured job waiting for you.'

'Thanks, Henry. But this is where I belong.'

Henry walked over to the dean, and Book walked out. Before he got to the door, Dean Roscoe Chambers yelled to him.

'Bookman ... get a haircut.'

Book returned to his office and found Myrna on the phone again. She held the receiver out to him and whispered, 'Your sister.'

He took the phone and put it to his ear. 'Joanie.'

'Book-'

'I'm going to move Mom in this weekend.'

'Good. You want to say hi to her?'