Part 7 (1/2)

It did not pretend to be otherwise. Even though more emphasis was to be given to recent developments in the field, the radiology course must still devote a great deal of time to the basics.

This was because the students had to be prepared for the courses to follow.

Randy announced that he would use what he wanted, as he wanted and the meeting broke up.

The accused was busy in her office when Lyle burst through the door in his customary manner of no manners.

”What do you mean telling Randy and Ian that they could not use the manual and make the changes they want in it?”

He yelled at her, continuing with threats of what would or might happen if she didn't do as she was directed.

When Trenchant was finally given a chance to answer, she told him simply that the manual was copyrighted and that she had told Ian and Randy that they were free to use it or not as they chose.

They were not to edit it or change the authors.h.i.+p, however.

When his browbeating failed to move her, he left.

Within the hour, Jimbo accosted her in much the same manner.

Becoming a Vee had not changed Jimbo. He was still unable or unwilling to govern his temper.

”You cannot claim copyright to the radiology manual because it is illegal and the university will sue you and put you in jail.”

After he had stopped yelling, Trenchant told him the same thing she had told the others.

He left and went into Lyle's office where they were joined by Ian and Randy.

It was decided that they would retype the radiology manual using as much of it as they wanted. ”To h.e.l.l with that trouble-making broad,” was the decision of the a.s.sistant vice president for academic affairs of Belmont University.

This was done. Without permission, they used large portions of the manual in the fall radiology course, giving no credit to its author.

Diana was not the only author so honored. In the manual, and in other material that these men put together to teach the radiology course, complete excerpts were taken verbatim from four standard radiology texts. No source was cited.

No author was credited. Also, an entire atlas on radiology was photographed. Several copies of these photographs were made and put out in the lab with absolutely no credit given to its authors or publisher.

At least one medical student was incensed by this.

He or she wrote to the publisher anonymously.

The accused learned through the student grapevine that the department got into serious trouble because of this and that Dean Broadhurst was furious.

Lyle blamed Trenchant for blowing the whistle, conveniently forgetting that it was a student who had written the letters.

Chapter 8

Lyle droned on and on with a litany of sins attributed to Diana Trenchant, carefully circling the truth. ”Whatever problem the department had, she was usually responsible,” he a.s.serted.

The folds of paper falling from the court stenographer's machine stacked higher and higher. Janet was beginning to look very tired.

The 'suspect SmurFFs' were introduced and Lyle identified them.

”Yes,” he intoned, ”When I spoke to Trenchant and told her she had the option to resign and nothing further would be said or done to her, I gave her all of the handwriting evidence, all of these SmurFFs, at that time.”

Now, Henry allowed questions from the rest of the committee who started to slowly wake up after enduring Lyle's long and repet.i.tious testimony. Nearly 20 minutes was spent answering their inane questions regarding how many courses were involved and who found the 'suspect' critiques. Most of their questions had been answered previously in the material given them-- the dean's letter and Lyle's memo.