"Neither did I," Liz said quietly as she scanned the sheets and looked at the score.
"I was hesitant to believe the report given the source," she said with a wry smile that let me know the source was Violet Metzler. "But when I graded the exams and came up with the scores, I have to admit that it looked suspicious."
"Why? What did we do?" I asked as I flipped through my own exam noting the questions that I'd gotten wrong.
"Because when I graded the exams, your two exams were the only ones that looked absolutely identical," she said, pointing to the scores. "You got the same scores and you also got the same questions wrong."
"But that's because we study together," I said as I tried to remain calm. "We go over everything together, so it would make sense that we made the same types of errors."
"That may be the case, but I have to inform the program of the accusation," she said with a regretful look. "It's department policy when a matter like this is reported. I'm sorry, ladies."
"We're being accused of cheating because Violet Metzler has a bone to pick with me?" Liz blurted out. "That seems like shaky grounds for an investigation."
"It goes further than that, Ms. Baker," Professor Jackson said. "There have been reports of your questionable behavior at the hospital, and so we need to investigate that as well."
"I was sick," Liz said flatly. "It had nothing to do with Alex, so I don't see why she should get pulled into this mess."
"Like I said, Miss Baker, it's program policy," she said as she began gathering her things. "It's not personal."
"Right," Liz said sarcastically as she turned and marched out the door.
"Professor Jackson, we didn't cheat," I said quietly. "I know I can't prove that, but I can assure you that neither Liz nor I have ever cheated before and that we didn't do it this time."
"I believe you, Ms. Pierce," Professor Jackson said. "However, since the complaint was filed through the program, not privately voiced with me, I have no choice but to follow protocol and do what is required. I am sorry."
"What will happen now?" I asked.
"The department will collect the evidence, talk with the involved parties, and then render a decision," she said. "It shouldn't take more than a month, so you'll still be eligible for graduation if you're determined not to have broken any rules."
"I see," I said as the tears welled up in my eyes. I looked down and whispered, "This is so unfair."
"I agree, Ms. Pierce," she said kindly. "But that's true of many things."
Chapter Nineteen
Cam
As soon as I got done with Leo, I called Alex. Her phone rang and rang and then went to voicemail. I left her message asking her to call me as soon as she could. I knew that I had to tell her about CSC and the new contract before I let Leo know what I was going to do because once he had the green light, there would be no going back.
I swung by the station to switch out my clean uniforms with the dirty ones so I could drop them off at the laundry. As I opened my locker, I overheard two guys from the other shift talking on the other side.
"Have you gotten pushed by Vangel yet?" Brian said.
"Yeah, he hit me up yesterday before he left," Gavin replied. "That son-of-a-bitch is gunning for Lieutenant hardcore."
"Did he threaten to blackmail you?" Brian asked with a derisive laugh. "That asshole told me he'd release my financial records publicly if I didn't."
"What an asshole," Gavin said. "He told me he's got my juvenile court record. I told him that I was cited as a minor in possession of a six pack of MGD, so he was welcome to do it."
"Yeah, my financials are all about child support and mortgage." Brian laughed. "It's not really scandalous gossip, but you know, it did make me wonder how in the hell he got a hold of my information."
"I wondered that, too," Gavin said. "And then I realized that we're living in a world where everyone's information is available twenty-four-seven if you have the money to pay for it. I told him to fuck off and get out of my face."
"You think he's got any information on anyone that matters?" Brian asked.
"Beats me, but I guess we'll know when Chief asks for votes to support his promotion," Gavin said as he slammed his locker shut. "At that point, we should look into his supporter's backgrounds and see if we can't wring out a little cash!"
"That's cold, man." Brian laughed as they walked out of the locker room and back to the kitchen.