thing to a
smooth conclusion. Now it was time for Jane to ask the questions that
would delineate the magnitude of this crime. That would certainly
figure in the Attorney General's evaluation of the hearing.

"Since all of the comments on the suspect SmurFFs refer to Randy," Jane
began, "I'd like the details of how this could impact on Ian."

Well, Jane had come through all right. A little too direct for comfort
but then, she hadn't the gift of subtlety that he, Henry, had acquired.
At any rate, Lyle was well prepared and the gates opened and the Ian
story poured forth. How hard he had worked at the course. What it had
cost him in research time and time away from loved ones.

In answer to further questions from Jane, he covered everything. All
the trips to the dean's office in Ian's behalf. He emphasized that the
disparaging student critiques suddenly got better when Trenchant was no
longer in the course.

Over and over, he stressed that it was all the faultfinding SmurFFs
that were coming in that were the problem. What was the reason for it?

He, Lyle, felt that Ian was doing a fine job. Well, the situation had
caused them many a sleepless night. And on and on....

Several times Jane tried with her questions to bring Lyle back to
saying how the SmurFFs in question, the ones he thought Diana had
written, hurt Ian. Henry had impressed on her that it was important
that Lyle be given the opportunity to link the harm caused by Trenchant
to Ian as well as Randy.

Whatever the reason, Lyle was acting awfully dense, she thought, or
else he thinks it's vital to get all this other stuff in first. I've
certainly given him the question often enough, let someone else try.
She put down her notes, leaned back in her chair and nodded to Henry
that she was finished.

Frank Anuse took over the questioning. He wanted to know the reason
that Ian's SmurFFs got better when Trenchant was not in the course.

"Well, you see, these suspect SmurFFs in those packets there, these few
are just the tip of the iceberg. Diana Trenchant, during the years she
was in the course, influenced the students to write bad evaluations
about Randy and Ian."

There it was. Stark and real. Diana was not just accused of creating
SmurFFs--she was accused of witchcraft.

Jane jerked upright in her chair and stared at Lyle aghast. Was he
really accusing Diana of that level of control over medical students?
Preposterous--one woman, all by h