Birth of Adam (Artificial Intelligence Book 2) by Liza O'Connor Read Free Book Online Page B

of Deans about your stalking incident, and they may require proof the FBI was involved. Will your friend testify that he was called and there was a stalker?”
    “I’ll have to ask him.”
    “Call him now.”
    Amanda turned on the phone and said, “Call Luke Gallagher.” She was certain Adam would be able to find his number from somewhere.
    After two rings, Luke answered his phone.
    “Luke, this is Amanda Carrington.”
    “Amanda, how did you get this number?”
    “I’m not certain,” she replied. “But I have a problem and I was hoping you could help me. If not, I’m probably going to get kicked out of school.” She then explained she might need him to testify that she had really had a stalker.
    “Amanda, I can’t tell them who the stalker was.”
    “They just need to know that I really did call you and there really was a stalker. It’s not their business who he was. All they need to know is that because of the person following me, I was given a phone recently, and that’s why it was in my purse while I was taking a test.”
    He sighed. “I cannot believe you called me on a secured line for this shit.”
    “Sorry, but will you testify if needed?”
    “I’m not angry with you, Amanda. I just wish you didn’t get into so much trouble. I’ll testify by phone, but I can’t fly out there. I’m rather busy right now.”
    “I’m sorry. Look, if they don’t believe me, they don’t believe me. I can always change my identity and start over again.”
    “I said I’d talk to them. Just make sure they call me on my normal number!” he warned, and hung up the phone.
    “Make sure we call on the normal number in the future,” she muttered, and looked up at Dr. Wilson, who was frowning.
    “He didn’t sound very willing to testify.”
    “Well, he’s not happy about it. He did me a favor by checking out the stalker when I called him, and now I’m wasting more of his time. As he reminded me, he’s the Assistant Director of the FBI and has more important things to do.”
    “Your friend is the Assistant Director?”
    “Yes, and he seems to spend a lot of time on my problems. He came down personally when the security idiots were trying to blame me for doping the frat house. He says he isn’t coming down this time, but he’ll talk to the board by phone.
    “That should be more than sufficient,” Dr. Wilson replied. “Are you in some kind of trouble? I couldn’t help but hear you say you could change your identity again and start over.”
    Amanda grimaced. She was sorry he’d heard that. “I seem to attract trouble. However, that’s all behind me, and I’d really like to continue going to school here. The music department is fabulous. And now Claire has settled down, I get enough sleep to study for my classes, I’m certain I can pick my grades up if Dr. Harper doesn’t get me expelled first.”
    “Try giving him chocolate-covered almonds,” Wilson advised.
    “I thought he liked roasted almonds.”
    “No, go for the chocolate-covered almonds.”
    ***
    True to his word, Dr. Harper brought Amanda up for review with the Board of Deans, declaring her an unsuitable student. He did this despite a marked improvement in all her classes without any apparent method of cheating.
    Dr. Wilson was her staunchest supporter, but to her amazement, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Branson had many nice things to say about her as well. When Dr. Harper raised the issue of her possessing an expensive cell phone that enables cheating with ease, Dr. Wilson disclosed the stalking incident and explained that the Assistant Director of the FBI could attest there had been a stalker and that was why she had been provided one.
    Amanda was a bit worried about that last declaration because it sounded as if the FBI had given her the phone.
    “Whose account is the phone registered to?” one of the deans asked.
    “I don’t actually know.”
    “But it isn’t you paying the bill?”
    “No, sir.”
    Dr. Harper became upset. “You