Dr. Shabbaz

by Dan Klefstad

When a university chooses a new president, it chooses a leader for the surrounding community. What happens when the choice is a bad one? Otto Kerner University in Illinois has been searching for a CEO for two years. Finally the acting-president makes a snap decision and hires Judy Petersen, citing her "forward thinking" ideas about campus security.

Petersen starts the next day, accessing a secret account that could help remove obstacles to her agenda - such as campus police Chief Walter Washington. Washington was Petersen's rival for the top job. Almost immediately, they launch campaigns to get each other fired. But Petersen gains a formidable ally with Susan Shepherd. Shepherd is a cop whose career suffered after she killed a student in self-defense. She is also angry at Washington for rejecting her application to work for him. Driven to desperation, Shepherd agrees to work for Petersen in exchange for free tuition for her daughter. Their partnership threatens to destabilize OKU - just as a crisis unfolds on campus involving an English professor named Asif Shabbaz.

ISBN 978-1-61386-102-8 College security / Mystery

CHAPTER 1

If you travel the Ronald Reagan Highway from Chicago to Iowa, halfway along you’ll see a sign that reads “Welcome to Chartres, Home of Otto Kerner University."

Locals call the town “Charters” and do not suffer strangers who insist on the original “Shar-treh." They are even less patient with posers who, like the French, swallow the “r” in the second syllable. Not that anyone has swallowed his “treh” recently. The last time anyone remembers is when someone from “the college” walked into Hurley’s Bar all by himself. It was 1992 and Asif Shabbaz was a newly hired assistant professor. He had a different name then and alcohol was still a part of his life. Anyway he walked up to the bar, announced how pleased he was to be in “Shahrt” and ordered “your finest imported pilsner." Someone poured Budweiser over his head. On his way home, the man now called Shabbaz got stopped by a patrol officer. Susan Shepherd, then a rookie, meant to issue a warning about a darkened headlight. But she smelled beer and ordered him out of the car. The future Shabbaz explained his circumstances with such charm, reciting “Shahrt” one more time, she put away the handcuffs. They became lovers that night. You’ll meet them as they are today in a little bit.

But let’s meet someone else first:

***

Judy Petersen turned onto the Reagan Highway one hour ago, headed for Otto Kerner U. Because it was a clear day, she could see the Kerner Tower from just outside Chicago. When she entered Orleans County she could see it in detail. It looked like a man wearing a triangle shaped helmet with his arms held tightly at his sides. The dashboard clock read 5:00 p.m. Judy turned on the radio and found a local news station:

This is 90.1 WOKU Chartres, broadcasting from Otto Kerner University. Coming up, the search for a new OKU president hits the one year mark and there are still no finalists. Guy Severson is standing by in the newsroom. He’ll have details…

Judy exited at Sauk Road and drove past freshly tilled farmland. The upturned soil showed the roots of last year’s corn stalks. As she passed, Judy saw a few real estate signs and at least one auction notice. Soon after, she turned onto Lincoln Highway and saw low lying brick factories with broken windows. Most of these were tool and die shops. Or were. The buildings were dark and their parking lots were overrun by weeds. The economy improved somewhat as Judy entered the business district. Still, ‘business’ was a bit of a stretch. Every fifth storefront was empty in the middle of town. The rest offered pizza, burritos, gyros and cheap liquor. Hurley’s was the busiest this Thursday, offering “One Buck Fuckups." Judy had no idea what that involved, but she was surprised the liquor commission allowed it. And what about that sign? She had never seen such language posted in a main drag.