Badlinger

Dex nodded. Badlinger was the man who had beaten Henry out for the English department chair... partly because Badlinger's wife was bright, vivacious and sociable, while Henry's wife was a shrew. Had been a shrew. "He was in England on sabbatical," Henry said. "Had all their things crated and shipped back.

Badlinger is the English department chairman who defeated Henry for the position. His discarded shipping crate is later used to conceal the smaller creature’s crate.