Gold Digger

“I don’t think your secretary likes me,” Aislin said, setting her camera bag on the client sofa in Lex’s office. The office was obsessively neat. Books arranged by the Library of Congress Cataloging system. Legal pads were stacked perfectly parallel with the desk edge. The décor seemed to come straight from an exclusive, east coast country club: deep leather chairs, mahogany paneling, and pleated plaid curtains.

“Elaine is harmless,” Lex said.

“Yeah, right.”

“What does that mean?”

“She’s like Grandmommy Dearest,” Aislin said, plopping down in the leather club chair facing Lex’s desk.
“How did you find her?”

“When I was hired, I was issued a secretary. Teresa was a holdover from the previous deputy DA who was afraid to fire her. Teresa was a single mother with a large chip on her shoulder and was dying for an easy meal ticket. I was able to document several of her blunders and fired her. Teresa sued and lost.”

“And Elaine?”

“I interviewed a dozen people and hated them all. Elaine’s husband had been a small town lawyer in Northern Iowa. As a recent widow, she wanted a job to occupy her time. I liked her sassy attitude, so I hired her.” Lex shrugged as if the question were answered.

“She’s a gold digger.”

“I beg your pardon. Elaine is not after me.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Aislin reconsidered her argument. “You’re a prosecutor, so you’re aware of victim blaming.”

“Of course. What’s your point?” Lex was getting agitated. He didn’t like being cross-examined.

“Victims are quick to blame other victims. You’d never put a rape survivor on a jury of a rape trial, am I right?”

Lex nodded.

“One victim never believes another victim because no one could feel as much as pain as the first victim.”

“What does that have to do with Elaine?”

“She’s a gold digger and thinks I am too.”

“Elaine was one of the first people to believe in me. When I came to Newton, I couldn’t even get the cops to talk to me. Everyone saw me as a silver spoon hotshot out to make a name for myself. Never mind the five years I worked as a junior prosecutor in Des Moines.”

“Your secretary believes in money, not you.”