Page 102 of The Wrong Side of the Law

“Go right ahead, he’s waiting for you,” Whitehall’s assistant says as soon as I arrive. She winces silently, raising her eyebrows, warning me that the State Attorney isnotin a good mood.

“Thanks,” I say, and open the door.

“Where the hell have you been, Cooper?” Whitehall barks.

“Sorry, sir,” I say, hoping to calm him down. “Had to wait for the elevator. What’s wrong?”

“You! You’re what’s wrong!” he snarls. “You fucked up, Cooper. You fucked upbad.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, sir.” I hold my hands out, helpless.

“That girl is the Wilson defendant’s sister! And you damn well knew it!”

So Cove did get to you. Either I overestimated how much you hate him or underestimated how much of a threat I am to you. Time for damage control.

“Yes,” I say, shrugging. “Of course I knew about that, sir.” Own it. Don’t deny. Tell the truth here, so that you can get away with bending it later if you need to.

“So what were you thinking? MyGod, Cooper! Are you actually that much of a drooling fuckingmoron!?!”

“Not at all, sir,” I say. This forced calm is starting to wear on me, though. “I was thinking that we probably can’t fire her over something like this. I mean, not only isshenot a criminal, but herbrother—half-brother, actually—hasn’t even been convicted yet. She’d sue the pants off this office, and I really don’t feel like defendingthatcase in court.”

Whitehall grunts, eyes narrowed in anger, but he does seem to be taking my words at face value and considering them on their merits.

“Then why was it a good idea to keep her actuallyin your officewhile you’re handling that case?” There’s still plenty of anger in the SA’s voice. I’m not off the thin ice yet.

“Look, sir. You know what people are like. If word got out that we were prosecuting her brother, then our office might find itself exposed to liability for harassment incidents. Hostile work environment, that kind of thing.”

I pause for a moment, gauging the Whitehall’s reaction, but he’s not giving anything away.

“I kept the information close. HR knows about it-”Please, Barbara, please have known about it!“-and I know. I kept her working close in my office because (a) I could keep an eye on her there without having to tell anyone else her personal business, which is how gossip starts. And, (b), because I needed the help. She was originally supposed to bemyassistant, not part of the general paralegal pool.”

“And besides,” I add, “what better way to make sure that her brother’s case is fully compartmentalized? Miss Wilson has absolutely no access to anything relating to her brother’s case.”

“Really?” Whitehall snorts. “That’s it, huh? You haven’t been banging her like a screen door with a broken hinge? Back in there behind a closed door?”

“Jesus Christ, sir! Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Now comes the part where truth gets a little twisted. “I just got through explaining to you how and why I’m protecting this office—youroffice—from getting sued for wrongful termination and hostile work environments! Why in the hell would I open us up for a sexual harassment suit?”

“So you’re not sleeping with her?” The State Attorney is skeptical, but he seems to be spreading the suspicion around, now. It’s not concentrated solely on me.

“I am not having sex with Emily Wilson,” I say. And it’s even the truth, so far as it goes. I really amnothaving sex with her. Not right this instant, at least. Now, let’s add some spice to it, just to make the bait even more appetizing for him. Look at this tasty worm. There’s no hook inside it. “But, man. IwishI was. Have youseenher?”

“Yes, yes I have.” Whitehall whistles appreciatively, and the sound of it makes my skin crawl in disgust. “Used to be that was the main criteria in picking a secretary,” he says, wistfully. “Can’t get away with it anymore.”

In his own way, Whitehall is even worse than Cove. He just hides it better.

“Ah, well. The good old days.” Whitehall finally smiles. “Wonder where that asshole reporter got the idea from, though?”

Oh! This is an opportunity, and one not to be missed!

“I know exactly where he got it from,” I say. “He went into great detail about it. Karin fed him a good line of bullshit about it, and then she just popped the door and sent him straight into my office.”

“Really? Hm. That’s odd,” he says, taken aback. “Why didn’t she tell me about any of this?”

There we have it. Confirmation that she is reporting back to him.

“Probably because it’s not true,” I say. “I mean, if she passed on a juicy bit of gossip to you, and then you came and dropped the heavy end of the hammer on me for it, you’d find out pretty quickly that it was wasn’t true. Lot fewer consequences to just spreading the rumor to Cove. Let him print it in his fish-wrapper, then she can just give you a copy of that, and she’s insulated.”

“True.” Whitehall considers the situation, drumming his fingers on the desk, then shakes his head. “She’s a nice kid. Her father’s an old friend of mine. Hate to upset him—or his, uh,supportfor me, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to do something about her. That was a serious lapse in judgment on her part.”

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