THIRTY-SEVEN
A secretary ushered Marlene Wilson, Frank Oliver’s legal assistant, into assistant district attorney Ronnie Hooper’s office. As she took a seat, she was struck by how tiny and cramped it seemed, especially when compared to the offices at the firm of Christopher Clark & Oliver. Even the associates’ offices there were bigger than this, as well as some of the legal assistants’ offices.
She moved a stack of files onto the floor, then sat facing the desk and waited for Hooper to arrive. She was nervous just being there, and she unconsciously twisted her blonde hair in her fingers. She had worn her best gray suit and yellow bow tie, which made her look more like a lawyer than a legal assistant. She hoped the professional appearance would add to her credibility.
She surveyed the s
