Elaine Viets & Victoria Laurie, Nancy Martin, Denise Swanson - Drop-Dead Blonde (v5.0) (pdf) by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

me and asked if I would summon Jennifer. I escorted Jennifer to the pink office, then hung around outside, in case the boss needed me.

``Here's your evaluation,'' Vicki told Jennifer.

That's all she said. Vicki had also typed this one, and it was full of slipped letters and misspellings. But she was dead on about Jennifer this time. That young woman got the praise she deserved.

Vicki decided to play it safe and revise Minnie's evalua- tion. It didn't give Minnie nearly the credit she deserved, but it raised her rating from a lousy F to a B-minus.

Minnie quit sniffling and actually smiled. ``I knew if I came in early today and Vicki saw me working hard, she would change her mind,'' she said. ``Hard work conquers all.''

It wasn't my place to set poor Minnie straight.

Jennifer spent the morning at her desk, typing furiously. I wandered over to check the coffee machine and saw what

� she was working on: a resume. �

My, my, I thought. Things will get interesting now. Jenni- fer will be snapped up fast by our competition, the Bradsco Corporation. Mr. Hammonds will want to know why this rising star was hired away.

On Wednesday, Jennifer called in and said she felt sick. She had a doctor's appointment and wouldn't be in until noon. I didn't believe her. Jennifer was healthy as a horse.

Thursday night, Jennifer stayed later than anyone, even Minnie. I forgot the Tupperware container I used for my lunch and went back for it. Those things smell to high heaven if you leave them unwashed overnight in this climate. I found the lights still on in our department. Jennifer was packing up the contents of her desk.

``Congratulations,'' I said. ``I hope the Bradsco Corpora- tion is paying you lots more money.''

Jennifer looked startled, but then she smiled sweetly. ``I should have known I couldn't fool you, Margery. I got them good, all of them.'' I didn't think she meant Bradsco.

Friday morning, Jennifer announced she was leaving.

``Don't bother with your two weeks' notice,'' Vicki said in her snippiest voice. ``The guard will escort you out now. Margery will pack up your things and send them to you.''

``Good-bye,'' Jennifer said. That's all she said. She was smart, that young woman. 112 Elaine Viets

Jennifer stopped by Minnie's desk. She was hunched over her calculator, a long strip of white paper and black numbers rolling down her desk.

``Minnie, please come with me to my new job,'' she said. ``You're too good to work for Vicki. I'll make sure you get the money and the appreciation you deserve. We'll make a terrific team.''

With her white dress and long pale hair, Jennifer looked like an angel pleading for Minnie's soul.

But Minnie wasn't the first--or the last--to refuse an angel's plea. ``Vicki's getting better, Jennifer,'' she said. ``Look how she changed her mind about my evaluation.''

Jennifer was too modest to take credit for Vicki's change of heart. Instead she said, ``Did Vicki give you the A-plus you deserve for your work?''

``No.'' Minnie's sharp nose turned a discouraged red, like a squashed plum. ``But nobody's perfect. I know that.''

``Minnie, why do you stay with that woman?'' Jennifer said.

``She needs me,'' Minnie said. ``You only like me.''

``What kind of answer is that?'' Jennifer said. ``You must like being abused. Vicki gives you nothing, yet you run after her, hoping she'll change for the better. She's never going to like you.''

Minnie stayed silent. She didn't know why she stayed with Vicki. Some people didn't believe they deserved good treatment.

Jennifer sighed. ``I can't save you if you won't save your- self,'' she said sadly.

I waited until Jennifer was gone about an hour. Then I told Vicki that it appeared our former employee had already taken everything from her desk, including her Rolodex with hundreds of client names and addresses.

Vicki paled. ``Thank you, Margery. There's no need to tell anyone else. I'll take care of it.''

I bet. Mr. Hammonds would spit a brick if he found out.

Minnie was heartbroken when her friend left. She cried at her desk all day. I found her there, slurping lentil soup and crunching raw carrots. I ask you: Is that food? No won- der that woman didn't have the strength to put up a good fight.

I tried to talk with Minnie. I tried to get her to leave. I KILLER BLONDE 113 all but ordered her to pack up and follow Jennifer. But she refused, in that stubborn way weak people sometimes have.

Later, I told myself I tried. I really did. I knew it was Minnie's last chance.

But I didn't know everything, the way Jennifer thought I did. I didn't know it was also Vicki's. Chapter 4

Minnie was different after Jennifer left. She was even qui- eter, if that was possible. But her silence had an angry edge. Now I heard things slammed around on her desk.

Once, I caught the high-pitched sound of breaking glass. In the mood she was in, I was afraid Minnie might slash her wrists. I ran over to see if she was okay. Minnie was weeping over a broken coffee mug, hot tears mingling with the shat- tered blue glass.

``It slipped,'' she said. ``It was a present from Jennifer.''

But I saw the gouge in the plaster by her desk and the milky coffee running down her wall. Minnie threw that cup in a fit of rage.

So why didn't Minnie get angry when Vicki loaded her with Jennifer's work? Why didn't she demand that Vicki give her a raise for doing two jobs? Why was Minnie such a dishrag?

Little Vicki was a big bully. I knew that. But now I saw that side of her unbridled. When Minnie didn't fight back, Vicki began to openly torment the poor thing. A few men walked away when she started, but the