She got up from behind her desk and seemed to glide toward me. That was the sense I had, that she moved with the grace of a dancer. She was dressed in typical ADA attire for women—blue suit, white blouse, sensible shoes, a simple rope necklace, and small gold earrings—but somehow she made the ensemble appear to be elegant rather than workmanlike. But it was her gaze that froze me in her orbit. Lauren had the most piercing blue eyes I’d ever seen.

“I’ve heard so many great things about you, Dana,” she said. “And I can’t believe that we’ve never met before. How can that be?”

“I’ve had my head down in General Crimes for a long time, I’m afraid.”

“Well, I’m very glad that you popped up to meet with me today. But I have to ask the most obvious question: Why? You’ve made quite a reputation for yourself over in GC. Eugene can’t stay chief forever. Why not wait him out? In another three, four . . . at most five years, you’d be chief. And, full disclosure, I’m not going anywhere in that time frame.”

I had a prepared answer for this question. I was going to wax on about how I’d never wanted a management role, explain that I came to the DA’s office to try cases. How, after nearly twenty years, I had accomplished all I set out to achieve in the courtroom and thought it was time to take on new challenges. My lack of deputy experience would hinder my being picked to take over for Stickleman when the time came . . . blah blah blah.

For some reason, however, when the time came to deliver this speech, I deviated from my script and actually told her the truth.

“You,” I said. “I don’t mean to be a suck-up, but I’m not here because becoming a deputy is a box I need to check on my way to getting a bureau chief job. I’m here because I want to work with you.”

My revelation caused Lauren to sit up straighter. I suspect the other applicants had all answered that question with a variant of the same speech I had prepared about seeking out new challenges.

“Okay, I’ll bite,” she said. “Why do you want to work for me?”

“I want to be inspired. Not to get all new-agey about it, but I’m looking to work with someone who can help me become the best version of myself. To become something more than I have been up until now.”

“That’s a high bar for a boss.”

“With all respect, I’m not looking for a boss. I’m looking for a partnership. I understand I’m not going to be an equal partner, but I want to feel like my point of view truly matters in all decisions, big and small.”