Cross-Over Murders by Frank F. Atanacio Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Seven

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O’Brien waited in Janet’s office for Nick as he sat on top of her desk. The phone rang several times, but was ignored. It wasn’t his office, and the missed calls only meant less work for the famed private eye.
Janet opened the office door and walked in without acknowledging the detective. She hung up her light sweater and stuffed her handbag into a top drawer of the filing cabinet next to her desk. Nick walked several paces behind her so it took much longer for him to reach the office.
“Pete, what are you doing here?”
“I just let him in,” Janet shot back quickly.
O’Brien just shot her a glance.
“Right, Pete?”
He nodded reluctantly. It was at that time he had realized that it was Janet who for got to lock up last night. He was going to say something about unlocked doors, but he already committed himself to covering for Janet’s shortfall.
“So what brings you here, to my office?”
“Just needed some time away from the station.”
“The decoy?”
“He has a name!”
Nick nodded.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to blow off half-ass,” said O’Brien.
“I know, it’s getting to everybody.”
“Pete, what the fuck does blow off half ass mean?” Janet asked after she thought about his comment for a few seconds. “Doesn’t even make any sense. What, half an ass cheek blown off?”
“It’s just an expression,” he replied.
“Stupid is what it is,” she threw back.

O’Brien smiled.
“You see what I got to deal with everyday?” Nick said.
“But come on Nick, half-ass?”
“It’s just an expression,” O’Brien continued. “Like the way you do your work around here, half-ass.”
“Fuck you.”
O’Brien laughed and that made him feel a little better.
“If you want to chat, my office is open,” Nick said.
“That isn’t the only thing that was opened,” O’Brien whispered toward Janet.
She glared.
He smiled and followed Nick into his office.
Nick sat down and O’Brien remained standing. “You know I have chairs.”
O’Brien sat.
“I hope we find the decoy soon...”
O’Brien glared.
“I’m sorry, you’re right he has a name,” Nick said really feeling badly about not calling the decoy by his rightful name. “Robert White should be acknowledged.”
“You’re calling him what he was, so I understand,” said O’Brien. “I’m just being a hard ass.”
“Pete, you better stop with those expressions, you may confuse my secretary.”
“Fuck you Nick!” Janet shot from her office.
O”Brien laughed a little more heartier.
Nick winked.
“At the office this morning we had a meeting and it just seemed unproductive. I sat helplessly as the captain spewed worthless information. It didn’t make any sense to me. We have a man down and lost because we couldn’t do our job. If we were able to see who picked him up, we wouldn’t be down a cop,’ O’Brien just splattered out. “It’s such a dark day in our city. It didn’t have to be, but we made it that way.”
“I don’t know what to say Pete,” Nick replied. “But we haven’t found the body yet, so that might be a good sign. Maybe the death hasn’t occurred yet.”
“I’m praying.”
“Me too.”
Janet walked in with two cups of coffee and placed them down in front of the men, and she hurried out of the office as if she were trying to respect their privacy.
“Thank you,” Nick hollered.
Janet did not reply.
“Damn, no welcome from her?” O’Brien asked.
“No, because it’s part of her job to make sure we have coffee,” Nick explained. “If she replied with your welcome, then I wouldn’t have to pay her because she did us a favor.”
“You guys are weird.”
Nick smiled.
“But, you do work well together,” he added.
“Janet never liked serving coffee to clients. I never understood why, it was part of good customer service. She keeps telling me that if she wanted to serve she’d work at a restaurant and get tips for doing it. I keep telling her that I would gladly tip her over,” Nick said. “So I tell her that it’s part of her job description, and if she ever says your welcome she doesn’t get paid for the service. I laugh sometimes when she hands one of my clients coffee and they say thank you. It almost comes out and then she stares at me. It’s a sight, but to her credit, she just nods and then gives me the finger when she walks out.”
“It’ll slip one day,’ O’Brien added.
“I can’t wait.”
O’Brien smiled.
Janet walked into the office and stood by the door.
“Can’t you see we are having a conversation?” Nick stopped his conversation with O’Brien, staring wide-eyed at his secretary. “That’s just simply rude.”
“Yeah, like you guys have a lot to talk about,” she said as she moved closer to her boss. “I need a favor.”
Nick titled his head toward her.
“I need you to go to Boston Avenue for me and pick up some booze for a party I’m throwing tonight.”
“Party?” Nick looked confused.
“It’s just for girls,” she shot out quickly.
“Oh, okay.”
“So you’ll go?”
“Pick up some booze?”
She nodded.
“Where?”
“I ordered it from the big liquor store on Boston Avenue. Near Price Rite.”
“Why don’t you go after work?”
“Nick,” she said with her hands on her hips. “I got a lot of running around to do after work. I can’t believe you won’t do this little favor for me.”
“I’ll go with you Nick,” said O’Brien.
She smiled.
“Okay, is it paid for, or are you going to give me the money?”
“Just bring the receipt and I’ll pay you back.”
“What?”
“Nick, bring the receipt, and I’ll pay you back,” she repeated slowly.
“You see Pete,’ Nick stated. “That’s good hard earned money I’m throwing out the window. She always says she’s paying me back, but she never does.”
“Don’t be an ass!”
“Janet, when you say don’t be an ass,” O’Brien started teasing. “Do you mean like a horse type animal or a buttock?”
“Your face is a buttock!” she shot back and stormed out of the office.
“Now I got to go and pay for her booze,” Nick said. “You got her mad.”
“I’m going with you,” said O’Brien. “I can use the fresh air.”
“Are you going to help pay for this?”
“Hell no,” he said as he stood up and walked out of the office before Nick had the chance to beg.
“Yeah, your face is a buttock,” he whispered.