The first sound I heard when I woke up was a bolt slapping. I almost didn’t care enough to see if this was the last morning I would have. It wouldn’t be the first time you've felt that way. It took me a moment to realize it was from the office door. The blurry image of a somewhat recognizable man came in to my office. He tried to be quiet about his entrance, but the fact that I was already awake reminded me of his failure.
“I didn’t mean to wake you- I’ll just leave this with you.”
“No Mose, you can stay. Have a seat. Just give me a moment to collect myself here. You caught me off guard...” I said trailing off.
He put a manila envelope on the edge of my desk. I watched him stare at my half empty bottle of Old Crow and empty tumbler next to it as he began to sit down.
“Got something on your mind?”
“Yeah I do. Where’s my tie?” I asked rhetorically, and slightly irritated.
Moshe “Mose” Hochberg embarrassingly stood up from the chair he was sitting on and picked up what was a previously unwrinkled tie. I watched Mose’s face purse up when he saw how I frowned at him and my tie. I waved it off with my arm, and picked up the file. He was the only other person other than former Inspector Pennetta who still had a key to my office. Of course the landlord had one too, but the landlord didn't care enough to check the offices, so long as she was paid. Mose was a slightly taller than me, and often wore clothes that hid his lanky physique. Most people assumed he was Scots-Irish since he had brown and slightly wavy hair, most of which he hid under a pub hat.
Outside of his brother, I never heard anyone else bring up his Jewish upbringing, most of which he did his best to hide. His nickname confused a lot of people, since it sounded a lot like “hose”. Often new acquaintances would just call him “Mo”.
I went back to skimming over the files, shaking my head disapprovingly.
“Is this all you have on Cosgrave?” It was pretty slim.
“Yeah, in the back there is a picture." I shuffled papers in my hand, and then placed the photograph on my desk.
"Him. I can’t place that guy there.” Mose pointed to a guy standing a few feet behind Cosgrave and some other jackets, who I identified as auxiliary police.
"Him. I can’t place that guy there.” Mose pointed to a guy standing a few feet behind Cosgrave and some other jackets, who I identified as auxiliary police.
The guy under Mose's finger was a well dressed man wearing a black fedora with a grey band. His face was obscured by his glove covered hands, which held a cigarette. I'd never seen this guy before and for some reason, I feel like I should.
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