4 PM IN THE MORNING

(IIF: Ingram Story)

Mose came into my office at about 4 pm. He sat down across from me. This time he remembered to remove my tie from the chair. Lately I haven't given a damn about much, but his consideration looking for and navigating his ass from crushing my belongings seemed like I should. I should give a damn. I didn't, even though I wanted to try.

It was hard for me to take his gesture at face value. He cared enough for me, or what he thought of me. What did he think of me? And yet, how could he know that I could care less at that moment. It didn't matter, and so while I rubbed my eyes in what felt like the early morning, I told him to help himself to some coffee.

He is the only man I've ever known that will consistently drink stale or cold coffee if offered to by a superior, unless he's on business. Fortunately for me I get the best of both worlds, not only am I his friend but his superior; moreover, when he drinks the stale stuff, I have an excuse to make new coffee. Either way it's a win-win, as a second cup for him means washing out the horrible taste of the first.

"What's on the agenda?" I asked him as I buttoned up my shirt.

"We'll Rick, here's your mail." He said placing it somewhere on the desk that wasn't cluttered.

"And?" His long drawn out pauses, while deliberate we both knew, were getting on my nerves. And we both knew that as well.

"Cosgrave."

Well shit. I rubbed the back my head and looked down at him. 

"What does he want?" That was about all I cared to muster with Cosgrave's name being the topic.

"He wants to meet you. He says he's got intel on Hirsch-Landers, and it's something else too."

My eyebrows raised and Mose caught the hint, continuing on:

"He knows you were able to get information from the records department, and he also knows I've ran a few of the names on the list."

"How the fuck does he know that?"

"I'm being followed, and someone bugged my room." I made a face at him. "No-no, I didn't remove any of them, but I found them alright. What else? The that fact I was followed here too! I'm sure he knows that I know I'm being followed, but Christ. Why would this happen? Then he calls a meeting?" Mose seemed to be as confused as he was ashamed.

"Forget the coffee." I said, gesturing him to stand. "Hand me my tie." We're going out. 

Mose picked up on this and picked up two pieces of mail from the desk.

"I think you should look at these first. The address looks odd."

One said, "PANNETTA" from sender. Hand written on the opposite side was "URGENT" twice underlined. Half way to the door, I stopped, walking back behind my desk. I opened a drawer and found my war trophy Walther P-38 that I had bought from a neighbor.

"You ready?"

Mose nodded a nervous "Yes" to me.

"Don't worry Mose. I don't expect anything to happen." At least to you. I couldn't bring myself to tell him that. Not this earl-- Well, not before dinner time.