was surprised that Captain MacFall had made these decisions so soon. He was also pleased and surprised at having been asked to make first contact.
“Thank you, sir. I really feel there’s potential here. If we can tap into the information pool already in place…”
Once again he was cut off. “Save it for the Admiral, Lieutenant. He’ll need the convincing, not me. He’s the one that’s going to have to sell it to Washington.”
“Yes, sir.”
The elevator arrived and MacFall got on. “Meet me at Hogan’s office at eleven hundred hours. You’ll liaise with Murray Gurfein.”
After the doors closed, Lieutenant O’Malley hung his head and rubbed his eyes, mumbling to himself. “Gurfein! Great! Alounge singer sired by a used car salesman! Only not as sincere.”
The elevator doors opened into the lobby and as he crossed the hall behind the reception desk, Lieutenant O’Malley checked his watch: 10:35 a.m.. It’s only a fifteen minute walk to the DA’s office, he thought to himself. Save cab fare as well.
“Goodbye, Lieutenant O’Malley.” The echo of a female voice filled the lobby. O’Malley turned his head as he made his way to the exit.
“Goodbye, Shirley.” He waved and gave a cursory smile, putting on his gloves.
“You’re incorrigible!” Nikki said to Shirley.
“If that means I think he’s cute, you’re right. I’m… what you said!”
Exiting through the brass-plated double doors, O’Malley was temporarily overwhelmed by the bright winter sunlight. The noise of the traffic combined with the cool air to remind him of how much time he spent cooped up in an office.
Walking through the streets of the city, he was distracted by the faces of the passers-by. He could not help but notice for the first time since America had entered the war a few short weeks ago, that there were no real changes in the expressions on the faces of the people as compared to before the war. Not like the film footage coming back from Europe. Those were people who had not only seen the face of war, but had lived through it, too. There was one similarity, though. The shortage of working-aged men. Fortunately, in America it wasn’t due to casualty rates or slave labour camps. But things were already getting tight. There was even talk about suspending the major league ball clubs for the duration. That was ridiculous! What would they do? Get women to play baseball?
Well, the men may be away fighting and dying, but at least they’re not hanging around some soup line waiting for a handout, he concluded.
O’Malley shook the cold off as he entered the City Building. The fat, red-faced security guard at the reception window asked him who he was there to see.
“Lieutenant James O’Malley. I’m here to see the DA.”
“Yes, sir. You just take the elevator to the – ”
“To the fourth floor and turn left.” He finished the security guard’s sentence. “Thank you very much, officer.” While riding in the elevator, he was struck by a powerful sensation of déjà-vu, as if it was just another pre-war work day.
In the office, he was greeted by a secretary who had a man sitting on her desk.
“I’m here to see Mr Hogan.”
“Jim!” It was Murray Gurfein, one of Hogan’s prosecutors. He hopped down off the desk and made his way over to O’Malley. “Welcome back, sailor boy. Good to see you!”
Gurfein hadn’t changed, he thought. Worse yet, he still acted as if he and O’Malley were old drinking buddies, despite the fact they had hardly ever worked together before. O’Malley noticed that Gurfein still wore civilian clothes.
“Come on in, Jimmy boy, Captain MacFall is in with DA Hogan. Ah, Nancy, sweetheart, could we have some coffee?” The DA’s secretary didn’t even give him the courtesy of an annoyed glance. She just kept typing.
The two men moved into the inner office where Hogan took a seat behind his desk. O’Malley and Gurfein arranged chairs next to MacFall in front of Hogan, and the
“Thank you, sir. I really feel there’s potential here. If we can tap into the information pool already in place…”
Once again he was cut off. “Save it for the Admiral, Lieutenant. He’ll need the convincing, not me. He’s the one that’s going to have to sell it to Washington.”
“Yes, sir.”
The elevator arrived and MacFall got on. “Meet me at Hogan’s office at eleven hundred hours. You’ll liaise with Murray Gurfein.”
After the doors closed, Lieutenant O’Malley hung his head and rubbed his eyes, mumbling to himself. “Gurfein! Great! Alounge singer sired by a used car salesman! Only not as sincere.”
The elevator doors opened into the lobby and as he crossed the hall behind the reception desk, Lieutenant O’Malley checked his watch: 10:35 a.m.. It’s only a fifteen minute walk to the DA’s office, he thought to himself. Save cab fare as well.
“Goodbye, Lieutenant O’Malley.” The echo of a female voice filled the lobby. O’Malley turned his head as he made his way to the exit.
“Goodbye, Shirley.” He waved and gave a cursory smile, putting on his gloves.
“You’re incorrigible!” Nikki said to Shirley.
“If that means I think he’s cute, you’re right. I’m… what you said!”
Exiting through the brass-plated double doors, O’Malley was temporarily overwhelmed by the bright winter sunlight. The noise of the traffic combined with the cool air to remind him of how much time he spent cooped up in an office.
Walking through the streets of the city, he was distracted by the faces of the passers-by. He could not help but notice for the first time since America had entered the war a few short weeks ago, that there were no real changes in the expressions on the faces of the people as compared to before the war. Not like the film footage coming back from Europe. Those were people who had not only seen the face of war, but had lived through it, too. There was one similarity, though. The shortage of working-aged men. Fortunately, in America it wasn’t due to casualty rates or slave labour camps. But things were already getting tight. There was even talk about suspending the major league ball clubs for the duration. That was ridiculous! What would they do? Get women to play baseball?
Well, the men may be away fighting and dying, but at least they’re not hanging around some soup line waiting for a handout, he concluded.
O’Malley shook the cold off as he entered the City Building. The fat, red-faced security guard at the reception window asked him who he was there to see.
“Lieutenant James O’Malley. I’m here to see the DA.”
“Yes, sir. You just take the elevator to the – ”
“To the fourth floor and turn left.” He finished the security guard’s sentence. “Thank you very much, officer.” While riding in the elevator, he was struck by a powerful sensation of déjà-vu, as if it was just another pre-war work day.
In the office, he was greeted by a secretary who had a man sitting on her desk.
“I’m here to see Mr Hogan.”
“Jim!” It was Murray Gurfein, one of Hogan’s prosecutors. He hopped down off the desk and made his way over to O’Malley. “Welcome back, sailor boy. Good to see you!”
Gurfein hadn’t changed, he thought. Worse yet, he still acted as if he and O’Malley were old drinking buddies, despite the fact they had hardly ever worked together before. O’Malley noticed that Gurfein still wore civilian clothes.
“Come on in, Jimmy boy, Captain MacFall is in with DA Hogan. Ah, Nancy, sweetheart, could we have some coffee?” The DA’s secretary didn’t even give him the courtesy of an annoyed glance. She just kept typing.
The two men moved into the inner office where Hogan took a seat behind his desk. O’Malley and Gurfein arranged chairs next to MacFall in front of Hogan, and the
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