Monday Sept 4 - Franky

[Gaffer]

Hours on the trains, a lousy night’s sleep, no decent meals and you still got to be at work. It just isn’t right. Outside, it’s chilly and foggy.

The stationhouse isn’t busy yet and Sergeant Homer Zann gives you a cheery wave from behind his desk. “Howzat missing person case coming, Esposito? You dating Miss Hirt yet?”

On your desk is a message taken by the desk sergeant at twelve-thirty Sunday afternoon: Dex Ford – mtg others Flannigan’s Stk Hs Manhatt 8 o’c come if can

There’s also an envelope brought by a delivery service Saturday night. Inside is a brief note.

My agency got the following on Marlene Hirt.

Manhattan phone directory - APpleton 5102 - 1288 Lexington Ave
Palatine Hirt left small fortune to her & brother Alphonse 1918
Robert Stanton executor & guardian
graduated Upper Darby Girls’ Academy 1923
English Literature degree from Bennington 1927

More when we get it.

Dex

Roll call is the usual roomful of cops, some still hungover and some who need to get a bath sometime this month. A couple of old bulls snooze through the rundown, while a couple of rookies want to write down every word. Nothing much in the litany of B&Es, stickups, at-larges and wanteds piques your interest.

Afterward, you get a cup of java and head back to your office to write up your notes from Malone’s spiel. After a night’s sleep and with some joe in you, you can face it. Kind of.

The phone rings.

“Esposito, it’s Dex Ford. Vilas and I turned up some stuff last night and Delores says she’s got something too. How about we all come down to Hudson Street to talk things over before we go see Miss Hirt at her brother’s place? We’ll be there around eleven."

[Reply to this so I know you've seen it, then go to Monday Sept 4 - Hudson Street Station when it's posted.]

[FrankyEsposito]

Just what I need on a morning like this -- my amateur detectives are up early.

I'm going to need more coffee.