Day 767: 5 Minute Freewrite: Tuesday - Prompt: iced coffee (and, The Posture of Innocence, day 34)
After Mr. Black's shocking drop of data involving the scope and depth of corruption in Lofton County in the "Disoriented" freewrite, the cold case division checks in on the suspects and gets ready for the work of data entry and crunching ... but not before the beverages arrive for everyone ...
To get totally caught up on The Posture of Innocence, here are the prologue, day 1, day 2, day 3, day 3.5, day 4, day 4.5, day 5, day 5.5, day 6, day 7, day 7.5, day 8, day 9, day 9.5, day 10, day 10.5, day 11, day 11.5, day 12, day 12.5, day 13, day 13.5, day 14, day 15, day 16, day 16.5, day 17, day 18, day 19, day 19.5, day 20, day 20.5, day 21, day 22, day 22.5, day 23, day 23.5, day 24, day 24.5, day 25, day 25.5, day 26, day 26.5, day 27, day 27.5, day 28, day 28.5, day 29, day 29.5, day 30, day 30.5, day 31, day 31.5, day 32, day 32.5, day 33, and day 33.5!
Captain Lee turned to Lieutenant Longstreet.
“Has anyone been bailed out yet?”
“No, Captain Lee. No one from Officer Cadbury to Captain Prescott has been bailed out, even though bail has been set for some of them, and not all that high.”
“It may be that some are afraid to move their money, and others are afraid to ask,” Mr. Black said. “Given the murderous tendencies of the top folk and some of the folks working for them that we haven't grabbed yet, it might be safer for those in custody to remain under lock and key.”
Captain Lee considered that.
“Continue to monitor the situation, Lieutenant Lightfoot. Lieutenant Longstreet and I are ordered to work only a half-day today, so we leave it in your hands. I will be no further away than Fruitland Memorial Park all weekend, and of course we have already established the protocol should any number of the people in question be bailed out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I do not think they will be, and that Mr. Black is correct – but we will see about next week. For this morning, we attend to the necessary drudgery of data entry.”
As if on cue, Lieutenant Carter arrived with his first assignment of the day in hand: iced coffee made to order for everybody, including Mr. Black.
“You and I have never talked – how did you know, Lieutenant Carter, even down to the cocoa powder on the top?” the private investigator cried.
“Captain Lee had us all read you up,” Lieutenant Carter said, “and Captain Lee is thorough when he assigns homework.”
Mr. Black started laughing as he saw Captain Lee's demure smile.
“First time a man of your name and line has studied a Black man in order to best serve him, Captain Lee.”
“There is a first time, Mr. Black, for everything – it is the first time for you, but the many Black soldiers who served under me and the few above me got to experience that every day. Add this to your study of history: if a Lee is on your side, you know what he will do.”
That warmed Mr. Black's heart, just a little … he was trying hard not to like Captain Lee too much, but Captain Lee was making it hard … the masterful tacticians of that line were difficult to keep at bay.
“Good to know you are on the right side in this generation, Captain Lee,” he said as he sipped his coffee. “Just right! Thank you, Captain, and you too, Lieutenant Carter.”