A tarnished sign

[CassYuri]

A tarnished sign bolted to the wall beside the door, "H. Murphy, P.I.".

Murphy scowls at the sign, pulling the edge of her sleeve into her palm and rub at the grime.  The sign doesn't look much better and now she scowls at the grime on her sleeve.  She mutters angrily, "Dammit," and shoulders the door to her office open.

Ruth is twenty and change, lively dancing pony tail, and sweet honey amber eyes.  She is painting her toenails in an immodestly short black Allison Woo skirt.  Murphy puzzles over how Ruth affords such clothes and also swallows a pang of guilt for not being able to pay her better.  Ruth looks up and beams a killer smile at Murphy before turning back to finish painting her pinky toe.

The door closes on Murphy's foot before she steps into the room, letting the door click shut behind her.  Murphy sets a coffee cup on Ruth's desk saying, "They were out of Hazelnut, so I got you an Irish cream instead."

As Ruth lifts and bends her foot to blow the polish dry, Murphy sees a flash of pink and averts her eyes.  Murphy is never sure why Ruth does stuff like that, her favorite theory is Ruth just likes to make Murphy blush.  Ruth grins and says, "Thanks Murph.  Here is your Iodine."

Murphy looks at Ruth, "It's not Friday already is it?"

Ruth shakes her head and her pony tail dances mesmerizingly, "Nope, remember the Pan-Asians got a little frisky last month and the meteorologists forecast a higher than normal rad cloud."

Murphy smacks her forehead, "I had forgotten, thanks Ruth.  Mind if I chase it with a sip of your coffee?"

Ruth cheerfully offers up her cup to Murphy, "Anytime sweetie!"

Murphy pops the Iodine and chases it with the offered coffee.  Ruth stands up and snatches a Kleenex and dabs around Murphy's mouth.  Ruth lingers close, her hand cupping Murphy's cheek for several moments before she says, "Murph you'd be hopeless without me."

Murphy smiles sadly and starts to say, "Ruth I know I don't pay you enough," but Ruth interrupts her by putting her hand over Murphy's lips.  Ruth says, "Don't talk like that Murph, your grandfather helped my family." 

Ruth's eyes tear up as she looks at the picture of Murphy's grandfather on the wall.  The late great detective to the rich and famous.  He is wearing that leather Outback hat and it's band of 9 Morgans dollars sewn in the band.  The hat that he was famous for and that he passed to his favorite granddaughter, Murphy.  Murphy wears that hat everyday.

Ruth settles back into her customary impish grin.   She straightens the Morgan dollar hat on Murphy's head, saying "Besides your internet let's me do my social media thing without worrying about the more determined fans tracing my location."

Murphy puts her hand over Ruth's and says, "Well just you know if you want to do something else I'll just be happy for you."

Ruth nods and says, "I know Murph, I know, but I'm really quite happy here."

Murphy studies Ruth for a long while then nods.  Murphy pulls her battered and slightly soaked pack of Falcon Nano's.  She taps one out to offer to Ruth, who shakes her head.  Murphy perches the Falcon Nano on her lip and lights it up.  She breathes in and holds deeply, letting the nanobots scrub city pollution off of her lungs.  Murphy puffs out the smoke toward the middle of the room, the nanobots exploding into an advertisement for Falcon Nano's.  Murphy asks, "Any business scheduled for today?"

Ruth bounces back into her chair and turns to the computer, clacking on the keyboard for a bit.  "Hmm, you got the 3 cable scans to turn in before the day after tomorrow.  We've had a couple of soft inquiries as well, but those are a long shot to cash."

Murphy leans in and asks, "Where are the scans?"

After Ruth punches up a map and shows Murphy.  Murphy says, "Hmm, I'll get those tomorrow when I meet mother for lunch, would you call her and reschedule my monthly lunch with her for Aussielyts?"

Ruth frowns but nods.  Murphy gives her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze and says, "Thanks, Ruth.  I'll go catch up on my bulletins.  Maybe one of those soft leads will walk in with a bundle of bills itching to jump hands like fleas from one mutt to another."

<< Anyone interested in a bit of roleplay? >>

[nmorgan64]

i'll give it a try.