(lxiii.)

Pierpont slumped over his desk, his head in his arms.

"Mister Brandenbury?"
"No."
"Mister Brandenbury, are you alright?"

He lifted his head.

"Uh... I was asleep. Why?"

Miss Taylor smiled. "There's a phone call for you on line four."
"Thanks."

He lifted the handset. "H'lo?"
"Pierpont, it's me. Listen, I need some help--"
"...who is this?"
"Pierpont? It- This is Lor--"
"--Holy crap! You're still alive?!"
"...yeah--"
"--but, th- the ice cream truck, and, and Fred, and Chet, and, and--"
"--it's okay. I'm alive. I'm fine. Now listen. I need help."
"Okay. Sure. Anything. What's up?"
"Well, first off, I need an advance of about five thousand dollars."
"I can do that. Is that it?"
"Do you remember the Senate Hearings on Unobtrusive Listening between States?"
"...Yeah?"
"Do you still have my copy of their report?"
"Uh..."
"...Pierpont?"
"Well, it was, um, in the drawer, in the library table, and, well, y'know--"
"--Muffy threw it out, didn't she?"
"...Yup."
"Fuck. Alright, thanks anyway."

There was a pause.

"Is there anything else I can help with?"
"Uh, we're heading toward D.C. Try and get me a copy of that report. It'll help me out."
"Sure."
"Oh, and don't go bankrupt."
"...No?"
"Nope. 'Cause then I'll be out of a job."



[chapter lxiv.]