Page 12 of The Freshman

He heard Nate move away from the doorand did the same.

Shocked expressions greeted him, andHenry rushed him into the office, telling the others to waitoutside.

“You didn’t do anythingdodgy right?”

Alfie shrugged. “Depends on yourdefinition of dodgy … is waving your flaccid penis at Natedodgy?”

Henry’s jaw dropped, and his eye’sbugged from his face.

Alfie shook his head and pinched thetop of his nose. “It was a joke.”

Henry reclaimed his jaw, but his eyeskept trying to escape his face. “Not funny, fish. And how did youget them to shut it?”

Alfie swallowed awkwardly, then thecomputer screen caught his eye. Nate’s face was gone, but thememory of him and his file remained.

“I said I’d cancel hisnext call to Doris.”

Henry smacked his lips together, thenstretched them into a grin. “That’s clever. I should have thoughtof that. Nice one.”

Alfie fidgeted at the undeservedpraise, then scratched the back of his head.

“Coffee?” he said loudly,and Marie, Glen, and the twins joined them in theoffice.

Chapter Four

“So, what you wearing,Freshman?”

Alfie sighed and looked down athimself. “Why do you need to know?”

“Just curious, that’sall.”

“I wear the same as allthe officers on dayshift.”

“Describe it tome.”

Alfie snorted and shook his head.“Black work boots.”

Nate hummed as if he was savoringsomething tasty. “I bet they’re buffed to a mirror shine, and yourlaces are done in neat little bows.”

Alfie narrowed his eyes at his shoes.They shone in the dull lights, and his laces were indeed tiedneatly rather than tucked in like he did with histrainers.

“What else youwearing?”

Alfie sighed. “Black trousers, a whiteshirt, and a black tie.”

“Slow down, let’s take oneitem at a time. Start with the tie.”

“It’s a black tie,” Alfiesaid, smoothing his hand over the silk.

“Is it tight around yourneck? Is it a small tie or a long one?”

Alfie smirked. “It’s not overly tight,and it’s long.”

Nate hummed. “And your shirt, all yourbuttons done up?”

“Yes, believe it or not Ican button my shirt.”

“But the top one, is itdone up, all neat? I bet it is.”

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