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31_days2012-02-22 12:19 am
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2012-02-22 12:19 am
[February 22nd] [Perry Mason] Candles and the Snow, 22
Title: Candles and the Snow, scene 22
Day/Theme: February 22nd - You are ice and the fire of your touch burns my hands like snow
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Hamilton Burger, Mignon Germaine
Rating: G
Time Period: Present day
By Lucky_Ladybug
Hamilton muttered to himself in frustration. “Of all times for the furnace to conk out!”
He turned to look at the vent, disgusted and exasperated. He was working late tonight, on an important case that had to be dealt with now, before it went to trial in the morning. And in the dead of winter, even Los Angeles had chilly nights. This was one of them.
The knock on the door brought his attention up. “Come in,” he said in surprise. He had thought he was alone in the building, save for the cleaning crew.
Mignon stepped into the room. “The night watchman recognized me and let me in,” she said. She raised an eyebrow at the temperature. “Really, Hamilton. Aren’t you cold?”
“Yes, actually I am,” Hamilton retorted. “But there’s not much I can do about it. The furnace died tonight and the repairman can’t get in until morning. And this work has to be finished tonight.” He slapped the papers strewn across his laptop and his desk.
“How did it even get to that point?” Mignon wondered in amazement. “A furnace usually behaves strangely for some time before giving out altogether. There should have been plenty of time to see and understand the warning signs.”
“I don’t know,” Hamilton said. “I don’t have anything to do with maintenance around here. But I’m going to find out what idiot is responsible for this.”
He dropped his pen into the mess with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Mignon. I’m on edge tonight.”
Mignon nodded, unfazed. “Couldn’t you take the work home with you?” she suggested.
“I guess I could,” Hamilton consented. “I probably should. Only I might need access to some of the other files here. If I’m at home and find I need one I don’t have, I’ll have to traipse back here anyway.”
“Then perhaps you should consider wearing your coat,” Mignon remarked.
“I tried that too,” Hamilton admitted, slumping back in the chair. “It got in the way too much.”
“Then you do have a problem,” Mignon said.
“Tell me about it.” Hamilton frowned, lifting up a stack of papers. Not finding what he was looking for, he peered under another and a third. “Have you seen my Flash drive anywhere? I thought it was plugged in, but it’s not.”
Mignon meandered closer to the desk. “Is this it?” she asked, holding up a small, flat device that had been half-hiding behind the telephone.
Hamilton looked up. “Yes,” he said in relief. “Thank you.” He reached for it, their hands brushing as he did. “Your hand is warm,” he remarked, surprised.
“And yours is cold,” Mignon said. “For your sake, Hamilton, I hope the repairman isn’t late tomorrow. I hope he’s early.”
“That makes two of us,” Hamilton said as he plugged in the Flash drive and began typing.
Day/Theme: February 22nd - You are ice and the fire of your touch burns my hands like snow
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Hamilton Burger, Mignon Germaine
Rating: G
Time Period: Present day
Hamilton muttered to himself in frustration. “Of all times for the furnace to conk out!”
He turned to look at the vent, disgusted and exasperated. He was working late tonight, on an important case that had to be dealt with now, before it went to trial in the morning. And in the dead of winter, even Los Angeles had chilly nights. This was one of them.
The knock on the door brought his attention up. “Come in,” he said in surprise. He had thought he was alone in the building, save for the cleaning crew.
Mignon stepped into the room. “The night watchman recognized me and let me in,” she said. She raised an eyebrow at the temperature. “Really, Hamilton. Aren’t you cold?”
“Yes, actually I am,” Hamilton retorted. “But there’s not much I can do about it. The furnace died tonight and the repairman can’t get in until morning. And this work has to be finished tonight.” He slapped the papers strewn across his laptop and his desk.
“How did it even get to that point?” Mignon wondered in amazement. “A furnace usually behaves strangely for some time before giving out altogether. There should have been plenty of time to see and understand the warning signs.”
“I don’t know,” Hamilton said. “I don’t have anything to do with maintenance around here. But I’m going to find out what idiot is responsible for this.”
He dropped his pen into the mess with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Mignon. I’m on edge tonight.”
Mignon nodded, unfazed. “Couldn’t you take the work home with you?” she suggested.
“I guess I could,” Hamilton consented. “I probably should. Only I might need access to some of the other files here. If I’m at home and find I need one I don’t have, I’ll have to traipse back here anyway.”
“Then perhaps you should consider wearing your coat,” Mignon remarked.
“I tried that too,” Hamilton admitted, slumping back in the chair. “It got in the way too much.”
“Then you do have a problem,” Mignon said.
“Tell me about it.” Hamilton frowned, lifting up a stack of papers. Not finding what he was looking for, he peered under another and a third. “Have you seen my Flash drive anywhere? I thought it was plugged in, but it’s not.”
Mignon meandered closer to the desk. “Is this it?” she asked, holding up a small, flat device that had been half-hiding behind the telephone.
Hamilton looked up. “Yes,” he said in relief. “Thank you.” He reached for it, their hands brushing as he did. “Your hand is warm,” he remarked, surprised.
“And yours is cold,” Mignon said. “For your sake, Hamilton, I hope the repairman isn’t late tomorrow. I hope he’s early.”
“That makes two of us,” Hamilton said as he plugged in the Flash drive and began typing.