“Naw, I’ll go talk to him. Hold the Liver ‘til I came back.”

“Will do,” she said with a wink.

Mark left his Stetson on seat to hold the booth. He slid out of the booth and wound his way thru the kitchen. A myriad of smells assaulted his over sized nose.

Cookies office was not much larger than a walk-in closet. There was a gray metal desk, a chair, an antique floor safe and a waste basket, spilling it’s contents onto the floor.

Cookie was bent over a desk that was covered with receipts and other papers. He glanced up. “What’s up mark?”

“Not much, Cookie, just wonderin’ ‘bout those two boys that was here this morning.”

“Hey Mark, I’m sorry about that,” Cookie said. “I saw one of them push you down. You okay?”

“Pride’s hurt more than anything else. I saw you was givin’ them some money, what was that all about?”

“Close the door Mark.”

Mark closed the door then leaned against it. His legs were almost up against the back of Cookies chair.

“Those guys are muscle, Mark.