Lassiter

Lassiter shouldered his way through a wall of cold air. The 'No Name Bar' was his second home and the booth at the back by the pay phones was his office. He took an early retirement from the police force after kneecapping a child molester he was in the process of arresting. Officially it went down as an accident and he was allowed to leave with a full pension and the accolades of his fellow officers. Chico spotted Lassiter enter through the blinding light and recognized him by his disheveled attire and his ever present grey Stetson hat.

"You have no messages" Chico said while pouring out a cup of coffee that was made at least four hours ago and only Lassiter would drink. "Does that mean your going to hang around here all day and be a royal pain in my ass." Chico took messages for Lassiter's Private Eye business because the flea-bag hotel that Lassiter called home refused to provide him with the courtesy.

Another reason that Chico offered him this indulgence was because Lassiter had changed his life. Instead of arresting him Lassiter had busted him in the mouth and took him to an all night diner for coffee and an almost fatherly talk about the long ugly road he was about to go down if he didn't change his ways. He was a three time visitor to the system and he knew that he would have served time if Lassiter had arrested him. For some strange reason, a reason that chico can't even fathom to this day he took Lassiter's advice and walked a different path. Under this cops hard rough exterior there was something that cared.