Murphy's Law (Molly Murphy Mysteries, #1)

shot. I left it on Daniel's desk, lingered as long as I dared, then went down the stairs feeling dejected. I was unprepared for the disappointment I felt at not seeing him again.

As I passed city hall, I paused at the great hole in the ground they were digging to put in an underground train system. Steam and dust were belching out and it looked like the very gateway to hell itself. I stood there, warming my hands at a steam vent, until I found that the steam was also making me wet. As I went to move on, a whistle sounded. Men started to emerge from the depths, wiping the dust and grime from sweat-covered faces. I started to walk away, then heard a voice yelling, "Molly! Molly, wait!"

Seamus O'Connor clambered out of the diggings and ran to catch up with me. "Molly, I've been worried out of my mind about you," he said. "I got home to find you gone and Nuala wouldn't say where you were."

"That's because she drove me out with the broomstick," I said.

"She was ranting on about catching you with Finbar." "She caught me fighting off Finbar, if you want the truth. I did nothing to encourage him. Believe me, when I want to encourage a man, he won't be a poor, sorry specimen like Finbar." And a picture of Daniel

Sullivan flashed, unbidden, into my head. Seamus touched my arm. "I'm so sorry, Molly. After all that you did for us, too. Please come back. I'll make it all right with Nuala, I promise."

"Oh no thank you, Seamus. Not in a million years would I set foot inside that place again."

"But the children--they need you."

"I know. I feel bad about walking out on Bridie, but they've got to get used to living without me," I said. "I'm not a relative, Seamus."

"I'll find a place of our own, if you'll say you'll come and stay with us."

I remembered how easily Finbar had succumbed to temptation. And it appeared that all men had the same weakness. I wasn't going to give Seamus any ideas, that was for sure, however much I cared about those children. "That wouldn't be right. Me an unmarried woman and you a married man. I've a reputation to consider."

He nodded. "You're right. It was wrong of me to ask you."

"But get your own place as quickly as possible," I said. "It's not healthy for the children in that flea pit." He was looking dejected. I reached out and touched his arm. "Look, I'll stop by and help you with them as much as I can--once I've found myself a job and a place to stay. Tell Bridie I haven't forgotten her, will you?"

"You've not found a place to stay yet? Where did you spend last night?"

"In the police shelter," I said. "I've no money until I find work." It just spilled out. I bit my tongue but it was too late. Seamus fished into his overall pocket. "No money? Here--let me see what I have."

"I can't take money from you. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"But I want to help. You helped us. You took care of my children. Here." He held out a handful of coins. "There must be a couple of dollars here. Take it."

"I'm not taking charity."

"It's not charity. You earned it. Go on. Take it."

He grabbed my hand and thrust the coins into it, closing my cold fingers around them. "And let me know when you find a place to stay, so that we can keep in touch. The children will miss you. Bridie cried herself to sleep last night when you didn't come home."

"I'll keep in touch," I said. "I promise."

He looked around. "I better go. If I don't get a meat pie down me in the next ten minutes, I'll have to work all afternoon with no food. Take care of yourself."

"You too, Seamus."

He hurried off and I stood clutching that handful of coins. I went and sat on the steps of city hall, under the watchful eye of two policemen, and counted them; almost two dollars. The first thing I did was to go to the nearest eating house and squander five cents on a bowl of soup and a roll. The proprietress was a large, jolly-looking woman so I asked her advice about finding a room. She looked horrified.

"A young woman on your own? You're surely not thinking of renting a room? Mercy me."

"Why not?"

"On your own with no man to take care of you? If you'll take my advice, my dear, you'll get yourself settled somewhere respectable. I hear there's a very nice hostel for young women down close to Battery Park. It's run by the ladies of the Bible Society and they don't stand any nonsense."