The Family Way (Molly Murphy, #12)

“A man’s got to take a pee, doesn’t he?” the closer voice answered. “Besides, I’m going mad, cooped up in here like a caged beast. How much longer, do you think? Why won’t they tell us anything?”


“We’d have been out of here by now if those explosives had made it through safely, wouldn’t we?” The voice sounded remarkably like Liam’s. “Go on. Hurry up, for God’s sake.”

I was conscious of a figure moving past me. Then one of the locked doors clicked open and daylight came in. He had gone into a narrow area between buildings, where I supposed the WC was to be found. I didn’t wait a second. I darted through the half-open door into the room where I had heard the voices. It smelled of stale food and stale sweat and my senses recoiled. It was lit by one small oil lamp on a packing case on which the remains of two meals also reposed. Apart from that there were only two cots in the room and on one of these my brother was sitting. He leaped to his feet as I came in, fists up, ready to defend himself and a look of utter horror crossed his face as he saw me.

“For the love of God, Molly, what are you doing here?”

“I worked out who was hiding you. I have to speak to you, Liam, before the police find you. You’re a wanted man. They know you’re here, Liam. You have to get away while you can.”

“Do you think I don’t know all that?” He gave a bitter laugh. “And I would have been long gone if our original plans hadn’t been stymied. But I’m not leaving, Molly. I’m seeing it through.”

“What exactly is it you’re seeing through?”

“Something big, Molly. Something that is going to make the world sit up and notice that we Irish can’t be trodden on any longer.”

“Something that needed a lot of explosives,” I said.

“How the devil do you know that?”

“I heard your friend talking,” I said. “You’re going to blow something up, Liam.”

“No sense in denying it. We are.”

“You’re planning to destroy innocent lives to make your statement? How will that make the Irish look to the rest of the world?”

“Sometimes innocent lives have to be lost in a war. You know that. And this is war, Molly. War against the English until they give us home rule.”

“You put me in a difficult position, Liam. I’m married to a policeman. I can’t let you do this. But you’re my brother. I have to try and save you if I can. I don’t suppose I can make you come forward and tell the police what is being planned.”

“Damned right you can’t. Do you think I’d betray the cause? It would be more than my life is worth.”

“Then I’ll give you twenty-four hours to escape before I tell my husband. That’s my best offer, Liam.”

He looked at me and I saw he was crying. “You give me no alternative,” he said. “You know I can’t let you go, don’t you? I should kill you now, but you’re my sister and you’ve the little one coming too and I can’t bring myself to do it. But I can’t let you get in the way of our plans either.” He glanced at the doorway then back at me in an agony of indecision. “My pal will be back any second. Go while you still have a chance to leave. You have to do what you think is right, just as I do.”

“You’re a brave man, Liam. Our mother would have been proud.” I stared at him for a long moment, taking in the features of his face. I longed to hug him, but I knew he wouldn’t want me to. Then I turned to go. But the doorway was blocked by a big man standing there.

“What’s this then?” he asked, coming inside and shutting the door behind him. “Having visitors now, are we?”

“She’s my sister, Barney. She came to warn me the police are onto me.”

“Did she now?” The big man was looking at me with cold, animal eyes. “And how did she find you? Did you contact her? Have you let your mouth run away with you again?” He lunged at me and his hand came over my mouth. “So will you do it or shall I?”

“Do what?”

“Kill her, of course. We can’t let her go. She’ll bring the police straight here.”

“I’m not killing my sister, Barney. And neither are you,” Liam said. “She’s on our side. She’s fought for the cause before now.”

“And you don’t think she’ll give us away? We can’t risk that, Liam. Nobody is supposed to know we are here. Nobody.”

“She said she’d give us twenty-four hours. They can find us another safe house in that time.”

I was finding it hard to breathe with that big hand crushing me. I wriggled and tried to break free.

“Let go of her,” Liam said. “I don’t want to hurt you, Barney, but I will if I have to.”

“A little squirt like you? And what could you do about it, that’s what I’d like to know. You’re worth nothing to us, Liam Murphy. That’s why they picked you to push the plunger on the explosives. You’re expendable.”

With a roar of rage Liam flung himself at the bigger man. There was a sickening thud as fist connected with jaw. Barney staggered and released his grip on me. I fought myself free as he swung at Liam. Liam ducked nimbly and another punch found its mark on the side of Barney’s head.