Molly Brown (14 page)

“Yeah, I’m just thinking of a way to work this all out without too much of a mess.”

Gerry laughed humorlessly
. “Well, that would be a first. We need to meet, Tommy. I need to know what the deal is with the murders. Frankie and his ladies can wait. He isn’t going anywhere and I can get warrants to check out all of his properties. Have you picked up the kid yet?”

“Did you get my order yet?”

“It’s in the bag.”

“Then, yes
, I picked her up.”

“And?
”

“And
what?”

“Where is she? Don’t tell me you’ve dragged her with you while you climb around in Frankie’s mess.”

Yeah, Gerry and Marty were right - he was losing it.

“She’s safe, Gerry, don’t worry. I’m going to finish off here and then I’ll catch up with those details you’re going to send and get back to you later.”

“And what about Frankie?”

Connell shot another glance at the scene before him. The drivers had settled their differences and the forklift was in the process of being moved. The girls had been corralled and were being transferred along with the vodka into separate vehicles, presumably destined for different locations. That complicated things further. One girl, not much older than Lydia
, was standing off to one side. She scanned her surroundings nervously as she waited to be allocated a ride. As Connell watched she turned slowly in his direction and their eyes met.

“Tommy, are you listening?”

Connell held her gaze and saw her eyes widen as he pressed a finger to his lips.

“Tommy!”

She nodded, a small gesture barely noticeable to him and he hoped equally unnoticeable to the guys milling about.  If she gave him away, he’d be no help to anyone, least of all her, and maybe she realized that.

A movement behind her drew both their attention.

“Shit ...” Connell muttered. Gibbons had just shown up. How he’d managed to extricate himself from assault charges and be back out on the street in record time was beyond Connell. As he pondered on the likelihood of Hamilton or Wilson being in cahoots on the whole deal, Gibbons grabbed the girl impatiently by the upper arm and dragged her toward his car. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder, sending Connell a desperate look, and his stomach twisted with indecision.

“What’s going on, Tommy? S
peak to me.” Gerry’s insistent voice sounded in his ear.

He rose slightly, torn between the urge to step in and prevent at least one gi
rl falling into the wrong hands and the need to preserve his own position in order to ensure Molly’s safety.

Luckily for him he’d always been good at thinking on his feet.

*
  *  *

“Are we done?” Marty asked as Connell raced around the corner, almost knocking him over.

“Almost.
I have a job for you.” He held a hand to his side and took a breath. If the serial killer didn’t finish him off, all this running around surely would.

“You do?”

“Yup and you don’t have time to think about it.” He took Marty by the arm and almost dragged him to his car.

“Gibbons is about to head out in Frankie’s loaner and I need you to follow him.”

Marty pulled away and shook his head. “No way, Tommy. An occasional favor I don’t mind but I didn’t sign up to go chasing dirty cops around town.”

“You don’t have time to argue, buddy. He has a young girl in the car and I need to know where he’s taking her. He knows me, he doesn’t know you - go figure.”

“A young girl?”

“Yeah.
I haven’t got time to explain. Just stay a few cars back and stay in contact by phone. If things get out of hand, call Gerry.” He pulled open the car door and bundled a reluctant Marty into the driver’s seat.

“Out of hand?”

“Marty, for fuck’s sake, nothing is going to happen. I just need to know where this girl ends up.”

“Why not call Gerry now? You know I’m not good at this stuff.” Marty
had started the car and was pulling on his seat belt, but the reluctance was clear on his face.

“Because there’s more than one girl and by the time Gerry gets his act together they’ll be scattered to the four winds. We need to follow the one that’ll lead us to Frankie. Gerry’s sending guys as we speak, but by the time they get here, they’ll be lucky if they end up with a couple of crates of vodka.”

“Vodka?”

“Marty, I’ll explain later. Just get out there afte
r Gibbons. Follow at a distance and on no account intercede.”

“Oh, yeah
, ‘cause I’m really likely to do that.”

“Buddy, just go!” He slammed the car door and watched as Marty pulled out of the compound and waited at the side of the road for Gibbons’ car to pass. Connell counted to five slowly, and then Marty eased out and headed after him.

He checked his watch and shifted his gaze to his car. He had to move. He had to be well away before Gerry turned up and held him for questioning regarding his earlier misdemeanors. He’d told Gerry he would wait for him, but Gerry should know better.

Chapter Fifteen

By the time Connell got to the farm, Molly was asleep in the back of the car and he’d lost count of the number of missed calls and ignored messages he’d had from Gerry. The call he really wanted, from Marty, still hadn’t come in and he wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad. He parked alongside the barn and gave a cursory visual sweep of the yard, checking for Parker. When he didn’t hear the dry cough, or the loading of a shotgun, he figured Parker had finally gotten the message.

“This is a nice surprise.” Lizzie looked up from her position, curled like a cat in an armchair in front of the stove. She’d been reading and she placed her book on a side table and smiled. “I didn’t expect you this evening.” She dropped her gaze to the child standing by his side. Molly stared straight ahead, a blank expression on a pale face, pinched with tiredness.

“Change of plan. We have a guest.”

“So I see.” Lizzie uncurled herself from the chair. Hiding her confusion behind an encouraging smile, she leaned down toward the child. “Hello, sweetie
, what’s your name?”

Molly shifted her gaze to her feet, shuffled her tattered sneakers against the wooden floor and tightened her grip on Connell’s hand.

“Honey, this is Molly and she’s going to be staying for a day or two. I figured she’d be fine in that little room next to Joe’s until I straighten things out.”

“Hello, Molly.” Lizzie took a step back and the child visibly relaxed.

Catching Connell’s other arm with a gentle caress, Lizzie rose on tip-toes and brushed a soft kiss across his cheek. “What kind of things?”

Turning his head, he caught her lips with his. “I’ll tell you all about it later.” He gave her a look that was both apology and entreaty
, and was rewarded with the kind of smile that hinted at more. He felt relief and longing marinating warmly inside. He was glad to be home.

Lizzie fixed up Molly’s bed and the child reluctantly allowed hers
elf to be parted from Connell. Swapping his hand for Lizzie’s, she was guided up the creaking stairs and into a little room nestled under the eaves. Lizzie found her a t-shirt to wear as a nightdress, and when she was washed and made ready for bed, she was covered with a quilt that was fragranced with summertime and mountain air. Connell leaned on the doorframe, watching, unwilling to disturb the fragile trust that had emerged through need and desperation as Lizzie made the child feel safe in her own quiet way. Molly drew the patchwork tightly around her shoulders and closed her eyes, shutting out the world, dismissing them both as clearly as if she had voiced it. Stepping into the room, he eased past Lizzie and pulled a chair next to the bed, placing Molly’s small collection of books on its seat along with her coloring things. Leaving a lamp burning, he shepherded Lizzie out of the room and closed the door gently behind him. With a resigned sigh, he returned to the kitchen and Lizzie’s inevitable interrogation.

“What’s going on?”

Connell shrugged, playing for time, his back to her as he studied the washing machine controls. “You reckon we can get these laundered by morning?” He held up Molly’s pajamas and tattered coat.

Lizzie took them from him. Her hand lingering in his,
her eyes searching his face for the answers he was reluctant to provide.

“They look a little past their best.”

He dipped his head in agreement. “They’re all she has. I figure she would want to keep them.” He watched as she gently, reverently, fingered the threadbare cloth. He knew that she, of all people, understood what it felt like to be scared and alone, and was grateful he didn’t need to explain the responsibility he felt for this odd little girl.

“Why is she here? You said whatever you were doing would stay in the city.”

“It will. Molly just got caught in the middle. She needs somewhere safe, somewhere normal where she can just be a kid again.” He paused, distracted by the small sad bundle of clothes. “She’s different. She doesn’t say much and I need her to tell me what’s going on. Maybe she’ll talk to you, maybe she won’t. Either way, I couldn’t leave her behind.”

Lizzie dropped the clothes int
o the machine, added some sweet-scented fabric conditioner and stepped back into Connell’s arms. She took his hands and pulled them more tightly around her. “You did the right thing bringing her here, but what about her family?”

Pressing a kiss on the top of her head
, he dropped himself into the armchair and pulled her onto his knee. “Both parents have disappeared. Molly’s been giving me the run around for a couple of days. She’s involved somehow in something serious, but like I said, she’s not saying anything.”

“What about Gerry? What does he have to say?”

Connell smiled wearily, pulling her closer and feeling her warmth recharging him. “Gerry’s not a happy man and I’m not his favorite person.”

“Well, there’s a surprise.”

“Yeah, well, we don’t always see eye to eye. Nobody gave a shit about this little kid until I showed up. Now everyone is chasing their tails to get at her.”

“Everyone?” She watched him carefully with uncertain eyes and he chose his words with just as much care.

“Goodies, baddies, you name it.”

“What kind of baddies?”

He heard it then, the unmistakable tremor in her voice, and he tucked her head against his chest and sighed. There was no way around it and she knew it as well as he did.

“Well, bad cops and bad crooks. Even Gerry’s a little too curious about her.”

“Gerry’s a good cop.”

“Gerry’s a pain in the butt.”

“Have you two had a falling out?”

“Not especially, though we probably will when he catches up with me.”

“He’s been trying to catch up with you all day.”

“He called here?”

“Quite a few times, actually. I told him I didn’t expect you back, that you were staying in town at the apartment. He seemed a bit upset.”

Connell pulled a face. Gerry was more than a bit upset. “I had an accident with the car. Gerry’s not happy about it.”

Lizzie lifted her head. They were losing the last of the evening sun and she narrowed her eyes to study his expression. “An accident? What happened? Are you hurt?”

He shook his head.
“Not that kind of accident. Gerry’s just pissed because he’s under pressure from above and can do without me causing trouble. Anyway, the car’s insured, it’s no big deal.”

“So why are you avoiding him?”

“I’m not. I’m just missing you.” He dipped his head and kissed her, slipped his hand beneath her t-shirt and smoothed the soft skin at the small of her back. He tried to deepen the kiss, tempted and unable to resist, but she pushed him gently away.

“I missed you too
but I’m not stupid. You didn’t come all the way home and leave a job half done just because you wanted a hug.”

Connell smiled. “I figured on more than a hug.”

“You won’t be getting anything unless you tell me what’s going on.”

Slipping her off his knee and onto her feet, Connell sighed and pulled himself out of the chair. “In that case, I’d better get started.” Reaching for his jacket
, he pulled out his notebook and the bookmarks and dumped them on the kitchen table.

“Okay, maybe I should explain. Molly’s got a thing goin’ on with
‘The Wizard of Oz’. I’m not sure why but she has a whole heap of books and she piles them up in some weird kind of order in her room.” He pulled out the diagram of the stacked books. “She also has a crazy taste in bookmarks.” He rearranged the markers, his hand lingering on the glittery handmade card. He was missing something important. It hovered just out of reach.

Lizzie reached across, interlaced her fingers with his and gave a reassuring squeeze.
“Hey,” she said softly, “don’t worry. You’ll work it out.”

He gave her a quick smile, relieved she understood him. “Okay, so someone scares her and she’s off and running. Maybe she saw something, or heard something
, or maybe she knows something she shouldn’t. Whatever it is, she’s not saying, but the guys I’ve been tailing for Gerry were very concerned that she shouldn’t be found.

“Couldn’t you ask them why they find her so interesting?”

“I could if one of them hadn’t met with an unfortunate accident.” He glanced at her and figured the sanitized version of events wasn’t going to cut it, not when the newspaper clippings told it all in gory detail. “There’s a killer going around knocking off cops. He happened to bump into one of the two I was tailing for Gerry.”

“I see.” Lizzie swallowed and Connell watched as she processed this latest information. She reached across and picked up the diagram, turning it this way and that before replacing it carefully. “Where’s Marty? I thought he was meant to be helping you?” She picked up the first newspaper clipping, smoothed it out and studied the text.

“He’s following the other cop, Gibbons. I’m expecting his call.”

He knew she’d picked up the article about Musgrave by her sudden intake of breath. Her hand went straight to her hair and she began to twist her curls mercilessly. She shot him an
accusing look. His gut twisted but he stayed where he was.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Musgrave?” she whispered.

“I just found out.”

“When were you going to tell me?”

“Now, tonight, later ...” He took a hesitant step toward her. She was right. He should have told her as soon as he knew Musgrave was dead. He was part of their past and his death naturally held meaning for both of them. But, for Lizzie, it brought back memories best forgotten.

He spread his hands in a placatory gesture. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you.”

“You have.”

“I’m sorry.” He reached out a hand, praying she’d take it. When she turned away from him, he sucked in a breath of his own. “Look, okay, I admit I was wrong. I should have told you earlier. But, honey, the guy
’s dead, got what was coming to him and we can close the book on it now.” He rounded the table and caught at her arm. “Lizzie, look at me.”

She attempted to brush him off but he hel
d on, easily thwarting her half-hearted efforts, pulling her closer, determined not to let the gap between them widen. Her eyes brimmed with tears and betrayal. “It’s happening again and you said it wouldn’t.”

He shook his head. “What? What’s happening again? Musgrave, Mo, Carl, they’re all dead, honey. It’s over.”

Yanking her arm free, she stepped away. Her lip quivered. Anger and hurt flared in her eyes. Suddenly she had fallen to pieces in front of him and he didn’t know what to do.

“You just don’t get it
, do you?” she continued, “I don’t care about them, about what happened before. I care about you. Every time you walk out that door with your smile, thinking you can charm anyone you meet, every time you and Gerry have a spat and you rush off to save the world on your own, I’m left worrying that you’ll get in too deep ... and ...” her voice broke on a sob.

“And what?”

“And ... you won’t come home.”

He reached for her, pulled her in and wrapped her up in his arms. He felt the shudders as she sobbed against him and suppressed his own emotions which were so mixed up with guilt, anger and fear of losing her, that for a moment he couldn’t speak. He just hung o
n, desperately. Marty was right - he didn’t deserve her and he was going to ruin her life.

“I’ll call Gerry. Tell him to get someone else. Tell him I quit.”

She pulled away and looked up at him sadly. “You’ve never quit in your life.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” He risked a smile, swallowed the knot i
n his throat. “It’s no big deal. Gerry’ll be glad to see the last of me.”

“If you’d quit before
when things were tough, I’d be dead.”

He shrugged. W
hat did she want him to say? He would slit his own throat rather than see her hurt. It was true, but she wouldn’t want to hear it. Quitting went against everything he believed in but he would do it an instant if she asked him. Where she was concerned, he’d do anything.

“If you quit now, who’s going to look out for Molly?”

Connell slumped, deflated, “Lizzie, I don’t know what you want, what you want me to say? Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

She reached for his hand, slipped her fingers between his and released a soft sigh. “I want to wake up every morning and know you’re still safe beside me. But I know that can’t happen until Molly is safe.”

“So?”

She smiled, a
sad smile that almost broke his heart. “So let’s sit down and work through what you’ve got. Maybe I can see something you missed.”

“You don’t have to.
I can call Gerry.”

“Yes I do
, and, no, you can’t call Gerry.” She stepped back into his embrace and he clung tightly to her. He hadn’t realized how chilled he’d become until he felt her warmth. “You wouldn’t be the man I love if you walked away from a child. And I wouldn’t deserve you if I allowed that to happen.”

He brushed her damp curls from he
r face and held her gaze, wanting to see the truth in her eyes. “So, are we okay?”