More significantly they’d made their biggest mistake ever. They’d threatened the two most important people in his life, his son Joe and the love of his life, Lizzie.
He pulled himself up with the help of the car door and stood a moment, bent double, debating bet ween pulling in much needed air and throwing up his lunch. As his lunch had primarily been of the liquid variety, the air won out and his innards settled. Blows to the belly and kicks to the kidneys he could just about live with, blunt weapons to the side of the head were something else entirely. How was he going to explain that to Lizzie?
He opened the car door, slid with some relief behind the wheel and let the tense muscles in his abdomen relax. Rummaging in the glove box he ignored the gun, pulled out a fast food napkin and wiped away the blood which had begun to trickle down the side of his face. He angled the rearview mirror and checked out the damage. It wasn’t as bad as it felt and the gash responsible for all the blood was under his hair, so he figured not only would he survive the injury, he’d probably survive Lizzie’s scrutiny, as long as he kept his hair neatly combed.
A movement in the mirror drew his attention away from his injury and he tensed in case officers Gibbons and Scott had decided to return for the second act. He’d survived the first beating; he wasn’t so sure he’d be able to do the same with another. He’d have been surprised by such a prompt return, seeing as how they were so busy at the crime incorporated business, but what he did see surprised him even more.
A small child stood framed in the glass. Sticking out ears, coke bottle glasses , and pigtails so bent out of shape it appeared they’d been braided with wire. She stood with her hands in her coat pockets, her knees slightly knocked, and simply stared at him until he felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. Then suddenly she blinked, the spell was broken, and Connell swung around in his seat. The alley was empty. Molly Brown had disappeared - again.
He climbed out of the car , and turning slowly on the spot, he scanned the alley carefully. He wasn’t sure how she could have disappeared so quickly, or indeed whether he had actually seen her or merely imagined it. A blow to the head could have strange consequences, he knew that, but she’d seemed real enough to him.
“Hey, kiddo, you hiding out there somewhere?” he called softly. “My name’s Tommy, Tommy Connell, and you don’t need to be scared of m e. I’m just looking out for you, that’s all.” He was met with silence. “Lydia is worried about you. She just wants you to come home safe.” Again silence and he tried once more. “I really don’t want you hanging around in dark alleys on your own, Molly. It can get really scary at night. You want to come out and see if we can find somewhere better for you?”
He was deluding himself; the alley was empty. He left the car and walked the alley’s length, checking for any doors or windows that might have been left unlocked. The library occupied one side and there were a variety of offices on the other. Everything was locked down tight. No one was going to risk defaulting on their insurance down here.
Maybe she’d headed home and maybe he should swing by there again and double check. He was already running late and he still had to go sniff around in the shit that he wasn’t supposed to, but what the hell? If he took his time maybe it would be dark when he got home and Lizzie wouldn’t notice he’d had the crap kicked out of him - again.
Chapter Five
Lydia had gone when he returned to the apartment, and he found it necessary to utilize some of his less than lawful skills to gain entry. By the look of her empty room he figured Charlene had been successful and Lydia was safely ensconced at the shelter, but there was no sign of Molly. Connell wandered back into the sad little room, tried to take advantage of the solitude to focus
He pulled himself up with the help of the car door and stood a moment, bent double, debating bet ween pulling in much needed air and throwing up his lunch. As his lunch had primarily been of the liquid variety, the air won out and his innards settled. Blows to the belly and kicks to the kidneys he could just about live with, blunt weapons to the side of the head were something else entirely. How was he going to explain that to Lizzie?
He opened the car door, slid with some relief behind the wheel and let the tense muscles in his abdomen relax. Rummaging in the glove box he ignored the gun, pulled out a fast food napkin and wiped away the blood which had begun to trickle down the side of his face. He angled the rearview mirror and checked out the damage. It wasn’t as bad as it felt and the gash responsible for all the blood was under his hair, so he figured not only would he survive the injury, he’d probably survive Lizzie’s scrutiny, as long as he kept his hair neatly combed.
A movement in the mirror drew his attention away from his injury and he tensed in case officers Gibbons and Scott had decided to return for the second act. He’d survived the first beating; he wasn’t so sure he’d be able to do the same with another. He’d have been surprised by such a prompt return, seeing as how they were so busy at the crime incorporated business, but what he did see surprised him even more.
A small child stood framed in the glass. Sticking out ears, coke bottle glasses , and pigtails so bent out of shape it appeared they’d been braided with wire. She stood with her hands in her coat pockets, her knees slightly knocked, and simply stared at him until he felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. Then suddenly she blinked, the spell was broken, and Connell swung around in his seat. The alley was empty. Molly Brown had disappeared - again.
He climbed out of the car , and turning slowly on the spot, he scanned the alley carefully. He wasn’t sure how she could have disappeared so quickly, or indeed whether he had actually seen her or merely imagined it. A blow to the head could have strange consequences, he knew that, but she’d seemed real enough to him.
“Hey, kiddo, you hiding out there somewhere?” he called softly. “My name’s Tommy, Tommy Connell, and you don’t need to be scared of m e. I’m just looking out for you, that’s all.” He was met with silence. “Lydia is worried about you. She just wants you to come home safe.” Again silence and he tried once more. “I really don’t want you hanging around in dark alleys on your own, Molly. It can get really scary at night. You want to come out and see if we can find somewhere better for you?”
He was deluding himself; the alley was empty. He left the car and walked the alley’s length, checking for any doors or windows that might have been left unlocked. The library occupied one side and there were a variety of offices on the other. Everything was locked down tight. No one was going to risk defaulting on their insurance down here.
Maybe she’d headed home and maybe he should swing by there again and double check. He was already running late and he still had to go sniff around in the shit that he wasn’t supposed to, but what the hell? If he took his time maybe it would be dark when he got home and Lizzie wouldn’t notice he’d had the crap kicked out of him - again.
Chapter Five
Lydia had gone when he returned to the apartment, and he found it necessary to utilize some of his less than lawful skills to gain entry. By the look of her empty room he figured Charlene had been successful and Lydia was safely ensconced at the shelter, but there was no sign of Molly. Connell wandered back into the sad little room, tried to take advantage of the solitude to focus
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