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

Not having to hear his loud voice was another reason I was glad to stay out of the common room. On the fourth day out, however, Bridie was feeling a little better and declared she'd like a piece of bread and butter and a sip of tea. I went to find them and was coming back with the cup and plate in my hands when someone stepped out in front of me, blocking my entrance to the passage.

"Mrs. Kathleen O'Connor, so I understand." It was O'Malley and the way he was leering at me made me feel that my first opinion was entirely justified.

I nodded, politely. "That's right, sir. Now if you'd just let me pass to take the food to the little one in the cabin."

Instead he moved closer to me. His breath smelled of smoke and liquor. There was supposed

to be no drinking on board, but I'd noticed him passing the flask around.

"Mrs. Kathleen O'Connor of county Derry? Of Stabane?" He was looking at me through hooded eyes, as if he was half asleep.

"That's right." I tried to push past him. He went on blocking the doorway.

"I've been speaking with your boy, Mrs. Kathleen O'Connor. He told me about you."

Surely Seamus hadn't given me away? I wasn't going to let this bloated toad frighten me. I'd just have to bluff it out.

"That's nice," I said. "I'm glad the boy has found someone to chat with. 'Tis a long, weary journey, cooped up down here."

"I'm finding one thing very interesting." O'Malley's reptilian eyes were fastened on me. "I used to know a Kathleen McCluskey in my hometown. I was friends with her brother and I heard that she'd married a Seamus O'Connor and gone to live in Stabane. Isn't that a coincidence?"

"I imagine the word is full of Kathleen O'Connors," I said. "Most parents are not too imaginative when it comes to naming their children and O'Connor isn't the most unusual name in the world."

"But in one small town?" O'Malley went on. "Stabane is a small town, wouldn't you say?"

"Small enough."

"So did you ever meet her--this other Kathleen O'Connor, married to Seamus?"

"I can't say that I did." I made an extra effort to push past him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've no time to stand here gossiping, not with my little one in bed sick."

He let me go then. "I look forward to future chats with you, Kathleen O'Connor," he breathed into my ear as I walked past.

As soon as I was around the corner, I found that I was shaking. Just what did he know? And what did he want?

That evening I grabbed Seamus as soon as he climbed up to the bunk.

"That man O'Malley," I whispered. "He said he was talking to you. What did he want?"

"He just asked me some questions about home," Seamus said, staring at me innocently. "He

asked me if I knew a village called Plumbridge and I said that my ma's kinfolk live there. He said he used to live there, too, long ago when he was a boy--wasn't that a coincidence."

"You didn't tell him, did you?" I whispered. "You didn't say I wasn't your mother?"

"I didn't tell him anything," Seamus said defensively. "I just said I'd been to the village where he grew up. That was all."

"If he tries to talk to you again, don't answer him," I said.

"Why not?"

"There's something about him that I don't like. And you shouldn't be talking to strangers."

Seamus shrugged and lay down to sleep. I lay awake beside him, wondering if O'Malley really knew the truth and what he could do about it.

The next day, our fifth at sea, I tried to avoid him, but he had an uncanny knack of popping up out of nowhere, just as if he were the devil himself. As I came into the common room, there he was, blocking my path again.

"My but that's a trim figure you have there, Mrs. Kathleen O'Connor," he said. His eyes were all over me. "A very trim figure for the mother of two children. Your husband must be very proud that you've kept such a figure. He'll no doubt be glad to get his hands around that neat little waist again."

"I find your conversation most offensive," I said, and tried to pass around him.

He laughed, showing those big white horse teeth. "Do you now? Or don't you secretly like it? How many years has your man been away? Isn't it nice to have a man looking at you with interest again--or maybe you've found a temporary replacement to keep the bed warm ..."

I slapped his face. Hard. The sound of it echoed around the saloon and made everyone look up.

"One more insulting comment from you and next time it will be my fist," I said. I saw men grin and women nod approvingly.

"Come and sit you over here with us," one of the older women said, patting the bench beside her. "He's no gentleman, that O'Malley. That's for sure."

I was still so shocked, I went to sit beside her. "Who does he think he is, saying things like that?"

"One who likes to stir up trouble," she muttered. "I've been watching him. He's a man who likes a good fight. He'll bring trouble wherever he goes."

"He better not come anywhere near me again," I said loudly, "or he'll have Mr. Seamus O'Connor waiting for him when he gets to New York."