LITMIR.BIZ

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care about him. Though you never faced a major illness, I’m sure you can relate to how he must be feeling.”

      Unfortunately, Ryan could relate to it all too well. “You can’t expect me to find his father.”

      “I do.” Father Francis regarded him with a steady look. “I think your own experience will motivate you to help. And if finding his father can’t be accomplished in a matter of days, then I want you to step in and be his friend.”

      Ryan had no difficulty offering financial assistance, even in hiring a private detective to conduct a search, but involving himself emotionally in the boy’s situation was out of the question. “What’s wrong with you being his friend?” he asked testily.

      “I’m a priest, and I’m an old man. It wouldn’t be the same,” Father Francis insisted. “Come. Meet the boy and his mother. You’ll need to talk to them to get the information you’ll need for the search.”

      “You’re assuming I’ll go along with this,” Ryan grumbled.

      “Well, of course you will,” Father Francis said without a trace of doubt. “That’s the kind of man you are. You put aside your own feelings to do what’s needed for someone else.”

      Ryan was growing weary of living up to such high expectations, but he dutifully followed the priest. The woman watched their approach with a wary expression.

      “Letitia Monroe, this is Ryan Devaney. He’s here to help.” Father Francis patted the boy’s hand. “And this is Lamar.”

      Ryan nodded at the mother and shook the child’s icy hand. “Nice to meet you, Lamar. You, too, Mrs. Monroe.”

      “You can help us find my husband?” she asked, her cheeks still damp with tears.

      “I’ll see what I can do,” Ryan promised. “I have some friends who are pretty good at finding people who are missing.”

      She looked alarmed at his words. “Not the police,” she said urgently.

      “No, not the police,” he reassured her. He hunkered down so he could look Lamar in the eyes. “You a Celtics fan?”

      The boy’s eyes lit up. “They’re the greatest,” he said, his voice weak.

      Ryan had to steel himself not to feel anything, not pity, not anger. “Well, once you’ve had your surgery, we’ll see about getting you tickets to a game. Would you like that?”

      “Really?” Lamar whispered.

      “That’s a promise. Now let me talk to your mom for a minute. Father Francis will keep you company. Just don’t play checkers with him,” he warned, then confided, “he cheats.”

      “What a thing to say about your priest,” Father Francis scolded, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.

      Ryan spent a few minutes with Mrs. Monroe, trying to garner enough facts to pass along to a private investigator who visited the pub most evenings on his way home.

      “Do you really think you can find him?” Mrs. Monroe asked. “It will mean the world to Lamar to have his daddy at his side when he has this surgery.”

      “And to you, I imagine,” Ryan suggested.

      “Me?” she scoffed. “I don’t care if I ever set eyes on his sorry behind again. What kind of man runs out on his family at the first sign of trouble?”

      Ryan couldn’t think of any acceptable excuse for it, either, but he tried. “Father Francis said Lamar’s condition could be hereditary. Perhaps your husband simply feels guilty.”

      She seemed startled by the suggestion. “You think that’s it?”

      “I don’t know your husband, Mrs. Monroe. You do. But if it were me, I’d be struggling with a lot of emotions about now. Maybe you should wait till you talk to him before you give up on him.”

      She nodded slowly. “I’ll think about what you said. And I’m grateful for whatever you can do.”

      “Let’s pray I’ll be back to you with some news in a day or two. In the meantime, you make the arrangements for Lamar’s surgery. You won’t have any problem at the hospital.”

      “But they said—”

      He met her gaze. “Trust me. There won’t be a problem.”

      A relieved smile spread across her face. “Mr. Devaney, I don’t know how to thank you.”

      “There’s no need,” he insisted, casting a look toward the boy who was giggling softly at something Father Francis had said. “Let’s just make sure Lamar is back on his feet soon. I’m looking forward to going to that ball game with him.”

      Before he knew it, he was enveloped in a fierce hug.

      “You’ll be in my prayers every night of my life,” she told him.

      “I’d return the favor, but I think you’ll have better luck letting Father Francis do the honors,” he said wryly. “I’ve got to get back to work now, but I’ll be in touch. You can count on it.”

      Ryan slipped out of the shelter before Father Francis could waylay him with some other mission of mercy. Outside, he shivered, though it was less a reaction to the temperature than to the sad plight of the Monroe family.

      He was still thinking about them when he walked into the pub and headed for the bar, where Maureen had been filling in while he was gone.

      “Everything okay?” she asked, regarding him with concern.

      “It will be,” he said with grim determination. “Has Jack Reilly been in tonight?”

      “Haven’t seen him,” she said. “But there is a familiar face in that booth by the stage.”

      “Oh?” he said, puzzled by the mysterious glint of amusement in her eyes. One glance at the booth was explanation enough. Maggie was seated there with her parents. They each had the night’s fish-and-chips special and a pint of ale. He glanced at Maureen. “Cover for me a few more minutes?”

      “Of course,” she said at once.

      He walked across the room, greeting several regulars along the way, then paused beside Maggie. “Good evening. Welcome to Ryan’s Place,” he said, his gaze directed first at Nell O’Brien, then at her husband. He nodded at Maggie.

      “Ryan, I love your pub,” Nell said with enthusiasm. “It reminds me of a place in Dublin that Garrett and I visited on our honeymoon.”

      “The Swan,” Garrett said at once. He regarded his wife with a warm expression. “I believe we can credit a night there for our firstborn son.”

      Nell blushed. “Garrett O’Brien, what a thing to be saying in front of a stranger.”

      “Ryan’s no stranger. He’s a friend of our Maggie’s. Isn’t that right, Maggie, me girl?”

      Maggie grinned at her father. “He still might prefer not to know all the intimate details of John’s conception.”

      Ryan chuckled. “Actually I’m fascinated,” he said, just to keep the color high in her cheeks. “And what about Maggie’s? Is there a story behind that, as well?”

      Maggie shot a warning look at her father. “If you tell it, I will never forgive you.”

      “Now I really am intrigued,” Ryan said. “Make room, Maggie.” He settled in the booth beside her, thigh-to-thigh, in a way that had his blood heating. “Come on, Mr. O’Brien. Tell the story.”

      Garrett O’Brien opened his mouth, then grunted, apparently when Maggie’s foot made contact with his shin. “Sorry, lad. I’ve been persuaded to keep silent. Even in today’s tell-all society, I imagine there are some things that are best kept private.”

      Ryan turned to Maggie. “I

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