Page 55 of Strangers in Time

She had an idea and lifted the fat telephone receiver. She dialed for the operator, and a voice came on and asked what she needed. Molly gave her the phone number for the Beneficial Institute that was imprinted on the letterhead. “It’s in Cornwall,” she added.

“Hold, please, you’ll need the trunk operator to ring that.”

There was silence for the longest time. Then another operator came on the line. “I’m sorry, the number is not answering. The lines may be down. Please try again later.”

Molly sighed, returned the phone to its cradle, and watched the candle on the desk burn down to a mass of wax. It was quite dark outside now, what with the gas streetlamps no longer being lit. She obviously could not travel to Cornwall tonight. And she had no idea where her father had gone, or if he was even alive.

Molly needed someone to talk to. And perhaps she knew just the person.

PARALLELCONDITIONS

AFARAWAY CLOCK TOWERstruck the hour. Charlie looked up at the murky sky as he turned down the familiar alley. He had made up his mind to tell Ignatius Oliver that he was one of the lads who had left Eddie and the policeman dead. He didn’t know if Oliver would call the constables on him or not. He hoped not. But he could not keep this inside himself any longer. And he couldn’t tell his gran. He didn’t want to see the crushing disappointment on her face. Charlie wasn’t sure he could survive that.

He stopped as soon as he saw her. “M-Miss?”

Molly turned to look at him as she stood by The Book Keep’s dirty window.

“Charlie? What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to ask Mr. Oliver somethin’. What areyoudoin’ here?”

“I have some letters I want him to read.”

“How’d you get here?” he asked.

“I took a taxi.”

“You shouldn’t be out alone at night.”

“Andyoushould?” she retorted.

He waved this off. “I can take care of myself. But you’re quite different.”

“Because I’m a girl?”

“No, because you don’t know the ways of the city no more.”

“Well, as you can see, I made it here just fine,” she said with spirit. Then she put her hand in her pocket and held up the half crown. “You’re going to take this.”

“No, Miss.”

“If you don’t, I’ll throw it in the gutter drain over there.”

“You wouldn’t do that!” said a shocked Charlie.

“Watch me!”

Charlie slowly reached out, took the coin, and put it in his pocket. Then he tried the doorknob but it was locked.

“What happened to the door?” asked Molly, suddenly noticing the repaired damage.

“Dunno,” lied Charlie. “And he put the bell on the outside.”

“It says to ring it for service. Even though the closed sign is out the lights are on, so let’s do so.”

Charlie tinkled the bell and waited. Presently, through a crack in the drawn curtains, they saw Oliver come out from behind the counter. He walked quickly over and unlocked the door.

“Molly, Charlie, what an unexpected pleasure. Please, come in.”

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