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Meg reluctantly turned to leave the roo away in ato severely chastise the caller for daring to interrupt Jocelyn

Stepping around the desk, Jocelyn was kept waiting only acountenance and thatch of unruly brown curls entered the rooerous Runner, and Jocelyn found her initial unease lessening as he offered a dashing bow

"Forgive ly I aave a nod of her head "I understand you are from Bow Street"

He smiled ruefully "Alas, it is true, but please do not hold that againstto do "

Jocelyn ift to sense this e If not for the shrewd glint of intelligence in the blue eyes, it would be easy to mistake him for an easily deceived fellow

She could only wonder howfar more than they should

"Will you have a seat?" she asked as she perched on the edge of a chair near the desk She waited until he had settled his own large for "What can I do for you?"

Thankfully he ca the death of Molly Chapwell"

Jocelyn lifted a hand to press it to her heart The pain was still too fresh to be easily accepted

"Poor Molly"

He lifted a brow at her words "You knew she had been rimaced at the memory of the s for her"

"Ah, yes" He ran a hand along his jaw in a thoughtful manner "The vicar who discovered her body"

"He said that it was a savage attack"

Mr Ryan’s smile faded "I won’t lie to you, miss It was as bad as I’ve ever seen"

Jocelyn shivered, unable to iine anyone able to hurt the simple, kindhearted maiden, no matter whether she was a prostitute or not

"Why? Why would someone harm Molly in such a vicious fashion?"

He paused for athat you could answer that question"

"Me?" she retorted in surprise

"You did know her"

"Only froh "I attempted to convince her to leave her life as a prostitute and travel to the small property I own outside of London

Unfortunately she would not heed s Now it is too late"

"You did not perhaps know if she was fearful of any person in particular?" he demanded

Jocelyn briefly considered Molly’s drunken husband, who had more than once left her with a black eye He was obviously violent And yet she could not believe he would readily dispose of his one source of income He may have been despicable, but he was not entirely stupid

"Not that she revealed to me," she at last conceded

"Would she seek you out if she discovered herself in danger?"

The question caught Jocelyn off guard Would Molly come to her if she were in need?

"I do not know Perhaps" She gave a lift of her hands "Why do you ask?"

"Because this was found clutched in her hand" Mr Ryan leaned forward to press a crumbled piece of paper into Jocelyn’s hand

Startled, she glanced down to discover her nahly scrawled across the torn sheet

"It has ether in confusion

"But"

"What is it?"

She slowly lifted her gaze to ard "Molly could not read or write"

The blue eyes narrowed at her sudden exclaly That hat I presumed as well"