Chapter One

Chapter 1

Dublin, Ireland

Eva Kennedy had just stepped into the cold March air when a watermelon rolled across the footpath in front of her.

“Sorry ’bout that, Eva love,” a middle-aged woman called over. “It’s been trying to make a run for it all day, that one.”

Eva picked up the runaway fruit and passed it across to Brenda, who was surrounded by the remnants of her fruit and vegetable stall. There were boxes of cabbages and oranges piled high on the Camden Street footpath around her. Brenda’s son was dismantling the stall itself, loading the wooden trays into a van parked illegally beside the footpath, its interior light throwing out a dim glow.

“Howya, Eva,” Sean called from the back of the van. “Any chance of a pint together tonight?”

“No chance at all, Sean. Haven’t you given up on me yet?”

“Never. You’ve my heart broken, you know.”

Eva just laughed at him. Not even fourteen years old and he was already full of cheek.

She had just started pulling down the delicatessen’s security shutter when she heard someone calling her name. It was Mrs. Gallagher, one of her favorite customers, walking quickly down Camden Street and waving a shopping list like a small white flag.

“Eva, I’m so sorry,” she said breathlessly as she reached her side. “I just couldn’t get away from work before now. Am I too late?”

“Of course not, Mrs. Gallagher. I wasn’t going home yet anyway.” She pushed the shutter all the way up again and opened the front door, the bell giving it