Guns Are Not Toys

Eight-year-old Murphy stood on the chair as he tried see what was on the top shelf in the hall closet and he frowned.

"What're you doin'?" Connor asked and Murphy looked down at him.

"I'm trying t'find out where Ma hid Fuzz," Murphy said. Annabelle had been trying to break Murphy of his habit of sleeping with his teddy bear and she hid the teddy bear somewhere in the apartment.

"Did you check under yer bed?" Connor asked.

"Aye. He's not there," Murphy said.

"Hang on."

Connor climbed up on the chair as he went up on his tiptoes and he moved some of the boxes around while Murphy checked to see if Annabelle was still in the kitchen.

"Find him?" Murphy asked.

"Nope," he said when he found a metal box and Connor slid the metal box toward him. "I did find this."

"What do you think is in there?"

"Dunno."

They climbed off the chair when they walked to the couch and sat down. Connor placed the metal box on his lap when he moved the latches back then he opened the lid of the metal box.

"Christ," he whispered.

"Lord's name." Murphy warned.

"Take a look at this," he said as Connor removed the gun from the metal box and Murphy's eyes went wide.

"Shit," Murphy whispered.

"Why would Ma have a gun?"

"Maybe it's not hers. Maybe it belonged t'Da."

"Why would he need a gun?"

"Dunno. Put it back before Ma sees it."

"Before I see what?" Annabelle asked as she walked into the room and Connor placed the gun back in the metal box. Her eyes widened when she saw the metal box and her heart slammed in her chest. "Where did you find that?!"

She had searched the apartment for any weapons Noah might have kept in the apartment and she had given the weapons she had found to Sibeal.

"We… We found it in the hall closet," Connor explained.

"An' what were you doin' in th'hall closet?" she asked, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"I was lookin' fer Fuzz," Murphy said.

"I put him in th'top drawer of my dresser," she said as she walked to the couch then she held out her hands. Connor handed her the metal box as she glared at them and the boys lowered their heads. "This is not a toy."

"We know," Murphy said in a soft voice.

"Why did Da have a gun?" Connor asked as he glanced up at her.

"That is none of yer concern. Now… Go t'yer room," she said and the boys got up from the couch. She watched them head down the small hallway to their bedroom and she looked at the metal box. She thought all the anger she had felt for Noah was gone, but the anger returned in waves and she sighed. "Damn you, Noah."

She placed the metal box on the coffee table when she headed for the boys' bedroom, but she stopped when she heard them talking.

"Nah. I don't think he was a cop," Connor said.

"Why not?" Murphy asked.

"Don't think cops are allowed t'bring their guns home."

"But they can have guns in th'house, right?"

"Dunno."

Annabelle watched Connor pacing when he stopped and he looked at Murphy.

"What if he was one of those activists?" Connor asked.

"Like in that news story my teacher was talkin' about in class th'other day?" Murphy asked.

"Maybe. Or…," Connor said as he held up his left index finger. "He worked fer th'Government."

"You mean like a spy?"

"Aye. Would explain why there's guns in th'house. Or…. Or…. Or he's one of those assassins fer hire. Maybe that's why he's not here. He got caught, killed or th'mission went wrong an' he had t'go into hidin'."

"You watch way too many action movies," Murphy said with a smile.

"Aye," Connor said with a sigh and he went to sit next to Murphy on the bed. Annabelle looked at the twins then she headed back into the living room and headed for the coffee table. She picked up the metal box as she looked at the metal box, frowned and headed into the kitchen.