‘Kelly says she tripped,’ Lafeyre said, grimacing. ‘I’ve spoken with Maria myself, and she says that she was manhandled down the stairs when she tried to prevent them searching the bedrooms. She says she fell heavily about halfway down, and the next thing she remembers was Carrie kneeling beside her on the floor.’ Lafeyre paused. ‘Carrie came in to work around half past seven, so it seems Maria was lying there for maybe half an hour. Carrie knew there was something very wrong. Maria told her she was in pain, and Carrie wanted to send for the doctor, but Kelly wouldn’t permit it until after the search was completed. It would have been a breach of security, he told Mallon later, if she left the premises.’ He laughed bitterly. ‘But he wasn’t entirely without humanity. He let Carrie move Maria into the lower parlour and get her onto the settee. He even ticked off one of his men to help. Carrie was smart enough though. As soon as Maria was resting on the settee and she was on her own she slipped out through the window, went across the back yard, out into the laneway and made straight for Exchange Court.’

‘Martin Shanahan was fast too,’ Mossop interjected. ‘As soon as he got the picture from Carrie he sent Eddie Cussen up to Harcourt Street for Dr Lafeyre and dispatched Mick Feore and Johnny Vizzard up to Grant’s on the double. Carrie said she’d go down to Francis Street and get Dr Morrow too.’

‘I got there as quickly as I could,’ Lafeyre resumed. ‘I was about to depart for Marlborough Street, and Scollan had the carriage ready outside my door. Detective Cussen came with me, and I was there in ten minutes. Kelly and his men were still in the house, but they didn’t obstruct us.’ Lafeyre paused. ‘You know, I think if they had I’d have asked Cussen for his revolver and gone in there at gunpoint.’

‘And Feore and Vizzard would have been with the doctor. They’d have done the same,’ Mossop added, nodding vigorously. ‘They were there just ahead of him. You know,’ he added, ‘I should have let fly at that bastard when I had the Remington up against his gob in the public office.’