He glanced, perhaps apologetically, at Swallow. Every man in the room had tensed at Feore’s implicit distancing of himself from Swallow’s identification of Werner as the chief suspect. If the evidence against Werner was merely circumstantial, the case might not be as strong as they had been given to understand. Feore cast his eyes down unnecessarily, pretending to scan his notes.

‘As a result of information received from Kapitän Pfaus of Berlin CID, Detective Inspector Swallow travelled to Berlin to interview a witness, Michael Carmody, who has returned with him to Dublin. Carmody is on file here in DCR, but is willing to give evidence of hostility and threats from Werner towards the deceased. Details from Berlin police records confirm that Werner has convictions for violence in Germany and Holland.

‘Carmody is now lodged in Mountjoy Prison on a charge of larceny from the premises of his former employer. Earlier today Detective Inspector Swallow and Detective Vizzard visited the New Vienna to detain Mr Werner under a magistrate’s warrant. He fled the restaurant and attempted to escape. He was apprehended and arrested by Detective Inspector Swallow on a tram leaving South Great George’s Street, and he is at present in custody here at Exchange Court.’

Mallon turned to Swallow.

‘Inspector?’

‘There’s not a lot to add, chief,’ Swallow said. ‘Werner has been questioned, and I’ll resume that questioning shortly. In summary, he admits nothing. He hasn’t got an alibi for where he was at the time of the murder, but he says that Alice Flannery was a troublesome employee. He also denies that he has any criminal convictions on the continent, but I have copies of the records from the Berlin CID, Kriminalpolizei, and they’re very specific.’

‘So what do you intend?’ Mallon asked.

‘I intend to charge him with murder,’ Swallow said.

Chapter 42

Supper at Mallon’s house might have been, in other circumstances, what Swallow needed. Elizabeth Mallon was a wise and motherly woman who had already raised a large family. He would have liked to have her counsel on Maria’s condition and how he might best care for her once she had been discharged from hospital. Instead, the evening was disrupted and overlaid with apprehension.

The meal was late, for a start. Mallon had been at the Bridewell to check on the questioning of Major Kelly. Swallow had spent two hours interrogating Stefan Werner in his cell at Exchange Court on the murder of Alice Flannery. Ordinarily, John Mallon and his family would aim to dine not later than seven o’clock, but it was almost nine when Mallon, his wife and Swallow sat to table.

Swallow had finished his interview with Werner and had been making his way to his office on the first floor, passing the duty man’s desk in the public office.