‘Chief superintendent, I do not have the luxury of being able to think like a policeman, or to indulge in abstract morality propositions. If I did my life would be a lot simpler. And if I could, I would arrange the world—or this country at least—in the shape that the creator probably intended it to be. But I cannot do that either. So I repeat my instruction. Release Major Kelly or by midnight there will be a new chief superintendent in charge of G-Division.’

Tuesday January 8th, 1889

Chapter 44

‘Dan Flannery’s done what?’

If the G-man on orderly duty at the public office in Exchange Court had told him that Queen Victoria was having breakfast in the police canteen, Swallow could not have been more incredulous.

‘I’m telling you, Inspector. He walked in here not ten minutes ago asking for yourself, and telling me he wants to confess to the murder of his sister.’

‘You can’t be serious?’

‘I wouldn’t make jokes about something like that, sir.’

‘Where is he then?’

‘Johnny Vizzard took him up to your office, sir. He’s above there with him now. Martin Shanahan’s there too. Vizzard said to tell you the second you showed your face here.’

Swallow took the stairs two at a time and flung open the door to the crime inspector’s office.

Vizzard was standing beside his desk. Dan Flannery was sitting on a bentwood chair in front of the desk. Martin Shanahan was seated between Flannery and the door. Vizzard looked distraught. He leaped to his feet when Swallow entered the room.

‘Can I have a word, sir? Outside, that is.’ The young G-man was struggling to keep his voice steady.

They stepped into the corridor. Vizzard strode rapidly to the landing to ensure they were out of earshot.

‘Did I hear right from the duty man downstairs?’ Swallow asked.

Vizzard nodded vigorously.

‘Yes, sir. I think so, sir. I was just in the door myself. Flannery came into the public office just ahead of me. He had a copy of The Freeman’s Journal and he flung it down on the desk. “Let me see Inspector Swallow,” he says. God, but it was strange, sir. There was tears coming down his face, but he was laughing. A sort of bitter, mad laugh, sir.’

‘What did you do?’

‘We told him you weren’t in yet but that you’d be here in a while. So he opened the newspaper and showed us the report about Werner being in custody and going to be charged for the Alice Flannery murder. “The German didn’t do it,” he says. “I did it. I killed her, God forgive me. But I won’t see an innocent man hang for something he didn’t do.” That’s what he said, sir.’

He showed Swallow his notebook.

‘I wrote it down, sir. Exactly like he said.’