Mallon scoffed. ‘Oh, they think it’ll be far more devastating for him if the adultery is revealed in Dublin. Desecration of the soil of Holy Catholic Ireland and all that.’ He grimaced. ‘That kind of thing isn’t as much a novelty in England, you understand. ‘And then the bishops and the priests will rise up and denounce him as a godless sinner, of course. Not everyone will follow their lead, but it’ll be the end of him politically. His own followers will split. As you and I know, there’s quite a few who’d like to have his place as party leader. McCarthy would love it. So would Healy or Dillon.’

‘So they want our protection logs . . .’ Swallow mused. ‘What did you tell them?’

‘I wasted a good glass of whiskey on each of them before they said what they were after.’ Mallon’s face reddened with anger. ‘I told them that any significant information gathered by G-Division was sent to Smith Berry’s office as a matter of routine. Then I told them to go and take a shite for themselves.’

Swallow grimaced. John Mallon rarely used profanities or coarse language.

‘That won’t go down too well, chief, when Kelly reports to Smith Berry. They’ll have the commissioner down on us.’

‘They’ll try, but Commissioner Harrel understands politics, and he understands about keeping Parnell in power. He won’t see his force misused to suit the purposes of the bloody Times of London. I don’t think he’ll buckle to Kelly and his type.’

Swallow was silent for a moment. He sipped again at his whiskey.

‘I’d make a suggestion, chief, if you don’t mind,’ he said slowly. ‘I think if I were you I’d make sure the protection logs were put someplace safe. There’s about ten or twelve books relating to the Parnell detail. They’ve always been stored in the crime inspector’s office. They’re in the filing cabinets where we can get easy access to them if needed. If they’re left there, Kelly’s men will go in and take them, at gunpoint if necessary.’

He paused.

‘Now that I come to think of it, that particular cabinet is nearly full to capacity. If the logs were removed for storage, sure you wouldn’t even be certain where they are.’

Mallon reached for the Bushmills and poured again for both of them. He added his customary dash of water and pushed the jug across to Swallow.

‘Detective Inspector, you know that I couldn’t approve of the removal of official papers from G-Division. But I understand the problem about storage. And I’d be sympathetic to an overworked clerical staff that simply can’t keep track of every damned sheet of paper, wouldn’t I?’

Swallow drained the last of his whiskey.

‘You would, chief. That’d be your style all right.’