Cormac walked to the table.

‘How do I know that you won’t kill her anyway, just for the thrill you so obviously get from it?’

He stood up and walked around the table so that Cormac was staring at the underside of his chin.

‘I told you. I have no interest in killing Annie. I used to watch her go to school. I was there when she had her first drink on her 16^th birthday, when you couldn’t make the party. I watched her having swimming lessons on the weekends when I was around. I have watched her sitting bored in her bedroom for hours, while you sat downstairs drinking wine at your laptop. I even spoke to her once last year, when I got too close one night in a pub in Ponteland. To tell you the truth, I couldn’t shake her off that night. I think she was somewhat taken by my good looks and charm! I have to say, in the interests of honesty, I’d a room booked there that night and I was sorely tempted. I didn’t do it though. I think I always knew one day you would fall into my lap. I couldn’t do anything to jeopardise that, now, could I? When I saw how quickly you were climbing that greasy pole of yours, I knew it wouldn’t be long until this moment arrived. I couldn’t believe my luck when old Mary O’Reilly popped off this week, of all weeks. I knew even a coward like you would not miss your own mammy’s funeral. The trip to Dublin threw me, until I saw you with Bernadette Connelly on that wee bridge off O’Connell Street. I was worried for a bit you might not come back, the way you were gawping at her. So this has all been a bit of a rush, but I think you’ll agree it’s not too shabby an effort!’

‘Why didn’t you come for me before this?’

He smiled down at Cormac.

‘Don’t think for a minute I didn’t want to. I thought about it every night in the Maze. I only found out you were in Newcastle after you qualified as a barrister. Your name was in some poncy paper, The Times, I think it was. I was on the toilet when I read it. I nearly fell off the pot at the thought of it. I mean, both of us go on the same operation and one of us ends up in the Maze and the other one ends up a barrister, how the fuck does that work? Then I hear you’re a fucking MP. At this point, I’m thinking this cunt is really taking the piss! As for the ministerial role, well that was the point when, instead of getting angrier, I realised your blind ambition was going to be my salvation one day and lo and behold, here we are in your ma’s house, just like we were the night you ruined my life.’

Cormac took a step back to allow himself to inhale anything other than his rancid breath.