Maura ran, fleet of foot, down the back entry, passing by houses where she knew every occupant, hearing the sounds of babies crying and familiar arguments taking place. As she drew alongside Peggy’s gate, she heard a sound which was unfamiliar to her: the sound of silence. She thought, as it was so quiet, the children must be in her own house and was desperate to set foot in it. She opened the back gate and caught her breath. She had lived in this house all her married life and yet never had she seen it so empty and quiet. Closing the gate behind her, she tiptoed across the cobbles, wondering why Deirdre hadn’t left the light on, and stopped dead as she reached her own back door; it was ajar and she could hear a man’s voice, but not one that was familiar to her. Her heart beat fast against her ribs and she held her breath to listen. Someone was in the kitchen… And then she saw torchlight sweeping across the room. It’s the flamin’ O’Prey boys, on the rob, she thought.

A voice came clearly to her. ‘I called you as soon as I saw there were people in here, but now there’s no one and the place is empty but the fires are lit. What’s going on? Are you stringing me along because if you are, you won’t be getting your cut.’

Maura tiptoed to the window ledge and peered through the nets. Despite her fear, her first thought was one of relief that Kathleen had kept them nice and clean.

‘Don’t you come the big I am with me,’ said a second voice. ‘You seem to be forgetting who’s the boss around here and who it is who employs you. Your Margaret should be very grateful she’s not living in one of the police houses on the Dock Road. And you won’t need this poxy house if you do your job right.’

‘I need insurance, in case it doesn’t come off.’

The second man sounded impatient. ‘What are you talking about? I am your insurance. You have it already, if I turn a blind eye to the comings and goings.’

‘I’m not talking about being caught, but make no mistake, it would be worse for me as a policeman. When I’m gone, I want to know Margaret has a roof over her head, I owe her that. And now the Morry is in, Captain Conor and his band of merry men.’

The second man snorted. ‘You’ll be wetting yourself next. A deal is a deal and tonight is the night. Nothing is going to go wrong.’

It dawned on Maura who the second voice belonged to; it was Heartfelt. She almost gasped out loud.