But I had been acting on my own, without authority, far outside my job description so, arguably, I was guilty of gross misconduct. Which was a firing offence. I thought – hoped – that Gabriel McGrath would swing back to my side, would be able to see why I’d acted as I did. He was fundamentally decent, with a strong moral code. But that snake Dermot Lyons would leap at the chance to be rid of me. If he got a few of the other partners onside, I’d be in real trouble.

I checked my phone. There was a missed call from a number I didn’t recognise, and a voicemail. I rang 171. It was a message from Marie Wade – I had nearly forgotten about her – asking me to give her a ring. Maybe she had remembered something about Daniel O’Brien, the ex-education officer? I’d call her later, but it wasn’t important any more. My focus was Gill, and Gill only.

‘A penny for them,’ Sadie said, and flung herself on to the seat beside me.

‘Only a penny? You’re going to have to do better than that. I’m in a rather precarious financial position or hadn’t you heard?’

‘I just heard about your car from Eamonn in the Public Office. You’re in getting a form stamped following an arson attack? I knew there was a car burnt. Didn’t realise it was yours. Foolishly, I’d assumed you might tell me if something like that happened.’

‘Sorry, Sadie – it was late. And I’m telling you now, sure. Anyway, the fire chief said there’s some guy going around the place torching cars so maybe my poor old Golf was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

‘Yeah, maybe.’

‘Though I’d bet anything it was Gill’s bodyguard. We know he was following me, though I thought he had stopped. Still, it wouldn’t have been any bother to Pawel to fit in a spot of light arson as Gill’s parting gift to me.’

‘Pawel has to be a suspect,’ Sadie said. ‘If it isn’t some randomer.’

‘Or the arsonist the fire chief was talking about.’

‘Of all the cars to pick, though?’

‘Exactly,’ I said. ‘But, hey, Sadie, is there any news from Dublin? I didn’t think much of DI Pat Lenihan, by the way. Didn’t like him at all.’

‘Huh. You should be his number one fan. There’s a strict news blackout on it, but Lenihan brought in Jeremy Gill and the mammy this morning.’

‘Arrested them?’