‘I don’t know what to do,’ said Matty, consumed with fear that was almost hallucinatory. Cormac was here. He must have found Joe’s address. Just like that.

‘You stay right there,’ Joe said, oddly calm.

Matty stood against the wall in the living room, gut leaden. Listening to the new shape of Cormac’s voice, its downbeat gravity. Matty had pushed him and he’d fallen and hit his head and been cuffed to his car and he was here.

‘Joseph Ronan?’

‘That’s the one.’

‘I’ve reason to believe that you’re harbouring someone wanted in connection with a very serious crime. And a smaller one.’

‘All right.’

A small pause. ‘Are you going to let me in?’

‘Do you have a warrant?’

‘I’m a detective.’

‘And I’m an interiors fitter, so that’s all out in the open. Do you have a warrant?’

There was a pause. ‘Will you just let me in?’

‘Let the man in, Joe,’ Franklin said, from the top of the stairs. ‘He’s a guard.’

Cormac stood in the living room, casting a quick eye at the Christmas tree, the two men. There was a blueish, oblong lump on his right temple. He looked at Matty. ‘I’m arresting you on suspicion of manslaughter. And assaulting a garda.’ His eyes wintry, resolute.

Manslaughter. He’d talked to Brigid.

‘Nonsense,’ Joe said. ‘Come back with a warrant.’

‘I don’t need one.’

‘Why have you not got anyone else with you? Where’s the cavalry?’

‘Because it doesn’t have to be done like that.’ He looked towards Matty for affirmation.

‘Well, you can come back with proper troops.’

‘I don’t need them. Do I, Matty.’ It wasn’t quite a question. As if he already knew the answer.

Eyes down to the floor.

‘Look,’ said Franklin. ‘I’m sure this can all be cleared up if we just do as the detective says.’

‘Not without proper procedure,’ said Joe.

‘What is this all about, exactly?’ said Franklin.

‘Matty’s a suspect in the death of a man,’ said Cormac. ‘In self-defence, probably, possibly, but nonetheless. And guilty of assaulting a garda, like I said.’

An intake of breath from Franklin.

‘The garda being you,’ Joe said. He gestured to his own temple. ‘You’ve got a bit of a shiner there.’

‘The garda being me,’ Cormac said.

Matty could hardly breathe.

‘Are you going to come with me?’ There was almost something beseeching in Cormac’s voice.

‘I did it,’ said Joe.

Everybody looked at him.

‘Did what now?’ Cormac said.

‘I attacked the lad. The lad you found.’

‘Joe.’ Franklin sounded aghast.

Cormac put his hands on his hips, and removed them. ‘I’d like to hear how.’ He gazed at Matty, and back at Joe. ‘When?’

The slightest pause. ‘November twenty-seventh.’

‘But that’s not what happened.’

‘It might have been.’

‘But it didn’t. There’s no evidence.’