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Chapters (90)
  1. Cover
  2. By the same author
  3. SUZY SUZY
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Glossary of Dialect Terms
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. About William Wall
  90. An Invitation from the Publisher

They interviewed me in the sitting room and my dad waited in the kitchen. They went over my statement about the burning bin. They did not mention that Serena blamed me. They checked each detail. They asked me if I was sure I saw Mr Bowles’ housekeeper as well as Mr Bowles. I said I was certain of it. They asked me how come I was so certain? I said the housekeeper is a lot taller than Mr Bowles. They seemed to be cool with that. Then they asked me about the time. I said I was sure about the time because Serena and me waited until everyone was asleep and I told them Serena’s theory that people are in their deepest sleep around four a.m. Then they asked me how long it would take to walk up to Ballyshane in the dark. I estimated half an hour, and fifteen minutes by day. They said they had checked with the alarm people and there was no record of an alarm because the system was not monitored. I said I didn’t know that, but it made a lot of noise. It was one of those old-fashioned alarms with a bell on it. They asked me if I knew that the alarm in Ballyshane had been recently replaced and the house was now fitted with motion sensors and cameras. I said I didn’t know that, but the night we set fire to the bin it was still the old alarm. Then they asked me about my dad freaking when I came home. And I said it was true. And they said they would need my dad to confirm that. And I started to cry.

And my dad said he had no recollection of it. I couldn’t believe he said that. Like, Dad you totally freaked at me, when I got home, like I thought you were going to have another heart attack. My dad said it was his opinion that what I was saying was not the truth.

I looked at him and I saw that half smile again.

The cop said, Mr Regan, are you aware that your daughter provided two suspects with an alibi for the night in question and if you can’t confirm her story then the alibi is dead in the water?

My father nodded. You’re talking about Bowles, he said. I always thought that guy was suspicious.

Dad, I said, what are you doing?

He ignored me. Can I offer you tea or coffee, Sergeant? Or a drop of something stronger, sure I know you’re on duty, but still and all?

They said no thanks. They just needed to clarify here. Was he saying that he did not remember his daughter coming home in the early hours of the morning on the night in question, or was he saying it didn’t happen?