Says Daddy Ivan, She’s having you on. My sister sent them down to me from Ballymena, says they’re getting their heads turned living in the town, staying out, talking back, tailing around after the boys, getting up to all sorts. Aye, they don’t like it here, but that’s only ’cause they’re not used to hard work. Sure, you know yourself. You know the sort of them.

The policeman stood there like a mouse caught in a trap. He didn’t know what to do, I could tell. He spake to me then.

What do you say, love?

I opened my mouth again, but nothing came out.

Tell him, says Esther. Mary, tell him. This is our chance.

My voice came back, small like a mouse in my throat, but it was there.

I want to go with you, says I to the policeman.

He looked to Esther. You say there’s others?

Esther nodded over to the door with the bolt and the closed padlock. Down there, says she.

She’s making a cod of you, says Daddy Ivan, laughing like nothing was wrong. Ah, dear-oh, wait till the rest of the boys in Lurgan station hear about this.

Says Esther, Go and look. You’ll see.

The policeman looked around at the men once more, and this time he noticed George at his back. He walked further into the kitchen, over to the door to the cellar. Ivan and George followed him. He leaned close to the door and he called, Hello?

Not loud. Weak, like a man who isn’t sure of anything.

But there was no mistaking about what happened next. There was thunder on the stairs on the other side of the door, then banging and thumping, and the door shook on its hinges, the bolt rattling.

Who’s there? Help! Help us!

It was both of them, Mummy Joy and Mummy Noreen, shouting. There was a moment, hardly even a second, hardly any time at all, where I had this feeling in my chest. A light feeling, like everything was going to be all right. Like we were saved.

And then the policeman turned to look at Daddy Ivan and Daddy George, and he looked more afeart than I’ve ever seen any man look in my life. He reached for that gun at his hip, but he wasn’t quick enough. Daddy Ivan grabbed his wrist. The policeman went for it with his other hand, but Daddy Ivan grabbed that wrist too. He pushed him back agin the door, pinned his hands agin the wood.

Get the pistol, says Daddy Ivan.

Daddy George reached through Daddy Ivan’s arms and pulled the gun away from the holster.

Shoot him, says Daddy Ivan.

Says Daddy George, What?

I said, shoot him, for God’s sake.