She stood up and said, ‘Good morning, everyone.’ She folded back the press release that she had prepared with Mathew McElvey and was about to read it out when the door swung open and Brendan walked in. He gave Katie a sideways-sloping smile and sat down next to Robert Fitzpatrick.

Katie hesitated, and so Brendan looked up at her, flapped his hand and said, ‘Go ahead, DS Maguire,’ as if she needed his permission.

‘Good morning, everyone. I’m sorry to say that a nineteen-year-old student from UCC was fatally stabbed at approximately midnight last night at the Zombie Lounge nightclub on Oliver Plunkett Street. His name was Tadhg Nicholas Kimmons, and he was living in student accommodation at Carraig House, on the Mardyke, although his parents live at Leslie’s Arch in Ballincollig.

‘It appears that he was attacked in the men’s toilet in the basement of the club. Even though he was gravely injured he managed to make his way up to the dance floor, but then collapsed. When paramedics arrived they found him already deceased.

‘A quantity of drugs were found in Tadhg Kimmons’ possession, mostly ketamine crystals but also PMMA, known on the street as Blue Ghost. However, we have no witnesses to verify if he was attempting to sell these drugs in the Zombie Lounge, and we have no suggestion that they were connected with his murder, although of course this is one possibility we have to consider.

‘There were no witnesses to the actual stabbing and so far no weapon has been found. A considerable number of witnesses saw Tadhg Kimmons fall on to the dance floor and some of those have been receiving treatment for shock and psychological counselling.

‘Our investigations are continuing, and as usual we’ll be keeping you up to date with any fresh developments. Does anyone have any questions?’

There was a lightning flicker of camera flashes, and then Owen Dineen hoisted up one hand.

‘You’ve a question, Owen?’ said Katie. ‘I just hope my answer won’t be a flop.’

‘I don’t write the headlines, ma’am. The subs do that. But any road I gather that Tadhg Kimmons’ guts were spilled out all over the floor and that about a hundred clubbers were dancing on them before it was realized that he was there.’

‘Tadhg Kimmons suffered severe abdominal trauma, yes, but for the sake of his family and relatives I’m not prepared to go into any more detail than that.’

‘Come here, DS Maguire, there he was with over a hundred boys and girls flossing and dancing the triangle on his small intestines.’

‘I’ve no further comment to make on that, Owen. Rionach – do you have a question?’

But before Rionach Barr could open his mouth, Owen Dineen said, ‘Was Tadhg Kimmons one of the High Five, DS Maguire? I’m assuming that you know about the High Five, or is that giving you too much credit?’