‘At least we know now what kind of a creature we’re dealing with,’ said Katie. ‘An unadulterated scumbag. No wonder Barry Riordan wanted him to come to Cork and work for him. Our Barry has a keen eye when it comes to picking the dregs of the Earth.’

She was still talking to Kyna when Detective Inspector Mulliken knocked at her door.

‘Tony…’ she said. ‘How’s it going with the body down the drain?’

Detective Inspector Mulliken came in, followed by Detective O’Sullivan.

‘Would you believe it’s Eamonn O’Malley. Yes, that Eamonn O’Malley, the hit man for Thomas O’Flynn. At least that’s what he liked to call himself. More like blustering bully-boy.’

‘Can you believe it? Two hit men in one day. I think the angels must be smiling on us.’

‘Well, you reap what you sow. O’Malley’s remains are on their way to the morgue at CUH and I’ve notified Dr Kelley. Bill Phinner’s promised to expedite the forensics. He reckons that O’Malley’s head was crushed in something like a giant pair of nutcrackers.’

‘Giant nutcrackers? That’s a first.’

‘Of course it wasn’t really nutcrackers but he seemed confident that his people could work out what actually did it. What’s the story with that fellow you shot at The Weavers?’

‘He’s over at the Mercy, under guard in the emergency room. I’m waiting to hear from his doctor when he’s fit enough to be questioned. Feargal Grífin his name is, apparently.’

‘I’ve heard the name, I’m sure of it,’ said Detective O’Sullivan. ‘But the Riordans, they’re a tight-lipped lot, aren’t they? They wouldn’t tell you how many sausages they had for breakfast, even for money.’

‘What about the media?’ asked Detective Inspector Mulliken. ‘They’re gagging for more information about what happened at The Weavers. Dan Keane and Fionnuala Sweeney both turned up at the Waterfront Business Park when we were fetching Eamonn O’Malley’s body up out of the manhole, and Dan Keane asked me about it then.’

‘What did you tell him?’

‘Nothing at all. I didn’t even tell him that the body was Eamonn O’Malley. I thought I’d leave that up to you. You’ll be holding a media briefing, won’t you?’

Katie said, ‘I’m not sure yet. I may be, but first of all I need to have a word with Chief Superintendent O’Kane.’

She didn’t add ‘to find out if he’ll give me permission’.

41

Barry Riordan had started up the engine of his Mercedes when Dougal Dolan came leaping down the steps at the back of The Cotton Ball pub two at a time. He came running across the car park and rapped on his window with his knuckles.

Barry put down the window, took the cigarette out of his mouth and snapped, ‘What?’