‘We have every right. We can legally enter your house and we can search it, too. Which we will. Now would you please tell your husband to come out here, without any more delay, before he gets himself into even more trouble.’

‘But he’s done nothing. What do you want him for?’

‘Mrs Carroll, I’ve arrested him for murdering your daughter. That may be “nothing” to you, but I’m afraid it’s the most serious offence there is in the eyes of the law. And the eyes of God, too.’

Mrs Carroll flinched, as if Katie had thrown a cup of cold water in her face.

‘I don’t understand. What? He never would have done such a thing. What in the name of Jesus makes you think it was him?’

‘Mrs Carroll – I’m not standing here arguing with you any longer. We’re coming in to fetch out your husband and that’s all there is to it.’

‘He’s – he’s gone into his shed.’

‘Come on,’ said Katie, to Detective Walsh and the two gardaí. She pushed Mrs Carroll to one side, so that she stumbled backwards against all the coats that were hanging in the hallway.

‘Hey! You can’t—!’ Mrs Carroll cried out, but Katie ignored her. She hurried through the kitchen and the washroom extension, and out through the open back door to the brick-paved yard.

There was a row of concrete plant pots along the right-hand fence, and a wooden shed in the left-hand corner. Detective Cullen was standing in the alleyway on the left-hand side, looking over the fence.

‘I haven’t seen him come out this way, ma’am!’ he called out.

‘He’s in the shed, Daley! Get yourself over here!’

One of the gardaí went up to the shed and tugged at the door. An open padlock was hanging from the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge.

The garda rattled it again, but then he said, ‘It’s no use, ma’am – he’s bolted it on the inside, top and bottom. Not a bother, though. I have a pry bar in the car.’

Katie and Detective Walsh went around to the side of the shed, where there was a window. It was dark inside, and the clouds were reflected in the grimy glass, as well as the two of them, but behind their reflections Katie could make out shelves with pots of paint and weedkiller on them, and tools hanging up, although she couldn’t see Nolan Carroll.

‘Nolan!’ she shouted. ‘There’s no use you hiding yourself in there! We’ll have that door pried open in less than a minute! Resisting arrest – that’s an offence, too!’