BooksBarbecue
Back The Last Drop of Blood
Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. INTRODUCINGKATIE MAGUIRE
  3. ALSO BY GRAHAM MASTERTON
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Epigraph
  7. Contents
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. About the Author
  60. An Invitation from the Publisher

He spoke in his usual deadpan voice, but Katie could tell that he was proud of the progress that their detectives had been making against the Riordans and the O’Flynns, and that he was proud of her, too.

48

The next day, half an hour before it grew light, Katie drove to Tivoli Park with Detective Sergeant Begley, Detective Scanlan and Garda Neasa O’Connor. It was a bone-cold morning and the finest of soft rains was falling.

Normally, Katie wouldn’t have gone along with her detectives to carry out an arrest like this. Detective Sergeant Begley and Detective Scanlan had a District Court warrant, which was all they needed to charge Orla Quinn and take her into custody. But this was personal. Orla had arranged for the murder of a man she had once loved. Not only that, she was anxious to find out if Orla was really prepared to carry out her threat to reveal that she and Garrett had been having an affair during the trial of Phinean Joyce.

They parked outside the Quinn house. There were no lights at any of the windows, and the upstairs curtains were still drawn. Detective Scanlan rang the doorbell and they waited for Orla to answer, chafing their hands together to keep warm.

At last the front door opened and Orla appeared, barefooted, in her dressing gown.

‘Kathleen,’ she said, looking directly at Katie and ignoring the other officers. ‘Have you any idea what time it is?’

‘Are you going to invite us in, Orla, or do we have to do this on the doorstep?’

‘I suppose you’d better come in.’

They all went into the living room and this time they left their shoes on. It was symbolic, in a way. They were saying that it doesn’t matter if we leave wet footprints on your carpet, because you won’t be coming back here for twelve years at least, and possibly not for the rest of your life.

‘Orla Maoiliosa Quinn, I am arresting you for soliciting the murder of His Honour Mr Justice Garrett Quinn. You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so, but anything you say will be taken down in writing and may be given in evidence.’

Orla stared at Katie intently. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Do I look like I’m joking?’

‘I can never tell with you, Kathleen. But I have nothing to say. Not now, anyway.’

‘In that case, perhaps you’d like to get yourself dressed so that you can accompany us to Anglesea Street. You’ll be able to contact your solicitor, of course, once you’re there.’

‘I’m perfectly well aware of my rights, thank you.’