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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

The lead story on Ireland News the following morning was the shooting of Thomas O’Flynn and Barry Riordan. It was also reported that both Chief Superintendent O’Kane and Detective Superintendent Maguire had been suspended ‘as a matter of procedure’. No further details were given about either of them.

Katie had always imagined that she would feel a surge of vengeful satisfaction if she managed to get Brendan sacked from his job. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be permanently dismissed for the offence of bribing a news reporter, especially to libel a fellow officer. Somehow, though, it only made her feel empty and slightly depressed. It had all been so mean and pointless.

She rang Kieran. Maybe they would be able to meet for dinner again tonight and he would put a smile on her face. But again, he didn’t answer.

She decided to drive down to the centre of Cobh for lunch at The Quays. She didn’t like eating on her own but she could text all her friends during the meal, and she loved their seafood chowder.

When she opened the front door, she was surprised to see Kieran climbing out of the passenger seat of a taxi.

‘Kieran! Aren’t you in court today?’

He came up the steps of her porch. ‘No,’ he said. ‘The Gallagher Finance case was adjourned until next week.’

‘You should have told me you were coming. But never mind. I was about to head off to lunch. Now I’ll have someone to talk to.’

‘Katie—’

‘Ah, right. You got my message about my being suspended. But you don’t have to look so grim about it. I’m sure it’ll all be sorted out. Those were two of the worst villains ever that were shot. I don’t know what you think, being a judge, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Muireann and Megan were only given suspended sentences.’

‘This is nothing to do with your suspension, Katie. DI Fitzpatrick knows that we’re friendly and so he rang me and asked me if I’d tell you this in person.’

Katie suddenly felt icy cold.

‘What is it?’ she asked him. ‘What’s happened?’

‘It’s bad news, I’m afraid. It’s Detective Ní Nuallán. It’s Kyna.’

At that moment, a ship leaving the harbour let out a loud, mournful moan, like a mother whale who has lost her young. It echoed across the estuary and echoed again from Monkstown, where Katie’s late father used to live.

Katie said, ‘You’d best come inside, Kieran.’

Kieran stepped into the hallway.

‘Do you want me to take off my shoes?’ he asked her.

‘No. Yes. It doesn’t matter,’ she said, and closed the door.

About the Author