‘I’ve spoken already to Garda O’Dea so I know what you say you saw and what you say you didn’t see. What I want to ask you is if you know of any reason why anybody would want to take down Billy Hagerty, and if you have any notion who it might have been?’

Thomas lowered his eyebrows and slowly shook his head. ‘I haven’t a clue, boy. He was a pleasant enough fellow, Billy. All right, he could get fierce shouty sometimes when he was motherless, but then who doesn’t?’

‘Why did he come to see you? Was it because of Donal’s sentencing being postponed?’

‘We talked about that of course. But he didn’t come to see me special. He only came into The Weavers for a quick scoop, like, that’s all.’

‘What about Justice Quinn? Did you talk about him at all?’

‘Sure, like. But it was all over the news, wasn’t it? And it was an accident, wasn’t it? Accidents can happen to anyone, can’t they? Even to judges.’

‘Let’s go back to Billy Hagerty being shot – do you think that could have been a case of mistaken identity? What I’m saying is – do you think that the shooter might actually have been after you?’

‘Up the yard, boy, why would anybody want to shoot me?’

‘You really want me to answer that?’ asked Detective Inspector Fitzpatrick, his voice flat and his face completely deadpan.

‘Oh, come on,’ said Thomas. ‘I might have a bit of a reputation, do you know what I mean, but most of it’s invented by them fecking Riordans. These days, I tell you, Bishop Buckley himself can’t hold a candle to me for saintly behaviour.’

‘Okay, Tommy. But this is only what you might call a preliminary chat. We’ll be investigating further and whoever shot Billy Hagerty we’ll nail him for certain, you can lay money on that, and then we’ll see for sure who he thought he was aiming at.’

‘Fair whack. Good luck to you, boy, that’s all I can say.’

*

Thomas stayed seated until Detective Inspector Fitzpatrick and Detective Caffrey had walked out of Eugene’s, drumming his fingers on the table. After a few moments he sent Darragh to go out into the street to make sure that they had driven away. Once Darragh came back and gave him the thumbs up, he said, ‘Right, lads. Time to call on Eamonn O’Malley. Muireann – you go back to the house, girl. Ring Sorley at Comet Taxis, he’ll take you.’

‘But I want to come with you, Tommy.’

‘You can’t. And you’ll do what I fecking tell you, that’s what.’