Boyle looked round the pub as if to impress on the company that he was unconcerned about being recognised while the stunned witnesses had everything to fear. Slipping the gun into his jacket pocket, he strolled casually from the premises.

The police had their own intelligence sources, and aware of the mugging of Kevin, knew who had murdered the late and largely unlamented Bobby Houliston. He was no great loss to society and in truth he had been an irritation the local constabulary were privately glad to see the back of. However, shootings were not on and the chance to put a major criminal figure like Hugh Boyle away for a long time was too good to miss. Unfortunately, they could not find one witness. Such statements as they had suggested that the pub had been virtually empty at the time. The few people who admitted being there were suddenly stricken with a palsied blindness and an alcoholic amnesia.

On the other hand, Boyle had enough alibi witnesses to make up a decent crowd at a Second Division football match. He was interviewed and cautioned that he was not obliged to say anything, but anything he did say would be noted and would be given in evidence. The interviewing officers did not need the sheets of paper in front of them as Boyle did not open his mouth.

The inquiry was going nowhere till one of the barmaids from the Tavern walked into Stewart Street Police Station and, to the astonishment of the interviewing officers, told the whole story. Hugh Boyle duly found himself arrested, charged with murder and locked up in the notorious Barlinnie prison.

With Boyle out of the way, the police pressurised everyone they believed had been in the pub in an attempt to obtain further evidence. No one would crack. Unfortunately, by chasing a second goal, the police took their eye off the ball. Despite the terrible dangers inherent in the course she had adopted, Betty Brown had received no police protection and was not even under surveillance. She left her home one Friday night to meet a friend and go to the pictures. She failed to arrive and was never seen or heard of again. She shuffled off this mortal coil leaving not a trace behind and the prosecution case, such as it was, collapsed completely.

Hugh Boyle was released from Barlinnie and returned home to Springfield. Publicly, he oozed confidence and righteous indignation, protesting his innocence and demanding a full public inquiry. Privately, the whole episode had greatly alarmed him. He had lost his temper completely and killed a man. This did not trouble his conscience but he appreciated that it made him vulnerable. He had grown accustomed to the good things in life and he certainly did not find prison to his liking. He decided it was time to take more of a back seat and allow his three sons to play a greater part in running the various family businesses.