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Silence fell over the small group standing around the tiny living space, until it was broken by Mooney calling for squad cars.

When he’d finished, Lottie watched him appraise Imelda. Was he having the same doubts that she had about the woman’s innocence in all that had happened?

‘I’ll have to take you in,’ he said. ‘We were scouring the countryside for you all week.’

‘Are you arresting me?’ Imelda demanded.

‘If I have to.’

‘What charge?’ Defiance lit a fire in her eyes.

‘I’ll think of something, but I’d rather you came willingly. I need you to fill in a lot of blanks.’

‘Okay, I can do that. But the second it gets awkward, I’m calling a solicitor.’

‘I’d advise you to get one in any event,’ Lottie said. ‘I heard Norah Ward is good.’

Mooney glared at her. ‘You need to be seen by a doctor.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ She didn’t feel fine but wasn’t in the mood to acknowledge any weakness.

Mooney looked at Hayes. ‘I’m arresting you for assaulting a member of An Garda Síochána.’

Before he could launch into his legal spiel, Imelda said, ‘No need for pussyfooting, detective. Arrest him for murder.’

‘That will come later,’ Mooney explained. ‘Assault is a tangible charge.’

‘I hope you know what you’re doing.’

‘I do. But I’m not at all sure that you took the wisest course of action in absconding from a crime scene and then leading us on a wild goose chase. Why do you have Ann Wilson’s phone?’

‘She gave it to me.’

Lottie suspected this was a lie.

‘Where’s your own?’ Mooney asked.

‘Gone the way of all my recording equipment. He probably dumped everything in the Atlantic Ocean.’

‘I did nothing wrong,’ Hayes murmured. All fight seemed to have deserted him.

Two uniformed gardaí arrived at the door. Mooney walked Hayes outside. He was back a few minutes later, Hayes having been whisked off to Garda HQ.

‘Now, do either of you care to tell me why you are here and what the hell happened?’

Imelda seemed to be waiting for Lottie to speak, but she felt too dizzy to talk.

‘You need to take her home,’ Mooney told Boyd.

‘Come on,’ Boyd said. ‘I’ll drive your car seeing as I came with Sergeant Mooney. I can drop you at your hotel.’

83

Outside on the pavement, Lottie stood with Boyd and watched as Mooney put Imelda into a squad car. A small crowd had gathered on the opposite side of the road, but quickly dispersed as if they were well used to gardaí calling to disturbances.

Mooney turned to her once the car had been driven off. ‘What brought you here?’

‘I wanted to get a feel for Assumpta when she was alive. Imelda had a key to the house. Don’t ask, because I don’t know how she came to have it. I find her hard to believe.’