Page 10 of Hang on St. Christopher

“I’ve already checked. Chief Inspector Kennedy is available.”

“But he’s a... you’ve met him...”

“If you won’t do it, it’s got to be him.”

“You’re trying to bait me.”

“I’m not trying to bait you. If you won’t do it, I’ll have to call Larne RUC.”

Easy, Sean, don’t let him suck you in. This is someone else’s problem, nothing to do with you.

But then again, I couldn’t let Larne CID come into our manor and bollocks up a murder case right in front of our noses.

“What are the particulars?”

“It seems to be a straightforward little homicide. Joyriders stole a man’s car from outside his house on the Belfast Road. Apparently he resisted, and they shot him in the chest. The neighbors think he’s some kind of painter.”

“A house painter?”

“A painter painter. Like Hitler, you know?”

“Interesting that that’s the name you come up with out of thin air when you were trying to think of a painter. Not Monet or Van Gogh. Hitler.”

“Christ, Duffy, do you always have to be such an arsehole?”

“So they shot him in the chest and took his car. What type of car?”

“Jag.”

“Aye, makes sense. There have been a lot of carjackings tonight. There have been riots in Belfast. The joyriders must be racing each other. Jag is a good car to race.”

“Shame a man had to die for it.”

“Aye.”

“So will you take the case?”

“Forensics are over there now?”

“Yup.”

“When does Lawson get back?”

“Sunday, I think.”

“Okay, I’ll need to ask the missus if it’s all right. And I’ll need to be on at least time and a half for the course of the investigation. Every minute I work on it will be overtime.”

“Time and a half?”

“Yes.”

“All right.”

“And if I can get Crabbie to work the case with me, he’ll have to be on time and a half too. And when it’s overtime or extra duty it’ll be above that. You know the union rules.”

“Bloody hell. How much is all this going to cost me?”

“I haven’t said I’m going to take it. I’ll need to see what Beth has to say.”