Page 27 of The Guilty Girl

‘God, no. I’d have heard if there was.’

‘Do you know Cormac O’Flaherty?’

He shook his head emphatically. ‘No.’

‘You sure?’ She glanced at the details they had for Cormac. ‘He was at the party. He’s twenty years old. He’s a gardener at the school. I’m told he wasn’t invited but you let him in.’

‘If he got in, it’s because he looked young enough to be there. Can you show me his photo?’

Dismissing his half-hearted enquiry, Lottie went on. ‘At the party, did you see Hannah Byrne with anyone?’

‘Saw her a couple of times. Didn’t notice her with anyone in particular, to be honest, but I was out front most of the night.’

‘Did you come inside at any stage?’

‘Went in for a drink of water and the loo, that’s all. The music was loud.’ He tapped his ear. ‘Old age.’

‘Do you know the boy who was working the bar?’ Lottie wasn’t falling for his bullshit. Loud music? He worked as a bouncer, for Christ’s sake.

‘No, I don’t think so.’

She continued her quick-fire questioning. ‘How did Lucy seem?’

‘She was great. Knew how to throw a good party.’

‘Been at any other parties she held?’

‘No.’

‘Had you ever been in her house before?’

‘No. It’s something else, isn’t it? A bit different from my little apartment, anyhow.’ He laughed.

Lottie detected jealousy in his tone. Or was she hearing things that were not there?

‘Pizza was delivered at …’ She turned to Kirby, who shuffled through the file in front of him.

‘One ten,’ he said. They had the computer printout from the shop. Lucy had made the order online from her phone and paid with her own credit card.

‘Did you let the delivery guy in?’ Lottie asked.

‘I did. He had about ten large pizza boxes. Local guy.’

‘How long was he inside?’

‘Maybe a minute. I showed him the kitchen. He went in, dropped the pizzas and left.’

‘What time did you leave the McAllister house?’

‘Whenever the music stopped. After two.’

She flicked through her notes. ‘Who was the DJ?’

‘DJ Rich, or Rich Discs, something like that. Don’t think I know him.’

‘Really? Our information says he plays at some of the nightclubs in town.’

‘He might do, but I’m out on the street, not on the dance floor.’