First Death In Dublin City (Thomas Bishop Book 1) Read Free Page B

working class family?’ Tommy said.
    ‘I’m not asking.’ Mousey said.
    ‘Just how connected are her parents? Editor of the Irish Times? Minister for Finance?’ Tommy said.
    ‘Neither. When have I ever sent you a dud? I believe she’s been abducted.’ Mousey said.
    ‘Ah cmon, I get why you need to do this kind of shit, but you don’t need to send me to do it.’ Tommy said.
    ‘Get your ass to Rathmines.’ Mousey said, and he passed over a piece of paper on which all the details from the call were listed. ‘Give this a look over, tomorrow I’ll throw whatever murder arises first onto your lap, for now you’re on this.’
    ‘Why aren’t the locals on it?’ Tommy said.
    ‘Because you’re on it. Go!’ Mousey said.
    And Tommy and Anne leapt from their chairs and walked together back out of the squad room – sad indictment it was that Anne, who had been here for three months, got more smiles from their colleagues at NBCI than Tommy.
     
    ##
     
     
     
    On wet roads it took them nigh on sixty minutes to make it to Rathmines; it wasn’t yet five but the darkness was already falling on the student town. Castlewood Avenue ran against the main street of town, just like its populace ran against the standard for this particular city. Each house looked the same, and Tommy began to wonder if he and Anne would have to get out and look at numbers, but then he spotted the blonde woman standing anxiously in her doorway.
    ‘See that?’ Tommy asked.
    ‘See what?’ Anne replied.
    ‘That house, there was a woman standing in the doorway. It would about be where the address should be, so that probably was the mother. Standing in the doorway anxious for the help to arrive – she’s going to be a nightmare to deal with.’ Tommy said.
    ‘Her kid’s missing?’ Anne asked.
    ‘Her kid ran away, you mean. Just you watch and see, she will have just had a big fight with one of the parents, then tomorrow or the day after she’ll return home from a friend’s house or some such place.’ Tommy said.
    ‘You think?’ Anne said.
    Tommy pulled a u-turn at the end of the road.
    ‘Definitely. Any particular way you want to run this?’ Anne said.
    ‘You’re the senior partner.’ Anne said.
    Tommy shrugged. He’d do the basics, but soon he’d pass all this on to Anne, and leave her with the case – an act for which there were three good reasons in doing so. Firstly, he didn’t need the pain in the ass that this blonde woman would surely become, secondly this case was in no way serious enough for his or any detective’s attention, so he wasn’t going to vindicate whomever had pulled in connections to get NBCI involved; thirdly, it actually may end up being good training for Anne.
    They pulled up in front of a red brick wall, and the woman at the door started and moved out into the rain. She hopefully attempted to catch their eyes through the car window, looking like a young Penelope waiting for the return of her husband – Tommy stared at the dashboard so as not to appear like a rabbit caught in a set of headlights.
    ‘Are you the Detectives?’ She asked upon their approach, her rolling accent reminding Tommy of the culture of rugby pitches and foods with Italian names.
    Anne looked to Tommy, who inclined his head into a nod.
    ‘Anne O’Mahoney, yes; this is my partner Detective Inspector Thomas Bishop.’
    Anne shook the distraught woman’s hand, Tommy just smiled briskly.
    ‘My name is Claire Clancy, I’m Amy’s mother. Come in, come in.’ And she stepped aside to let them in.
    ‘Just in to your right.’ She said. And Tommy nodded, walking into the indicated room.
    On one sofa sat two people. First, a red haired woman, and beside her a man in a worn suit. The man was one of the tallest Tommy had ever seen; closer perhaps to seven feet than six. He looked stressed, chewing his nails and fretting with the fabric of his suit. His short black hair was peppered with white, while his unshaven face looked to be a