First Death In Dublin City (Thomas Bishop Book 1) by Colm-Christopher Collins

done his duty as a partner, however, as they crossed the canal in Marino, Anne spoke again.
    ‘He’s a teacher.’ Said Anne.
    ‘Oh yeah? Garda and a primary teacher? Classic.’ Said Tommy.
    Anne frowned.
    ‘Where’d you two meet? Coppers?’ Asked Tommy.
    ‘We’ve been together two years.’ Said Anne.
    ‘That doesn’t answer as to where you two met.’ Tommy said.
    Anne’s mouth tightened. ‘Coppers.’ She said.
    Tommy just laughed.
    ‘What about you then DI, have got a, ehm, someone?’ Anne asked.
    ‘I’ve got nobody.’ Tommy said.
    ‘Nobody, never?’ Anne asked.
    ‘I was to have married once, but that didn’t work out.’ Tommy said.
    ‘Oh no, don’t tell me a bad story. John’s going to propose soon, I know it – I don’t need to hear about an engagement gone wrong now.’ Anne said.
    ‘Well, she’s dead. Does that count as a bad story?’ Tommy said.
    ‘Jesus Tommy. Shit, I wouldn’t have asked..’ Anne began.
    ‘It’s ok, it happened eleven years ago, we should all be moving on and stuff.’ Tommy said.
    ‘How did she die?’ Anne asked.
    ‘Does it really matter?’ Tommy asked.
    ‘I suppose not.’ Anne said, and silence descended upon the car.
    It just took them two minutes to reach the Trimble home, and for the second time in two days they knocked on the door and were let in by a stressed looking mother. For the second time in two days Hugh Trimble came down and lounged in front of them in a chair, angrily staring at the both of them. Tommy decided that niceties were unnecessary.
    ‘I want you to tell me about this.’ He said and he took from his pocket his the photo of Amy’s ‘gravestone’ that Anne had printed off before leaving the station.
    Hugh just shrugged when he saw it. ‘A joke.’ He said.
    ‘I don’t get it.’ Said Tommy.
    ‘She’s dead, it’s a joke. No one cries cause it’s a joke.’ Said Hugh as if he were talking about the weather.
    ‘Hugh!’ Said Ms Trimble, shouting in a mix of embarrassment and fear. ‘How could you say such a thing?’
    Hugh just shrugged.
    ‘This girl is missing, gone, no one knows where she is. Now, if she were to be found dead, what do you think anyone would think seeing this?’ Asked Tommy, lifting the picture to Hugh’s eyes.
    Hugh just shrugged.
    ‘Do you know what this is?’ Asked Tommy.
    ‘Piss off.’ Said Hugh.
    ‘Hugh! Please!’ Said Sarah, his mother, more pleading than reprimanding.
    ‘It’s a death threat Hugh, it’s a death threat. You know what the police think when someone receives a death threat and then goes missing?’ Said Tommy, his tone of voice becoming harsher.
    Hugh stared at him angrily.
    ‘We tend to think whoever issued the threat killed her.’ Said Tommy.
    ‘Her daddy did it. He’s the only guy who could stand being around her long enough to kill her.’ Said Hugh.
    ‘Hugh!’ Exclaimed Sarah, but Tommy just grimaced.
    ‘You’re very witty. Why then don’t you tell us where you were when Amy went missing?’ Asked Tommy.
    ‘I hope she’s dead, how much better the world will be without her.’ Said Hugh.
    ‘Hugh!’ Pleaded Sarah.
    ‘Did you kill her?’ Asked Tommy.
    ‘No, but I wish I had.’ Said Hugh, his face contorting into an angry sneer.
    Tommy stood up.
    ‘I’ve got my eye on you.’ He said, and Hugh just continued sneering.
     
    ‘You ever seen anything like that?’ Asked Tommy, after they had left the Trimble household and were driving away.
    ‘What? Your interrogation techniques?’ Asked Anne.
    ‘No, blind hatred of authority.’ Said Tommy.
    ‘You worked on the Branch, I’m sure you’ve seen it before.’ Said Anne.
    ‘Yeah, but even among the flats and in the north, kids hit puberty before they really start to hate the police. An eleven year old from middle class Rathmines, something is strange with how fucking angry he was.’ Said Tommy.
    ‘He’s a nut.’ Said Anne.
    ‘Exactly.’ Said Tommy.
    ‘Wait, this isn’t the way to Harcourt