Minogue returned to where Kilmartin and Malone were crouched. The woman’s body had been cradled in the water-stretcher and hoisted onto the bank. The Sub Aqua team had left the water a half-hour ago. They sat in their van waiting for Kilmartin to decide. The Chief Inspector stood up and took a deep breath. He unrolled the gloves, picking at the tips where they clung, and frowned into the lights trained on the water.

“No match to any recent call-ins?”

“No. They’ve started into Missing Persons.”

“Christ. Let’s see what Feeney makes of her now. We’ll let her go then.”

“Do we give the Sub Aqua mob the billy to leave, like?” asked Malone. Minogue saw the Chief Inspector’s lip curl a little. The Sub Aqua squad would never have asked Kilmartin himself.

“Yes, indeedy, Molly. They’re done with. Is Feeney ready to sign her over?”

Dr. Feeney stepped out of his car with a clipboard under his arm. He looked down the form.

“Body temperature…colour…well, she’s not dead more than six hours. A good look at the tissue on the table will tidy up that, but I’m pretty sure.”

Kilmartin raised an eyebrow.

“Anything you can make of the big bruise on the side of her face?”

“She was hit,” said Feeney. “I wouldn’t be surprised if her cheekbone’s fractured. I didn’t look at her teeth. Somebody, something big walloped her. The skin’s not split.”

“Her head rapped off a wall maybe?” asked Malone. Feeney blinked.

“A reasonable guess, er…”

“Garda Malone,” said Kilmartin. “Molly Malone, loike.”

Feeney’s grin fell away when he looked from Kilmartin to Malone’s face.

“Best I can do,” he said. “Leave it for the PM now.”

The three detectives watched as the body was carried to the van.

“Typed up, for the love of God,” said Kilmartin to Callinan. “And photocopies of the lads’ books. One of us will phone in the morning.”