“Well, he grew up here.”
“So he’d be wised up, you could say.”
“I suppose.”
“So he wised you up then. Not to shower people with questions.”
“He did mention to mind my manners. Words to that effect.”
“Too bad he doesn’t practise what he preaches himself.”
He drove on, each turn of the wheel and gearstick fluid and expert now, it seemed. His eyes went to all the mirrors often, expertly, easily. He coasted to the lights at Fortfield Road, and put on his indicator. It was a long traffic light.
“What did you mean about Murph?” Fanning said.
“‘Practise what you preach’ stuff? Or about him and his rubbish ideas?”
“Both. Either.”
Cully looked over.
“Bet you’re wondering about Murph, aren’t you.”
“Sort of.”
“You know he was a complete spoof, right?”
“I let him just run with it. Took some of what he said with a grain of salt.”
“Okay. I mean how could you check on anything he told you anyway, right?”
“That’s about it.”
“I mean can you see yourself sitting across the table from some cop?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I’m not saying you would. But it’s common sense, isn’t it? How would you know what Murphy said is true, any of it?”
“Well it’s fiction I’m aiming for.”
“Right, of course.”
Fanning wasn’t sure if Cully was baiting him again.
“Either way, you’ll get nothing good off of him,” Cully said. He accelerated quickly to get through the junction ahead of an oncoming van.
“Murph’s out of this line of work. My suggestion.” “But he loaned you his car.”
“Yes he did.”
“And his phone.”
“Yup.”
“Very generous of him. I didn’t think he loaned out his car.”
“Well he did the right thing. I mean, he’s not a complete prat. A person needs to make amends, you know.”
“Amends for…?”
“It’s a few things. Carelessness.”
“For talking to me as well?”
Cully paused between gear shifts.
“Was that frowned on, him talking to me?” Fanning asked.
“Could be.”
“Whatever that means. ‘Could be.’”
“Let’s just say certain people thought Murph was out of order. Okay, we’re coming up to this place.”
Chapter 30
Cully pulled in behind a parked van and he shut off the engine. He left the keys in the ignition and placed his hands on the rim of the steering wheel, his fingers stretched out. A bus passed, almost empty. Cully seemed to be concentrating on something.
“Okay,” he said and tapped his fingers on the wheel. “What were we talking about again? Murph?”
“Yes we were.”
“All right. Murph’s in Marbella. That’s the deal.”
“Marbella?”
“Ever been?”
“No.”
“Good for you. It’s full of crims and blackguards, and their fat, tarty wives lying around on the beach, like bloody whales.”
“‘Blackguards? My grandmother used to use that word.”
“Really. Well write it down. Blags, blackguards. Thieves and suchlike.”
“That’s English.”
“That’s what we’re speaking, isn’t it.”
“You’re telling me Murph’s in Spain.”
“Right. It’s a good enough place to do some thinking, some penance for his sins, clean up his act, get advice.”
“It wasn’t the visit from Mr. Black-and-Decker then?”
For several moments Fanning thought he had gone too far.
“Where did you hear that kind of talk?” Cully asked quietly. “Murphy?”
“He said-”
“-there’s an example of what I’m talking about. Hasn’t a clue.”
“Well he said they used nail guns to kneecap those two fellas before Christmas, in Skerries.”
Cully shook his head and sighed.
“Let’s change the subject. You’re doing research. So you want background.”
“Right.”
“And you want it real, you say. Gritty. Okay, tonight’s your night. I set something up for you.”
“I’m not getting involved in stuff. I’m just observing.”
“That’s right. Here’s how it goes. Ever wondered how easy it is to get ahold of a gun here in Dublin?”
“Sometimes. A lot of it goes on, they say. ‘Rent a gun’?”
“You’re on the ball, I see. So you think anyone can just do it?”
“I have no idea,” said Fanning.
“You have to be in the know. Obviously. Have someone vouch for you. Like ‘Johnny told me to get in touch.’ Johnny being known to the bloke.”
“Johnny who?”
“That’s not funny. Johnny is the comeback if anything goes sideways. Insurance, in a way.”
“Johnny knows everything then. The go-to.”
“A phone call has been made, a certain person phoned and said there’d be a visitor who wanted something. This is where it gets done. Do you get it?”
“I think so.”
“The goods have been sent out to an address, with a person who will actually do the business, arm’s length, they say, don’t they?”
Fanning nodded.
“Make sense?”
“I suppose,” said Fanning. “Is it an organized thing, or just people doing their own thing?”
“Bit of both.”
“Does it go wrong?”
“I haven’t heard of it. People know people. So unless your client’s going to run away and hide in a hole in the ground for the rest of his life, there’s no point in dirtying the deal.”
“So you’re going to pick up a gun here.”
