Terry Brankin Has a Gun. Malachi O'Doherty
that’s fair.’
‘Jesus, the things you come out with,’ he said.
Terry stood at the bathroom door and watched the way she was soaping her body as if it was no concern of his, her sullen face turned away from him. He shuddered to think she could have been killed. It would have been a horrible death.
She said, ‘Turn on the radio.’
He looked puzzled.
‘They’ll be talking about us on the Toland show.’ She could see that he was trying to grasp the implications of this news as he walked to the bedside and picked up the remote control. He found the station. The discussion had started.
‘This was a busy night for you in the Fire and Rescue Service?’
‘Well, the first call out was at 3.15 to a house in Damascus Street. This is a residential property and in the area popularly known as the Holy Land. We despatched two appliances but by the time we arrived there was significant scorch and smoke damage and I think it is important to say that incidents like this illustrate the need for a working smoke alarm, which we would urge people to have in their homes and to check every week.’
‘The house had been petrol-bombed,’ said Nevan, trying to bring the man to the point.
‘At this stage we have not ascertained the precise cause of the fire.’
‘Of course you have,’ said Nevan. ‘It was a petrol bomb, wasn’t it?’
‘Well, it is up to the police to issue an official statement, but we can say that first indications are that the fire was exacerbated by an accelerant. That makes it suspicious.’
‘I’ll say it was suspicious. The poor man who owned it had four other houses burnt down last night. Tell me about the others.’
‘The largest fire was at a house in Sallagh Crescent. This fire was at an advanced stage when we got there and there was nothing we could do but control the flames and let it burn out. The premises were totally destroyed. Fortunately, though it was a private residence, there was no one at home.’
‘Is that unusual?’
‘No. Sometimes people leave electrical appliances switched on and plugs in the socket, so this is an appropriate time perhaps to remind people of the necessary precautions. Always unplug all appliances when you go to bed or leave the house—’
‘Yes, yes, yes, of course. But you’re not telling me that this was caused by the pilot light on the TV, are you?’
‘It would be premature to declare the precise cause of the fire.’
‘Really. Why’s that?’
‘Because a police investigation is underway.’
Toland was getting exasperated. ‘OK, well, let’s just confirm the basic facts and move on. Five houses were petrol-bombed last night and all belong to the solicitor Terry Brankin, isn’t that right?’
‘I am sure the police would be better able to confirm details like that when their initial investigations are complete. Our role was to bring the fires under control and report our assessments of the likely causes to the police. We have done that.’
‘Good. Now we are getting somewhere. And did you tell the police that all these houses had been firebombed.’
‘We alerted them to the fact that traces of accelerant had been found in all the houses.’
‘Thank you, Fire Officer Tomasin McCourtney. Now, we have a call coming in from a young woman who lived in one of the burnt-out houses. Tell us your name, love.’
‘Don’t love me, Nevan. I’m not one of your big fans. Gilly McDonald.’
‘And what was your experience, Gilly?’
‘I was living in the house in Dunluce Avenue that was petrol-bombed last night.’
‘And you are sure that it was a petrol bomb.’
‘Of course it was a bloody petrol bomb. I saw it come through the front windy at me.’
‘Well take us through this whole thing, Gilly.’
‘I was in the front room watching a DVD at about four in the morning and I might have been dozing off, but then there was a mighty smash through the bay window. Now the big curtains did stop it but there was a stink of petrol and suddenly there were flames leppin’ up all over the place. I screamed my head off and ran out the front door.’
‘Were there others in the house at the time?’
‘There was lads upstairs. They got out the bathroom windy into the yard. I’m telling you, we could all have been killed and all for that fuck—’
That was the last of her voice they heard. Nevan or his producer had closed the fader.
Nevan seemed a bit unsure what to say next. ‘Well, we don’t tolerate foul language on the airwaves and we always cut it off, and I know people say that’s the ordinary way that people talk in this town, but that’s beside the point. The rules are the rules. Furthermore, this programme has no insights at all into the identity of the person Gilly was alluding to, nor does it support her in any allegation that might be implied, intentionally or otherwise, by the terms she used.’
Terry reckoned Toland had just about covered himself legally against a defamation action, but the point had been made. Gilly McDonald had blamed someone, and it would be easy for many listeners to conclude that it was him.
‘We’ve another caller. Good morning.’
‘Good morning, Nevan. I used to rent a house from Terry Brankin myself and I don’t believe he would do a thing like that at all, for any amount of insurance money.’
Nevan roared at him, ‘Right, if you can’t come onto this programme without swearing and slandering people, don’t come on at all. And you might think you are doing someone a favour by saying they didn’t do something that someone else said they did do, but if you name someone in connection with an allegation, whether to try and get them off the hook or hang them on it even higher, let me tell you – it is still actionable, because you are perpetuating the original defamation.’
Nevan’s producers would be crapping themselves now.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.