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'Yes,' Father da Costa said simply.

'I thought so. The Superintendent was right, of course. As he said in his letter, it was the only explanation that made any kind of sense.' He sighed heavily and shook his head. 'I would imagine he intends to take this thing further. Are you prepared for that?'

'Of course,' Father da Costa answered calmly.

'Then we'd better get it over with,' Monsignor O'Halloran pressed the button on the intercom again. 'Send in Superintendent Miller and Inspector Fitzgerald.' He chuckled. 'It has a certain black humour, this whole business. You must admit.'

'Has it, Monsignor?'

'But of course. They sent you to Holy Name as a punishment, didn't they? To teach you a little humility and here you are, up to your ears in scandal again.' He smiled wryly, 'I can see the expression on the Bishop's face now.'

The door opened and Miller and Fitzgerald were ushered in again. Miller nodded to da Costa. 'Good morning, Father.'

Monsignor O'Halloran pushed himself up on to his feet again, conscious that somehow the situation demanded it. He said, 'I've discussed this matter with Father da Costa, Superintendent. To be perfectly frank, there doesn't seem to be a great deal I can do.'

'I see, sir.' Miller turned to Father da Costa, 'I'll ask you again, Father, and for the last time. Are you prepared to help us?'

'I'm sorry, Superintendent,' Father da Costa told him.

'So am I, Father.' Miller was chillingly formal now. 'I've discussed the situation with my chief constable and this is what I've decided to do. A report on this whole affair and your part in it goes to the Director of Public Prosecutions today to take what action he thinks fit.'

'And where do you think that will get you?' Monsignor O'Halloran asked him.

'I should think there's an excellent chance that they'll issue a warrant for the arrest of Father da Costa on a charge of being an accessory after the fact of murder.'

Monsignor O'Halloran looked grave and yet he shook his head slowly. 'You're wasting your time, Superintendent. They won't play. They'll never issue such a warrant.'

'We'll see, sir,' Miller turned and went out followed by Fitzgerald.

Monsignor O'Halloran sighed heavily and sat down. 'So there we are. Now we wait.'

'I'm sorry, Monsignor,' Father da Costa said.

'I know, Michael, I know.' O'Halloran looked up at him. 'Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?'

'Will you hear my confession, Monsignor?'

'Of course.'

Father da Costa moved round to the side of the desk and knelt down.

When Fallon went into the church, Anna was playing the organ. It was obviously a practice session. Hymns in the main - nothing complicated. He sat in the front pew listening and after a while she stopped playing abruptly.

He walked up the steps between the choir stalls. 'The curse of the church organist's life, hymns,' he said.

She swung round to face him. 'You're early. Uncle Michael said one o'clock.'

'I'd nothing else to do.'

She stood up. 'Would you like to play?'

'Not at the moment.'

'All right,' she said. 'Then you can take me for a walk. I could do with some air.'

Her trenchcoat was in the sacristy. He helped her on with it. It was raining heavily when they went outside, but she didn't seem concerned.

'Where would you like to go?' he asked her.

'Oh, this will do fine. I like churchyards. I find them very restful.'

She took his arm and they followed the path between the old Victorian monuments and gravestones. The searching wind chased leaves amongst the stones so that they seemed like living things crawling along the path in front of them.

They paused beside an old marble mausoleum for Fallon to light a cigarette and it was that precise moment that Billy Meehan and Varley appeared at the side gate. They saw Fallon and the girl at once and ducked back out of sight.

'See, he's still here, 'Varley said. 'Thank God fot that.'

'You go back to Paul's Square and wait for Jack,' Billy said. 'Tell him where I am. I'll keep watch here.'

Varley moved away