But he had expected to be greeted in a civil manner. Instead, when he presented himself at the reception desk in the station he was met coldly by a ruddy-faced, country sergeant, who needed either to diet or change the size of his uniform. This was Sergeant Toddy Muldoon. After fifteen years in Snuggstown, Muldoon had things very much his own way. He liked to gamble and was a drinker. Still, this did not affect his standard of living, which was surprisingly high. Few knew how he managed this on a sergeant’s salary, and those who did know were not saying. Kieran introduced himself as the new head of the Serious Crime Squad and asked where his office was. He expected to get more than the jerk of a thumb and a simple two-word reply: ‘Down there.’The Sergeant looked him up and down, then turned back to his desk. Following the direction of the Sergeant’s thumb Kieran found himself in a long corridor. He walked the corridor slowly, checking the tiny lettering on each door. Needless to say, right at the bottom he found the door he was looking for.
