This one was dimly lit, with a good, solid bar, deep booths, and low tables scattered around with short stools bracketing them rather than chairs.

The man working the stick was wide as a draft horse, and pulled pints of Harp, Guinness, Smithwick with an easy skill that told her he'd likely been doing so since he could stand.

He had a ruddy face, a thatch of sandy hair, and eyes that skimmed and scanned the room like a cop's.

He'd be the man to see.

"I've never had a Guinness," Peabody commented.

"You're not having one now." "Yeah, on duty and all. But I'm going to have to try one sometime. Except they look a little scary and they cost beyond." "Get what you pay for." "Huh. Yet another tip." Eve stepped up to the bar. Its tender pushed pints into waiting hands, then worked his way down. "Officers," he said.

"You've got good eyes. Mr O'Hara?" "I'm O'Hara. My father was on the job." "Where?" "In merry old Dublin." She heard it in his voice, the same lilt that crept into Roarke's. "When did you come over?" "When I was but a green and cheery twenty, off to seek my fortune. And did well enough." "Looks like." "Ah well." His face sobered. "You're here about Lily. You want my help, or that of any here, to find the bastard who murdered that sweet girl, you've got it. Michael, take the stick. We'll sit down a moment," he said to Eve. "Will you have a pint?" "On duty," Peabody said, a little morosely, and he grinned.

"Beer's next thing to mother's milk, but I'll pour you out something soft. Take that booth down there. I'll be right along." "Pretty nice place." Peabody settled in the booth, looked around. "I'm going to come back with McNab, try the Guinness. Does it come in light?" "What would be the point?"

O'Hara brought two soda waters and a pint to the booth, and slid his bulk in across from them.

"To our Lily then." He lifted his glass. "Bless her sweet soul." "What time did she leave here that night?" He sipped. "I know you're cops, but I haven't your names as yet." "Sorry." She pulled out her badge as she spoke. "Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody." "Roarke's cop. I thought so." "You know Roarke?" "Not in a personal manner of speaking. I've a few years on him, and we ran in different circles back in the day. My father knew him," O'Hara said with a twinkle.

"I bet." "Did well for himself, too, didn't he now?" "You could say. Mr O'Hara-" "I don't know him personally," O'Hara interrupted, and leaned in, his eyes keen on hers. "But I know of him. And one of the things I know is that he's a man who tends to want and have the best. Would that include his cop?" Tm sitting here, Mr O'Hara, as Lily's cop. And I'm going to make damn sure she's got the best." "Well." He sat back, lifted his pint again. "Well now, that's a fine answer. She left about half-one. It was a slow night so I scooted her along a bit early. I should've had someone walk her home. I should've thought of that after what happened to that uptown woman. But I never thought of it." "You've got good eyes, Mr O'Hara. Did you notice anyone in here that made you look harder?" "Girl, doesn't a week go by someone doesn't make me take a harder look. I run a pub, after all. But not what you're meaning. There was nobody I saw who made me think I'd need to worry for my girls."

"He'd be big," Eve continued. "A big man, strong-looking.

He'd keep to himself, wouldn't socialize or make conversation.

He might have worn sunshades. He wouldn't sit at the bar, unless there was no choice. He'd want a table in Lily's section and he'd make it clear he didn't want company." Td remember someone like that." He shook his head. "But I don't. I'm here most nights. But not every." "We'd like to talk to whoever worked Lily's shift." "There'd be Michael, there at the bar now. And Rose Donnelly, Kevin and Maggie Lannigan. Ah, Pete, back in the kitchen at the dishes. Peter Maguire." "Regulars?" "Ah well. Why don't I write some of this down for you, get you addresses where I can. You can talk to Michael now, for he's a clever enough lad and can work the bar and talk at the same time." "Thanks." "Let me tell you something about Lily. She was a shy thing, and we teased her about it. She had a kind and quiet nature, and worked well. When she got to know you, got comfortable so to speak, she was easier. She had a smile for you, and she remembered your name and what you ordered.

She didn't shine, but she was steady and sweet. We won't forget her." "Neither will we."

The interviews took them past end-of-shift. And, Eve thought, unless she was going to screw up her personal life, she had to set the rest aside and head uptown.

"We could manage Rose Donnelly, that would finish it off." Peabody gestured west. "She doesn't live far." "If it wasn't her night off, we might've caught her here.

We can swing by, then I'll dump you and… Hold that thought." She dragged out her signaling "link. "Dallas." "I'm hoping I could speak to you." Celina's tired face filled the screen. "I can come to you." "Something new?" "No. Just… I'd like a few minutes."

"I'm downtown anyway. I'll come by now." "Good. Thanks." "I'll take Sanchez," Eve told Peabody. "See if you can link up with Donnelly, get her statement." "Works for me. I'll see you later, at dinner. Walking another two blocks." Peabody rubbed her hands together. "I get to eat everything that's not nailed down." Eve jumped back in the car, headed for SoHo. And called Roarke. "Hi. I'm running a little late." "Shock and amazement." "Everybody's got a joke today. I'll be there. I've just got to make another stop first."

"Don't worry about it. If little becomes very, do you prefer to go straight to Charles's, meet me there?" "I'll let you know, but I hope to hell not. I want a goddamn shower. I think I can make it in an hour. Probably.

Around." "Close enough. I saw your press conference. They ran its entirety, and are following up with various sound bites." "Goodie." "I was very proud of you." "Well… jeez." "And I thought, if I were the man this woman with the cold and tired eyes was after, I would tremble." "You wouldn't tremble if I was holding my weapon at your throat, but thanks. I'm going to take this last meet, then I'm heading home." The, too." "Oh." She brightened a bit. "You're still at work, didn't realize. That's good, that's better. I'm not the only one scrambling.

See you." Pleased with the situation, she pulled up in front of Celina's loft. Even as she crossed to the entrance, Celina's voice came through the intercom.

"I've cleared locks. Come right up." Anxious, Eve thought as she went inside and entered the elevator. When it reached level two Celina was waiting to open the gate.

"Thanks for coming. Thanks for being so quick." "I wasn't that far away. What's going on?" "I need to… can I get you something? Tea? A glass of wine?" "No. I'm heading home. I've got a thing." "Oh." Distractedly, Celina brushed a hand through her hair.

"Sorry. Let's sit down anyway. I made tea. Needed to keep busy while I waited for you."

Tea, Eve noted, along with little cookies, some neat wedges of cheese. Looked like girl-chat time to her, and she didn't have the time or the inclination. "You said there wasn't anything new." "I haven't had another vision." She sat, poured tea for herself. "I kept some of my appointments today. Thought I should try. But I ended up cancelling the rest after taking the first two. I just can't concentrate." "Tough on business." "I can afford the time off. The regulars understand, and as for new clients…" She moved her shoulders, elegantly. "It adds to the mystique. But that's not the point." "And the point is?" "I'm getting to it." Celina tilted her head. "Not much on small talk, are you?" "I figure there's a reason it's called small." "Suppose you're right. To begin, I watched your media conference. I wasn't going to, but I felt, I thought, I should." She curled up her legs. "And it made me think." "It made you think what?" "I can do more. I should do more. There's a reason I'm getting these visions. I don't know what it is, not specifically, but I know there's a purpose. And while I'm doing the minimum I feel is required of me, I could do more." She sipped tea, then set the cup down. "I want to discuss going under hypnosis." Eve lifted her eyebrows. Just when you're ready to bail, she thought, something interesting comes along. "How would that help?" "There's a part of me that's blocking." Celina touched her hands to either side of her head, then her heart. "Call it a survival mechanism, which I like better than yellow-bellied cowardice. Something in me that doesn't want to know, to see, to remember, so I don't."