.....  (surely as suggestive a title as that of the record ‘It’s Now or Never’) which was ruined from innumerable puncture holes identical to those on the dead body.

He had used it for target practice!  He had bought two files the previous day.

The police released McGladdery in the expectation that he would eventually lead them to the items missing from the murder scene. In that week of freedom he attained a certain notoriety about town and indeed a following. The police too were following him. McGladdery deliberately led them to the Clanrye River in the vicinity of Damolly village, where he knew there was a shallow ford. He waded across, forcing the police to follow suit.

But the police’s patience eventually paid off. On the evening of 9 February 1961 McGladdery was spotted by Constable Donald Keown leaving Dirty Dick’s café on Hill Street. He walked to the Savoy Cinema and entered. The Constable waited for him to re-emerge. When he did, close to 11.00 pm after the movie was over, he returned to Dirty Dick’s. He soon re-emerged on to Hill Street where he stopped to talk with some one. He suddenly sprinted off and lost his police tail. The constable went to his home but he wasn’t there. At 12.15 McGladdery arrived home via Damolly Lane. The police knew he had been checking something in the vicinity.

At daybreak a search party moved in. In a field 300 yards from his house they found an old septic tank. Using a stick to probe the bottom officers found a bag, weighted down by a heavy stone. Inside there was some blood-stained clothing, an overcoat, vest and handkerchief and a neck-tie that was the eventual murder weapon.

McGladdery was arrested and his days of freedom were over.
 

….. soon to be concluded …..