“I was just about to knock your mam up, tell her it’s started. I couldn’t wait.”
“What’s started?”
“Me being the piggy farmer.”
Cassie couldn’t be doing with vagueness. “I’m knackered, Lou. What are you on about?”
“The piggy farmer, a woman who farms out pigs.”
Had Lou finally gone mad with grief?
“We know you farm pigs.” Cassie draped her arm across Lou’s shoulders. “Come away inside, we’ll talk to Mam.” She’ll have to sort this out because I can’t.
“Not those pigs.” Lou sounded so unlike herself it was eerie. “Come and see.” She walked to her car and opened the boot, snow shifting back to settle against the bottom of the rear window.
Cassie peered inside. PC Bob Holworth lay in the foetal position, a tyre mark across his squashed and bleeding head.
“These sorts of pigs,” Lou whispered. “I’m going to get them all, every last one who didn’t find my Jess.”
Cassie swallowed, nauseated. “Lou…”
The woman clutched Cassie’s arms and brought her round to face her. “Your mam’s said she’s in on this, so the question is, are you?”
To be continued in
The Piggy Farmer
