‘The Justice for Violet people are going ballistic that we’ve not arrested anyone from the Animal Vigilantes,’ Jai said. ‘And Frazzles the pig definitely had her throat cut last night, live on camera, and it’s all over social media.’

The irony wasn’t lost on me. As I’d pointed out to my balaclava-wearing assailants, millions of pigs had their throats cut every single day, and most people didn’t give it a moment’s thought. But the nation was up in arms about Frazzles. Frazzles was kept as a pet by a family who owned a bit of land. Frazzles was a friend, not a meal.

‘Her owners named her after a bacon-based snack product?’ Richard said.

‘Yes,’ Jai said. ‘But apparently they loved her very much. She had a huge personality and was great with kids. It looks like there’ll be others tonight. We’ve got enraged Violet supporters saying they’ll keep attacking random animals until whoever killed Violet confesses.’

‘But we don’t even know for sure she’s dead,’ I said weakly.

‘The animal people are furious about Frazzles,’ Jai said, ‘and talking about revenge. They’ve been smashing the windows of butchers’ shops.’

Craig snorted. ‘They’re more concerned about bloody Frazzles than they are about Violet being killed and fed to pigs.’

‘We don’t know that’s what happened,’ Fiona said.

Craig rolled his eyes. ‘Oh come on.’

‘It’s not the only scenario,’ I said. ‘We haven’t found Violet’s clothes. The pigs wouldn’t have eaten overalls and Doc Martens boots.’

Jai coughed and fiddled with the collar of his shirt. ‘We’re still having trouble finding the company that took the abattoir waste away that morning.’

‘Seriously? How hard can it be?’ Richard used the phrase I always found myself using about DIY projects. The ultimate answer was generally, Extremely Bloody Hard. Nobody responded.

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I was thinking about Violet’s movements before she disappeared. That’s not the only route from Tony Nightingale’s to the abattoir, is it? Past Mrs Ackroyd’s, I mean?’

Jai gave a side-to-side non-committal head wobble. ‘No, but it avoids a narrow lane that’s a bugger to drive down.’

‘What about forensics in Violet’s car?’

‘There are fibres in the car from clothes that have been matched to Violet’s, and from the type of overalls she wears at the abattoir. Nothing that points to another person.’

‘So the driver’s seat was at its furthest forward setting and the passenger’s at its furthest back – is that right?’

Jai nodded.

‘Violet was five foot six. Why would she put her seat at the furthest forward? I’m shorter than that and I don’t do that.’

‘Maybe she liked to sit far forward,’ Jai said. ‘Some people do.’