I sorted out the formal stuff for the tape, my mind full of the recent revelations. Violet’s hair and blood in the pig troughs. Someone had shaved off her hair and then … Was it possible she’d been fed to pigs? Might the Animal Vigilantes do that? They had been ramping up their activities recently. And if it wasn’t them, how had they known so quickly that she was missing? And why had they made the comment about eating pigs?

I’d asked Fiona to lead the interview while I watched.

‘So, Ms O’Brien …’ Fiona began.

Leona interrupted. ‘It’s “Doctor” actually. You can congratulate me if you like. Finally got my PhD. Analytical thinking in corvids. Very smart are corvids.’

Fiona nodded curtly. Leona was right about corvids. I remembered the video where crows dropped walnuts onto the road for cars to crush, and then used the pedestrian crossing to eat them safely. I had colleagues who couldn’t have mastered that.

‘I didn’t do anything to the girl,’ Leona said.

‘But you put the banner up?’ Fiona said.

Leona leaned back in her chair. ‘Did you like it? I thought it was a good effort at short notice. We wondered about using a photoshopped image of a human three-year-old being spit-roasted. They have a similar intelligence and emotional capacity to pigs. But the real image was shocking enough.’

‘How did you get into the abattoir?’ Fiona asked.

‘We popped over the wall.’ Leona made a jumping motion with her hand. ‘Easy-peasy when you know how. We couldn’t have got inside the building. But we didn’t need to.’

‘The banner suggests that you harmed Violet and intend to harm other people.’

‘Oh, I know. Aren’t I naughty? I wanted the publicity.’

‘So where’s Violet?’

‘Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no idea.’

‘Where were you on Sunday night?’

Leona rolled her eyes skywards. ‘Sunday … Sunday … Oh, I think that was a little meet-up with a friend. Yes, that’s right. In Barnsley, of all places.’ She gave a beatific smile. ‘Yes, I even stopped for petrol on the way up there. I bet you’ll find me on the cameras if I check the receipt and give you the name of the place.’

‘Yes. Please do that. What time did you stop?’

‘About ten?’

‘What time were you meeting your friend?’

‘About eleven. He’s a night-owl.’

‘We’ll need his details. Where did you meet, and for how long?’

‘At his house and I stayed over.’ She touched her hair. ‘Does that give me an alibi? Phew.’

‘Did anyone else see you?’