Bex nodded and picked at a knot in the wood of the bench. There was so much she wanted to ask him. About her past, her mum, the family. But she didn’t want to ruin the mood. She wanted to grab the good time with her dad, and Anna was due any minute. Bex had asked her over, partly because she wanted to find out more about Daniel. She couldn’t ask directly, but she wanted to know about that photograph of her.

Her dad stood. ‘Anna’s here. I’ll leave you to it.’ He flicked a glance at the pigs, and headed back towards the house.

And there Anna was. Early, which was typical of her. She flung herself onto the bench opposite Bex. ‘Hiya. You been training them?’

Bex smiled. She liked Anna. She wasn’t very cool, but neither was Bex. It was good to spend time with someone who didn’t care what she looked like, and didn’t go all pathetic around boys. Bex’s friends at school went all ditzy any time a decent-looking boy approached them. It was too boring.

‘Yeah,’ Bex said. ‘Dad’s been showing me. He gets them to follow targets to move them around. Reckons they’re super-quick to train and it’s a better way to do it. Doesn’t scare them, and it’s safer for him too.’ It felt good to be the expert, even just between her and Anna.

‘That’s good,’ Anna said. ‘I see them at the abattoir sometimes and it’s awful … They’re terrified.’

‘What’s it like having your parents run an abattoir?’ Bex looked at Anna to see if she’d got too personal. They’d only known each other a few weeks, even though they’d hung around together most days.

Anna said, ‘I think they might want me to take it over when they retire.’

‘Not Gary?’

‘They think I’m sensible and responsible.’

‘You are. Is Gary not?’ Bex pictured Gary walking over the stones of the drowned village and felt a tingle in her stomach. But she wouldn’t be going all stupid about him, she knew that for sure.

‘He’s not great with money,’ Anna said. ‘I guess he’ll grow up.’

Bex wasn’t sure what to say. Was it good that Anna would take over the abattoir? Or bad that she’d have to kill animals for a living, and that Gary was no good with money.

‘There’s not much to do for entertainment in Gritton,’ Anna said. ‘Gary and Kirsty placed a few bets for fun, but I think Gary’s still doing it. You have to watch out for Kirsty. Did you realise she deals?’

Bex felt a stab of confusion. ‘Deals?’

‘I know she’s your sister, but you may as well know: she makes a bit of money dealing drugs.’

Bex blinked into the sun. ‘No! Not Kirsty! Dad would kill her.’