The Piggy Farmer (The Barrington Patch Book 3), Emmy Ellis [electric book reader txt] 📗

“There are pluses to each scenario. Yes, my first instinct was to cover it all up…” Cassie wasn’t about to admit to Lou she’d got rattled when she’d first seen Bob in the boot, hence him going to Marlene. “But then I thought of how we’d be sending a strong message. Twenty-three years have passed, yet still the job gets done—people will cotton on to the significance in the end, that all those four officers were on certain cases together, and maybe the police will come to question you because you were involved in one of them, so be prepared for that.” Cassie wouldn’t worry about it now. Like Dad had said, business first, worry later. She could be making the biggest mistake of her new role, but time would tell.

“He didn’t need much persuading to do what I asked. The copper, I mean,” Mam said, thankfully changing the subject. “Amazing what ten grand can do.”

Cassie turned onto the farm track and drove around the back. She reversed by the mudroom door. Ben came out of the pig barn a few metres away and gazed over.

“Will he be an issue?” Mam asked.

“No,” Lou said. “I told him I was going with you two for a coffee. God love him and everything, but he’s a bit dim, easily persuaded to believe whatever I tell him. My brother’s the same, his dad. Not the sharpest scissors at the salon.”

“Okay.” Cassie sighed, tired. She still had to go and see Hua, buy the cakes, and wanted a nap this afternoon. There was a chance she’d get to the squat. She’d warned Jimmy not to go outside for a fag until she’d given him the all-clear, and he’d let Shirl know to steer clear, too. Anyroad, Shirl was ill with the flu and wouldn’t be a problem. “We’ll meet up again later, as planned. What are you telling Joe?”

“That we’re having a few drinks at your mam’s place and I might stay over.”

“That’ll raise red flags, the staying over bit,” Mam warned. “You never do that.”

Lou shrugged. “Okay then, I’ll come back home.” She sounded mardy. A brat.

“But you’ll have blood on you.” Cassie frowned. Lou couldn’t be thinking straight. “We’ll put boilersuits on.” Clearly, there was still a lot they needed to fine-tune. It was all very well knowing how they’d kill Knight and Codderidge, but the small print needed some tweaks. They’d been so intent on getting Gorley, they hadn’t had time for an in-depth conflab about the other two.

That could lead to mistakes. She’d already made one by killing Nathan Abbot and didn’t plan on doing that again.

“Fine. See you later.” Lou got out.

She waved to Ben, who tromped back inside the barn scratching his head, maybe because Lou had carrier bags over her shoes, shit, and she entered the farmhouse, her shoulders straight, the usual slouch completely gone.

Bob’s and Gorley’s deaths had boosted her.

Mam switched to the passenger seat, and Cassie set off, glad to be away from the mental woman. The way Lou had behaved in the shed reminded Cassie of herself, her monster, and it was unsettling, akin to looking in a mirror and seeing all the parts of herself she didn’t like. Parts she had to be in order to run the estate.

“She’s not right in the head,” Mam said. “Bats in the sodding belfry.”

“You think? Fucking hell, she’s always been weird, but…”

“I know. Look, let’s get through this for her then forget about it. I’ve always felt guilty that I still had you and she didn’t have Jess. The Mechanic planned to take you next, so thank God your dad stopped him before he could snatch you. So I owe it to Lou, this…this insane nonsense. I’m not much liking it, I have to say. Killing coppers is a bit too close to the bone for me, but hopefully, once she’s killed them all, she’ll calm down, stop overthinking everything.”

“What she’s doing will never bring Jess back, so why is she bothering? It’s like she’s righting a wrong that won’t have the outcome she thinks it will—making everything better. Okay, I can see she’s already stronger, and the murders will give her the sense of justice she’s after, but will this be the end of it? Who else will she think of to blame? We could be killing people for months to come.”

“No, I won’t allow it, and neither should you.” Mam smoothed her brunette hair which had gone cotton-woolly from the wig. “It’s Knight and Codderidge, then she’s got to accept we won’t be entertaining owt else. You do realise that if she goes off by herself, like she did with Bob, you’ll have to give her a warning, no matter who she is, and if she ignores that, she’s dead.”

Cassie hadn’t even entertained that. Lou had been in her life from the start, was like an aunt, family—otherwise, Cassie would never have helped the woman to this extent. “But she’s your friend. So much for ‘Graftons don’t squeal’ with regards to people they love.”

“They do on occasion, just that your dad preferred to be blinkered when it came to his mates. Lou doesn’t get to break the rules. The only people who can get away with things is me and you—we’ll cover up for each other. But anyone else? No, Lou is a resident, albeit not on the actual Barrington, but she’s under your rule—Handel Farm is within your jurisdiction, so to speak. Besides, her and Joe wanted it that way.”

Bloody hell. Mam was serious.

“Right. Then let’s hope she doesn’t fuck up after tonight.” Cassie pulled into Mam’s driveway.

In the hallway, they removed the carrier bags and their shoes, placing them inside a black rubbish bag along with their gloves. Cassie left it by the front door. They showered and changed, then