Page 14 of Her Last Breath

‘This is your last chance though, Liam. I can’t risk getting inspected for animal cruelty and having the place shut down.’

‘It won’t happen again. I told you, those guys did it on purpose.’

‘You should give them a chance. They’re good lads. Hardworking, decent.’

‘I’m alright,’ Liam said stubbornly. ‘I just want to do my job. So you’ll train me then, yeah?’

‘Yes, sure, we can do it tomorrow. For now, head to the freezer, do a carcass check.’

Liam knew what that meant. A waste of an hour counting the hanging pigs. It was a pointless task; who was going to walk out of work with a dead pig flung over their shoulders?

As Liam turned to leave, Peel called out after him: ‘Everyone deserves to die with dignity, mate. Even the animals we slaughter here.’

Liam continued out of the office to change into a thermal protection suit. The changing room was a spartan, narrow space, located well away from Peel’s office. As Liam zipped up his thick body suit, his phone started to ring.

‘Yeah?’ he said gruffly.

‘Mr Liam Harrison?’

‘Yeah.’

‘This is Detective Constable Elaine Chan. We spoke a few days ago. About Alice Rogers.’

Liam felt himself turn red, even though the woman on the phone couldn’t see him.

‘I’m calling to inform you that we found Alice’s body this morning.’

Liam felt sick, his heart beating faster. Fear and panic coursed through his veins, sweat building quickly on his face and back.

‘I need you to come into the station.’

‘Why? I told you everything I know about that bit— Her.’

‘Just some routine questions. Follow-up now that we’ve found her body.’

‘I have work.’

‘This is urgent. Or we could come to see you at your workplace?’

Given how dodgy the Peels were, they wouldn’t stomach police on site. He couldn’t take the risk of losing his job.

‘Let me be clear,’ the policewoman said. ‘This isn’t a request.’

‘What are you getting at? This has nothing to do with me. I told you lot last time. She’s dead to me.’

Bad choice of words.

‘We need to speak to you today.’

Silence, save for the blood pounding in his head. His greasy breakfast rose into his mouth. He knew he couldn’t visit the police station. If he did, they would never let him out again.

Chapter 8

It was an uncomfortable, silent ride from the hospital, frustration festering on both sides. Determined to ensure DS Johnson didn’t go rogue again, Jane had insisted he drive her to where Alice Rogers was last seen. As he turned unfamiliar corners, jerking over the speed bumps that were in place every few yards, a sad realisation dawned on her; she barely knew the outskirts of her own city anymore.

Even more annoying was the realisation that DS Johnson was taking them a much faster way than her satnav would have. Mr Burnley with his twenty years of local service rubbing it in her face. Realising an endless battle suited no one, Jane attempted some sort of truce.

‘Everything’s changed since I left,’ she said casually, hoping it would trigger a conversation. ‘You must have seen it happen around you.’