Abattoir Blues Read Free

taken, too?’
    ‘I should think these people specialise, wouldn’t you? There’s a lot of difference between getting rid of a tractor and a pig. Also, you’ve got to know how to handle pigs. They can be nasty when they want to be.’
    ‘I suppose so,’ said Annie, though she knew absolutely nothing about pigs except they smelled and squealed and she didn’t eat them. ‘Now the thieves know that the pigs are here, though, perhaps you should think about improving your security?’
    ‘How am I supposed to do that, apart from standing outside the sty all night with a shotgun in my hands?’
    ‘I’d forget about the shotgun, if I were you, sir. They only get people into trouble. There must be special fences, alarms, Country Watch, that sort of thing.’
    ‘I’ll look into it.’
    ‘Where was the key?’
    Beddoes looked away. ‘What key?’
    ‘To the tractor. I imagine if it’s modern and expensive it has various security features.’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘So where did you keep the key?’
    ‘Hanging on a hook in the garage.’
    ‘And the car keys? The Beemer and the Range Rover.’
    Beddoes patted his trouser pocket. ‘They’re on my key ring. I carry them with me.’
    ‘But you didn’t take the tractor key with you while you were away?’
    ‘Are you here to interrogate me or to help me recover my stolen tractor?’
    Annie and Wilson exchanged glances. ‘Well, sir,’ Annie went on, ‘at the moment we’re trying to establish just how the tractor was stolen, and it would seem to me that being able to start it is a major issue. I mean, you could hardly push it into a waiting lorry, could you?’
    ‘How could I know something like this was going to happen?’ Beddoes had reddened and started waving his arms around. ‘We were running late. Pat . . . The bloody taxi was waiting. I just didn’t think. The garage was securely locked when we left, for crying out loud.’
    ‘John,’ said his wife. ‘Calm down. Your blood pressure.’
    Beddoes smoothed his hand over his hair. ‘Right. Sorry.’ He turned to Annie again. ‘In retrospect I know it looks stupid, and I didn’t want the insurers to know, but I . . . I mean, mostly we’re around, so it’s not a problem. I often just leave the tractor in the yard with the key in the ignition. When you get on a tractor, you want to just start it and get going, not search around for bloody keys. In this case, the garage was well locked, I had someone keeping an eye on the place. What more was I supposed to do?’
    ‘I’ve no idea,’ said Annie. ‘Who took care of the place for you while you were away?’
    ‘Frank Lane from over the dale said he’d feed the pigs and chickens and keep an eye on everything for us. Not that we blame Frank for what happened, of course. He can’t stand on twenty-four-hour vigil any more than I can. Besides, he’s got his own farm to take care of, and it’s far bigger than ours.’ He laughed. ‘Frank’s a real farmer, as he never ceases to inform us. And he’s got that tearaway son of his to worry about. We’re just grateful he was able to help at all.’
    ‘What makes you call his son a tearaway?’ Annie asked.
    ‘Oh, he’s always been a handful, ever since he was a nipper. Mischievous imp. He got into some trouble with the police a while back.’
    ‘What sort of trouble?’
    ‘Frank wasn’t specific about it, but I think it was something to do with a stolen car. Joyriding. Got probation, community service, something like that. I didn’t like to say anything to Frank, but to be honest, the lad always seemed a bit of a shiftless and mischievous sort to me, if truth be told. He doesn’t live at the farm any more, but he turns up now and again to see his father.’
    ‘Capable of stealing a tractor?’
    ‘I’m not saying that. I don’t think he’s basically dishonest.’ Beddoes took a deep breath. ‘Just misguided. Frank calls me a hobby farmer. Laughs at me behind his back, like they all do. It’s true, I