As the Pig Turns - By M.C. Beaton Page 0,63

hard killers and psychos. Think what they did to Beech.’

‘Just a look,’ pleaded Agatha, ‘and then we’ll phone if there’s anything.’

They got out of the car and made their way silently towards the barn. Agatha suddenly stopped in her tracks. ‘I’ve got to pee.’

‘Then pee and follow us,’ said Charles crossly. ‘Couldn’t you have gone all that time we were waiting behind that bloody hedge? Oh, go on.’

‘Wait for me,’ pleaded Agatha.

‘I’m bored,’ said Charles. ‘I’m going to take one look and then we’re off.’

He and Toni crept forward, dropping down on to the grass and wriggling forward. The barn doors were open and light was streaming out.

Charles managed to get one look inside. ‘It’s a lab,’ he whispered. ‘They must be making drugs.’

And then he and Toni were seized. Toni let out a scream. Agatha, hitching up her knickers, turned and ran back to the car. She desperately phoned the police, babbling instructions.

‘How did you find us?’ Richards was demanding as Toni and Charles were held captive by three men.

‘Won’t answer, eh? Boris, get the acetylene torch and scorch that pretty face. She’ll tell us soon enough.’

‘It was my idea,’ said Charles. ‘The police know nothing about it.’

‘Well, you’re going to find out what happens to snoops. Burn her face off, Boris.’ Charles tried to tear himself free but was held firm.

Boris advanced with the torch.

‘Someone’s coming!’ cried Richards.

Agatha Raisin, crouched over the wheel of the Mercedes, crashed straight into the barn and right into Boris. Chemicals, glass jars and retorts went flying. She swerved and gunned the car at Richards, who leapt out of the way, but not before she had sideswiped him and broken his leg. ‘Shoot her!’ he shouted.

Flames were beginning to flare up all round. His men were running outside for the truck.

Charles and Toni jumped into the car. Agatha reversed straight out, but the truck was driving off. ‘We’ve got to get Richards out of there,’ shouted Charles.

Agatha stopped. Charles ran back in and pulled Richards, who was screaming with pain, out of the inferno. His clothes were on fire, and Charles rolled him over in the grass until the flames went out.

Suddenly, there was a helicopter overhead and police sirens in the distance.

Richards had fallen unconscious. Agatha and Toni got out of the car and joined him. Toni sat down and put her head between her knees. ‘They were going to burn her face off, Agatha,’ said Charles.

Agatha sat white-faced, staring at Toni, cursing herself for her vanity that had nearly led the girl to a nasty death.

Then they were surrounded by police, ambulances and fire engines.

Richards was taken off in an ambulance and under police guard. His gang had been caught. Agatha wanted Toni to be taken to hospital to be treated for shock, but Toni refused to go.

Then they were taken off to police headquarters in Dover to be questioned before being transferred to a ‘safe’ house to face further questioning in the morning.

The ‘safe’ house fortunately contained nightwear and changes of clothes. They huddled together on the sofa in the small living room. Charles got up and went into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of whisky. ‘Look what I’ve found.’

‘Toni needs hot sweet tea,’ admonished Agatha.

‘Toni needs to get drunk,’ said Toni in a weary voice.

‘So it was drugs all along,’ said Agatha at last.

‘And farm machinery and cars, probably,’ said Charles. ‘Tulloch wasn’t around. I hate to think of that psycho still being on the loose.’

Toni shuddered, and Agatha said quickly, ‘They probably got rid of him. Once he was blown, he became expendable. Let’s go to bed.’

During the night, Agatha woke up and found Charles in bed next to her.

‘What the . . . ?’

‘Just shut up and go to sleep.’ He put his arms around her. Agatha drifted back off to sleep into a world of nightmares, haunted by a picture of beautiful Toni’s ruined face.

A policeman who had been on guard outside the door knocked in the morning and asked them if they would like breakfast. ‘We’d better eat something,’ said Agatha.

‘There’s a McDonald’s next door.’

‘Couldn’t he do better than that?’ grumbled Agatha.

‘Nothing up with McDonald’s,’ said Charles. ‘I’m starving.’

They had just finished eating when they were told they were being escorted back to Mircester.

‘More questioning,’ groaned Agatha. ‘What about my car?’

‘You’ll need to contact your insurance company. Part of the blazing barn fell on it. It’s a write-off.’

The three of them were interviewed separately. Toni was interviewed by Bill Wong and Alice