Page 103 of The Girl in the Woods

‘Hello, is that Constable Rawlins?’ Tim asked.

There were sounds in the background, but he couldn’t determine what they were.

‘Constable Rawlins, it’s Tim, Vanessa’s son. Mum has just remembered something that I think might be important.’

Still no reply, and then he heard a man’s voice in the background.

‘What is she saying?’ asked Vanessa.

He put a finger to his lips to silence her. The man had used his mother’s name, and Ana wasn’t answering the phone. Something was wrong.

‘Luke, I’d like you to leave, please.’ The shake in Ana’s voice was unmistakable, and she hated herself for it. She leaned down to pick up her phone, but Luke kicked it away.

‘The minute I leave, you’ll tell Miller, won’t you? In a split second, you’ll ruin our lives.’

Ana realised that she’d made a terrible mistake. She hadn’t thought things through. She had wanted to make things easier for Luke by letting him tell Harper or Miller. Now she could see that all she’d done was make him more desperate, and a desperate, bent copper was unpredictable.

‘In a split second, Lisa ruined Vanessa’s life. She was over the limit, wasn’t she?’

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. ‘We’ve had problems. You don’t understand. It’s not like Vanessa died. I mean, she still has a life and does things.’

Ana stared at him, stunned. ‘She’s disabled for life, Luke. Her life will never be the same again, nor will her son’s.’

He pushed her back onto the couch and clawed his fingers through his hair. ‘Just be quiet. I need to think.’

Had he heard right? He clenched and unclenched his hands. Adrenalin shot through his body. Now, it all became clear. The bastard had been covering for his wife. The whole time Tim had believed him to be looking for the hit-and-run driver, he had instead been covering up for them. Now Ana Rawlins had discovered the truth. The pounding in his ears was so loud that he barely heard his mother when she said, ‘What’s wrong, Tim?’

‘Damn,’ he cursed. ‘I don’t even know where she lives.’

‘Who?’ Vanessa asked, puzzled.

‘Ana Rawlins. I think she is in trouble.’

‘What kind of trouble?’ she asked anxiously.

‘I’m not sure,’ he lied. It was best not to tell her the truth – at least not yet.

‘Yes, we do,’ Vanessa said, remembering. ‘It’s on the back of her card.’ Vanessa felt guilty then. She’d asked for the address to send biscuits and then, as usual, had forgotten all about it.

‘Ring the police, tell them I phoned Constable Rawlins at home and I think she is in danger.’

He grabbed the card and his rucksack and hurried to the door.

‘Tim, I don’t think you should go,’ Vanessa said anxiously.

Tim turned and said, ‘There’s every reason I should go. Do you want me to call Penny?’

The landline phone sat on a small table beside her. ‘I’ll phone her. Please be careful, Tim.’

‘Don’t worry about me,’ he said confidently. ‘Don’t forget to call the police.’

Ana realised how foolish she’d been. Not only foolish but soft, which was unlike her. If she’d been sensible, she would have gone straight to Beth, but she’d felt she owed Luke some forewarning. Of course, now she could see how idiotic that had been. All she’d done, in his eyes, was put him in an even worse position.

‘Look, I’m pleading with you. I’ve got a son starting university soon,’ he said, wringing his hands. ‘Lisa has depression. I’ve tried to get her to stop drinking…’

‘Luke, I think you should leave,’ said Ana, standing up and making for the door, but he shoved her roughly before she could reach it.

‘No,’ he said.

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