Page 105 of The Girl in the Woods

‘I should slit his throat,’ he said menacingly, looking down at Luke, who was now groaning and grovelling to escape. ‘You covered up that accident. You don’t deserve to live.’

‘I’m sorry,’ quivered Luke.

Blood seeped from his cheek onto the snowy white carpet and Ana oddly wondered how much it would cost to clean.

Luke attempted to stand, but his legs collapsed under him.

‘He needs an ambulance,’ said Ana.

The distant sound of sirens eased the rush of adrenalin pulsating through her veins, and her body relaxed.

The Vigilante turned to the door. ‘Thank you,’ he said when they were outside.

Ana gripped the machete. Why the hell was he thanking her? She swiped the back of her hand across her mouth, where it was wet with blood.

‘I don’t know who you are, but I know you saved me, and I’m truly grateful for that. I’m in no fit state to arrest you, but I beg you, please hand yourself in.’

He closed the door behind them and lifted the balaclava.

Ana gasped. Of all the people they’d imagined The Vigilante to be, it had never occurred to anyone that it could be Tim. Quiet, unassuming Tim. But, of course, why wouldn’t it have been him? After all, he’d been let down by the police. The accident had changed his life, and his mother’s, forever. Thinking about it now, she realised how that anger must have crushed him. The police had seemed to do nothing, and he had been right. They hadn’t done anything to find the culprit because Luke had known who it was all along.

Tim held his hand out, and she obediently passed him the machete.

‘I heard your conversation over the phone,’ he said. He looked at her closely. ‘You need an ambulance. I think your jaw is broken.’

She knew he was right. The pain was becoming excruciating now.

Tim sighed wearily and clicked into his phone. ‘Just me, Mum,’ he said. ‘Is Penny with you? … Oh, good. … Yes, she’s fine. She had an accident. … All okay. I’ll be home as soon as I can.’ He hung up.

Ana continued to stare at him in silent shock.

He pulled the balaclava over his head. ‘It’s not the time, not yet,’ he said. ‘But I will hand myself in. I didn’t kill that girl, you know that?’ He dropped the machete into his rucksack.

‘I know,’ she said.

He didn’t even ask how she knew. ‘They’ll be here soon,’ he said. ‘I need a huge favour from you.’

‘I won’t tell anyone until we find Laine’s killer,’ she said.

He smiled and handed her a card. She didn’t have to read it to know what it said.

She watched him quickly walk down the corridor to the lift, then she sat on the hall floor and waited for the ambulance to arrive. In all the panic, she knew no one would notice Tim. It seemed several occupants of the flats had called the police, too, and within minutes, Ana’s apartment was cordoned off.

CHAPTER SIXTY

After all he’d done for her, Beth noticed that Lisa Carpenter didn’t ask about her husband’s condition until the very end of her interview, and even then, it was as though she’d only just remembered his existence. When confronted with the accident, she immediately broke down.

‘I didn’t know what to do. I was going to help,’ she said, sobbing. ‘But others came, and I panicked. I know I shouldn’t have driven off, but I’d been drinking, and Luke said that Robbie Benson would take care of the car and after I found out she hadn’t died…’

She stopped when she saw the expression on DI Miller’s face and then started sobbing again. ‘I’ve been depressed,’ she said as though that explained everything. ‘We’ve had some money difficulties.’

‘Lisa Carpenter, I’m arresting you for driving without due care and attention and causing a near-fatal accident while intoxicated. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something that you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand what I’ve just said?’

Lisa nodded and lifted her tear-stained, blotchy face. ‘You know me, Beth, I wouldn’t hurt anybody. There’s no need to arrest me.’

‘You can’t just knock people down with your car, Lisa, and get away with it, and Luke should never have covered up a crime or destroyed evidence.’

‘I would have handed myself in, but Luke said it would affect his pension and everything.’

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