Page 123 of The Girl in the Woods

Tim turned. ‘Can I help you?’ he asked.

‘Just passing,’ said Needles. ‘I am allowed to walk the streets.’

Needles tried to see into the garage, but Tim pulled the door down.

‘She’s not answering,’ said Jassy. ‘Shall I leave a message?’

Sajid nodded.

‘What do we do now?’ she asked after clicking off her phone.

Sajid had no idea and could only shrug.

‘We could ask Tim,’ she suggested.

A shout from her mother downstairs stopped Sajid from answering. ‘Colin’s here, love.’

‘Don’t mention anything,’ whispered Jassy.

Needles didn’t bother to knock. He looked from one to the other and said, ‘Having a meeting without me?’

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

Ana could see the drug was wearing off. His face turned pale and Ana remembered how sick she felt when she’d come round.

‘Can’t you loosen these ties?’ he asked.

The hate in her eyes told him what a stupid question that was.

‘Like that’s happening,’ she said. She held up his phone like a trophy. ‘Nice photos of you and your family, especially of Zoe.’

His eyes showed his fear. ‘Don’t say my daughter’s name,’ he barked.

She looked away from him and fiddled with the buttons on his phone. It was getting cooler now, but still the air was heavy, and Ana was sweating buckets. She removed her jacket and resisted the temptation to open the barn door.

‘You see, I think your pleasure didn’t just come from that moment. I imagine you wanted to relive it over and over because you’re a fucking pervert.’

He didn’t reply.

‘I’ve heard about people like you. I was obsessed. You like to keep your trophies. Where are yours, Ray? In your hidden folder, am I right?’

Ana imagined his back was aching intolerably now, and his wrists must be raw from rubbing against the cables in his bid to escape.

His eyes flashed with anger. ‘You won’t get away with this.’

Ana was sick and tired of his ego, which was bigger than his bank balance, and she was weary now. She wanted it over. ‘What’s the password to the hidden folder?’ she asked, her throat croaky and dry.

She took a long gulp from the bottled water she’d brought without offering him any. ‘You must be thirsty,’ she said. ‘Give me the code to the hidden folder.’

He grinned at her. ‘Fuck off,’ he snarled.

Ana slammed the water bottle to the ground, picked up the Rohypnol bottle and syringe, and walked slowly towards him. After all she had suffered, there was no way that she’d ever let him win. She’d come this far. There was no turning back now. She scowled at him.

‘Don’t fucking mess with me, you sniffling little prick. If you don’t give me the password, I’ll inject you again and cut off your dick with your own Stanley knife. If you think you feel sick now, think how sick you’ll be after that.’

She leaned in closer. ‘Don’t underestimate me, arsehole, because nothing would give me more pleasure than stopping you fucking young girls.’

Ray struggled to breathe. She was close, so close, close enough. He lifted his head and head-butted her viciously. Ana, unprepared, slipped backwards under the impact, her head pounding. Ray fought for release like a caged animal, but she’d done too good a job.

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