Page 131 of The Girl in the Woods

Sajid couldn’t recall how long the attack went on. He remembered he and Will had somehow got the knife off Needles and he’d heard it clatter onto the concrete floor. Will’s arm had been slashed in his efforts to help Tim, who was now lying on the floor. Sajid thought he didn’t look too bad, just a cut above his eyebrow, the scarlet blood flowing into his eyes.

But Sajid knew the injuries were much worse. It was his body that was damaged. Blood was up the walls, all over the floor, and Sajid saw, to his horror, also over his own shirt and jeans.

Vanessa was screaming from the other side of the garage door, and Sajid was relieved when a paramedic entered. The ambulance arrived before the police.

When the paramedics cut away his clothes, the blooming purple patches told of internal ruptures, likely organ damage. The paramedics had looked at Sajid with encouraging faces. ‘He’s going to be okay now,’ one said.

And all the while, Jassy was crying in the background like her heart had snapped in two.

Ana got a call from Matt, telling her that Tim had suffered horrific injuries, but the doctor said they were not life-threatening.

‘Oh, God, if only I’d seen the messages earlier.’

‘You can’t blame yourself, Ana.’

‘Has Sandy said anything?’ she asked.

‘No, she’s waiting for her solicitor. He’ll no doubt tell her to say “no comment” to everything. Why didn’t you tell me you knew who The Vigilante was?’

‘It’s a long story.’

‘Sounds like a bloody novel, Ana.’

CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE

Beth’s visit wasn’t unexpected. She looked pale and weary, and Ana’s heart went out to her. Jonny left them alone with the excuse that he had work to do.

‘It worked out, then,’ Beth said, smiling as Jonny closed the door.

Ana nodded and then lowered her eyes.

‘Beth, I’m so sorry. I know you probably think I should have told you. But…’ She looked up. ‘What was I supposed to say? Someone raped me when I was young; I think he’s here. Then, I learn it’s your brother-in-law.’

She could see Beth trying to understand. ‘Did you ever think of Sandy and Zoe?’

Ana’s eyes then blazed with anger. ‘No, I didn’t. I’ll tell you who I thought of. All those girls he abused and those he would have gone on to abuse.’

Beth’s eyes filled with tears. ‘She’s lost everything.’

Ana stood up. ‘I’m so sorry, Beth. I didn’t pull the trigger, she did.’

Beth swallowed, and Ana could tell the following words were a struggle for her to say. ‘You could say the gun went off by mistake, that she didn’t intend to kill him.’

Their eyes met. There was mutual pain in both. Ana didn’t want Sandy to suffer any more than Beth did.

‘After all, weren’t you about to stab him to death yourself with a Stanley knife?’ asked Beth quietly.

Ana’s eyes didn’t leave Beth’s. Would she have done it if Sandy hadn’t come in at that moment? She was out of her mind with anger and grief. If she was honest with herself, she had probably been capable of stabbing him multiple times.

‘I’ve already made my statement,’ she said.

Beth leaned forward and grabbed Ana’s hands in hers. ‘You could change it – for Zoe and us. You know she isn’t a murderer.’

Ana knew that Sandy was denying killing her husband. That the gun went off accidentally. It was her word against Ana’s.

A picture of a little girl running through a wood of bluebells, her long flowing curls blowing in the breeze, suddenly ran through Ana’s mind. Her pretty face glowed as she looked back and smiled at the camera. Ana smiled at the memory. Her hands were warm in Beth’s.

‘For Zoe,’ she said. ‘I’ll do it for Zoe.’

---