Page 29 of The Girl in the Woods

Ana’s eyes registered interest, which dismayed Alan. ‘Were they racist towards him?’

‘Well, you know, just a little bit, but the odd thing was this masked guy suddenly popped up with a machete, sorted the lads out, and threw them off the coach,’ Alan said matter-of-factly, thinking she might not take it too seriously if he made light of it.

‘What?’ said Ana, looking up from her notebook. ‘He had a machete?’

‘He didn’t hurt anyone,’ explained Alan. ‘He just threatened them, and then a bit later, he got off too. He did everyone a favour, to be honest.’

Ana looked perplexed. ‘I still don’t understand why you didn’t go to Oxford police station.’

Alan chewed his lip nervously. ‘Well, they’re a big station, aren’t they? It’s not like it’s a murder or anything, and seeing as I live in Stonesend, I thought…’

‘The man with the machete, can you describe him for me?’

Alan shook his head. ‘That’s the thing. He was wearing a balaclava and called himself The Vigilante. He also wore combat trousers and a khaki top.’

‘Did he get on your bus like that?’ she asked.

Alan laughed. ‘I think I’d have noticed if he’d been wearing the balaclava. I remember him vaguely, but I couldn’t describe him.’

‘Do you have CCTV cameras on the coaches?’

Alan sighed. ‘Yes, but they sprayed them with black paint.’

‘Canny little buggers then,’ she said. ‘Were these the lads causing the trouble that did that?’

Alan nodded.

‘So, let me get this straight. Some lads got on your coach, sprayed the CCTV cameras with paint and harassed this Pakistani lad; and then this guy pops up wearing a balaclava and threatens them with a machete?’

‘That’s it, and he gave me this card,’ said Alan, taking out his wallet.

Ana pulled the card towards her using a pen. ‘When the law fails to serve us, we must serve as the law. The Vigilante,’ she read aloud.

‘Shouldn’t I have touched it?’ he asked nervously.

‘It’s okay.’ She smiled.

‘He only threatened the ringleader,’ said Alan.

‘Right, can you describe any of these lads?’

‘No, I was too busy keeping my eyes on the road.’

Ana nodded. ‘How about when they got on the coach?’

‘I don’t rightly recall seeing them. We get a lot of people catching the coach.’

‘Can I ask why you didn’t use your radio for help?’

Alan sighed. This was getting too intense for his liking. ‘One of them smashed the radio with a hammer. That’s how I got these cuts on my face and hand. Look, I don’t want trouble. I’ve got a family.’

‘There shouldn’t be any trouble. It’s good you came here,’ she said reassuringly. ‘I’ll need to take a formal statement from you.’

‘Is that necessary?’ he asked nervously.

‘You’ve just reported a crime, Mr Mitchell.’

Alan’s shoulders slumped. He knew he should have kept his head down.

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