Page 35 of The Girl in the Woods

‘It’s good to be back. I’ve missed your insults.’

Beth grinned. ‘I’ve missed throwing them at you.’

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ana approached Ruth, the administrator, who was tapping madly at her keyboard. ‘Hi, I’m DC Rawlins. The new girl,’ she added, smiling and holding out her hand.

Ruth didn’t look up.

Don’t go overboard with the welcome, thought Ana.

‘Hi,’ Ruth finally replied, tapping away at the keyboard as though her life depended on it. Ana was surprised sparks weren’t flying off it.

‘I need the file on Vanessa Smith, hit and run about three months ago. I understand you’re the person to ask.’

Ruth stopped typing and looked up. Ana stared in amazement at the pink painted fake cupid’s bow above Ruth’s upper lip and the bright blue eyeshadow smudged across her eyelids.

‘That file is closed,’ said Ruth, fluttering her heavily mascaraed lashes. Her tone was final, and she returned to her mad typing.

Ana said, ‘Yes, I know that, but I still need it.’

‘On whose authorisation?’ asked Ruth in a pompous voice.

Ana sighed. Miss bloody Gestapo, or what?

‘That case is closed,’ said Luke Carpenter from behind her.

Ana took a deep breath and turned to face him. ‘DS Harper said I could look into it.’

‘You’re reopening the case?’ he asked. ‘No one mentioned anything to me. I was in charge of Vanessa Smith’s case. Why didn’t you come to me?’

Ana looked closely at him. He was in his early forties, she guessed. The gold band on his left finger told her he was married. There was an arrogance about him that she didn’t like. Some instinct told her he was most likely a male chauvinist pig. ‘I didn’t know you were in charge of the case,’ she said. ‘Otherwise, I would have.’

‘Well, I was, and I can’t see anything to look into unless you’ve got a new lead.’

Bloody male ego, thought Ana tiredly. ‘I’m not questioning anyone’s ability,’ she said. ‘Obviously, if you’re unhappy, you can take it up with the boss.’

‘I might well do that.’

‘Not a problem.’ Ana turned away from him and asked Ruth, ‘If you could leave it on my desk.’

Without glancing at Luke, she walked to her desk. Ruth swept past her, leaving a strong, musky scent in her wake. Ana sneezed. A few minutes later, Ruth slapped a file onto her desk. Ana mouthed thanks, but Ruth seemed to ignore her.

Ana became aware that Luke was watching her and pretended not to notice. A few moments later, he walked from the station.

‘Wanker,’ she said under her breath.

The file didn’t tell her much at all. A hit and run on a small side road in Summertown. Ana looked up Summertown, a town close to Oxford. CCTV cameras hadn’t revealed anything, and there had been no witnesses to give details of the car. An investigation was carried out, but as there were no clear leads, the officers on the case had nothing to follow. Ana sighed. The only witness was Vanessa’s friend, who said she’d rushed to Vanessa’s aid and couldn’t give much information on the car.

Ana grabbed her cardigan and made for the door.

Tim Smith’s home was on a housing estate in Longbridge. The front garden was immaculate, overflowing with a variety of shrubs. A woman opened the door. Ana soon learnt this was Vanessa’s friend, Penny, who had been with Vanessa at the time of the accident. Ana couldn’t believe her luck. Vanessa and Penny couldn’t have been more helpful when she explained who she was and why she’d come.

Hot air blasted her as soon as she entered the immaculate hallway. A polished sideboard held a sparkling crystal vase with red roses. Like the hallway, the living room was scrupulously clean and hot, and Ana began sweating. ‘It’s warm in here,’ she said, removing her cardigan.

‘Vanessa feels the cold,’ said Penny.

What cold? thought Ana. It’s bloody summer. I’ll be down to my underwear at this rate.

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