Page 78 of The Girl in the Woods

Finally, he moved forward towards her and fell to his knees. ‘Laine,’ he sobbed, shaking her. ‘Laine, wake up.’

It was as though someone had just plunged a knife through his heart. He clutched his chest, struggled to take a deep breath, and then howled like a wild animal.

‘Help me!’

Needles, who’d charged after him, recognised Laine’s dress and screamed. ‘Laine? Oh Jesus, what have you done to her?’

‘I–’ began Sajid, but he never got to finish.

Sajid could never recall how long the beating lasted, but it seemed an eternity. He felt the heavy punches to his face, but they didn’t matter. Part of him was numb from finding Laine’s body. The heavy boots pounded into his ribs, followed by a hammer of abuse. Needles had become a lightning bolt of anger.

Only the final kick Sajid remembered because someone arrived then and pulled Needles, still spewing vitriol, off him.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Frankie screamed as she approached the edge of the woods, her legs bleeding from where she’d tripped.

Jack, the landlord, who was enjoying a quick fag, quickly dropped it and ran to Frankie. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked, knowing it was a stupid question as anyone could see she was far from all right.

‘The vigilante,’ she said, vomiting and just missing his shoes. ‘He’s done something to a girl in the woods.’

‘What?’ he asked, stunned. ‘What girl?’

‘Are you fucking deaf,’ she screamed, dragging a hand across her face to wipe away her tears. ‘Help her,’ she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to where Laine was. ‘It was The Vigilante. I saw him.’

Much to the man’s relief, he saw Matt and the new DC running towards them.

‘Help her,’ Frankie begged hysterically, tears running down her face.

‘What’s happened?’ asked Matt, pulling out his mobile.

‘The Vigilante, he’s attacked a girl in the woods.’

‘Show me,’ said Ana calmly.

‘No, wait,’ said Matt.

But Frankie had grabbed her arm and pulled her into the woods to the Old Oak tree where Sajid was lying beside Laine, and several men were holding back Needles.

Ana stopped abruptly.

‘We heard the shouts,’ said one of the men holding Needles. ‘He was beating the other lad like a madman.’

‘You’ve got to help her,’ Needles cried. ‘She’s bleeding from her head. It’s my sister. It was him,’ he said, pointing at Sajid. ‘He tried to kill her. You need to get her an ambulance.’

‘Let him go,’ said Ana. ‘I think he’s got it out of his system.’

‘It wasn’t him,’ said Frankie, pointing to Sajid while trying to avoid looking at Laine’s still body. ‘It was The Vigilante. I saw him arguing with her.’

Ana knelt by Laine’s body and felt the warmth of her blood seep through her dress and onto her skin. Even in the darkness, the gushing blood from her head glinted under the moonlight. Watching Laine ebb away, her eyes growing steadily dull, Ana felt like her guts were being torn out.

‘Jesus,’ she groaned, feeling the prickle of tears behind her lashes. She bit hard on her lip until she tasted blood. Keep it together, she reprimanded herself.

Matt arrived, panting at her side.

‘She’s still breathing,’ she said, feeling Laine’s weak pulse.

Needles fell to his knees beside his sister. ‘Please save her, please.’

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