Page 94 of The Girl in the Woods

‘One moment.’ He turned to Ana, who was struggling with the door. Why the fuck didn’t Matt open it?

‘Let me get you some water,’ Dr Rust said kindly.

She ignored him, yanked open the door, and took a lungful of air while grasping the railings surrounding the building to keep herself upright.

Matt seemed concerned and said, ‘Let’s get you home. I’ll explain that you came over unwell. I’ll come back and question Dr Rust.’

No, I’ll come with you,’ she said, but deep down, she knew she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t face Dr Michael Rust’s consulting room, see his couch, or look at the whiteness of the walls. She took a deep breath before saying, ‘I think I should go home after all.’

Matt nodded. Ana hoped Matt would connect her feeling unwell after visiting the morgue. Hopefully, he wouldn’t realise it was a panic attack. She could tell from his expression he was confused. She knew she was acting oddly, but how could she explain why to Matt?

‘Is there something wrong?’ he asked.

Ana steered the conversation back to Elaine Lees, and eventually, he gave up, and they drove home in silence.

Jassy’s mum had made a chicken casserole and told Jassy to take it to Jim and Needles. Jassy wasn’t keen. Needles had always frightened her, and Jim said things that didn’t make sense, and she never knew how to answer him.

‘Make sure they eat it,’ her mum had ordered.

The smell of the food made Jassy sick to her stomach. How could anyone eat knowing Laine was dead? It seemed to Jassy that time had come to a standstill. The shock and disbelief were palpable throughout the village. She kept expecting Laine to WhatsApp and tell her it was another of her silly jokes. But Laine didn’t WhatsApp or text. Jassy had told the police that Laine had started to throw a lot of money around, but Jassy didn’t know where it came from. The night of the fair, Laine wanted to impress Sajid.

‘She wanted to win him back,’ she said. ‘He would never hurt her. He just didn’t want trouble with her brother.’

They asked her about the social worker, and she said she didn’t think Laine ever went. ‘Said it was a waste of time.’

Jassy couldn’t face the fact that she’d never see Laine again. Laine had been so happy in her lovely dress and new shoes that night. So why had Sajid ruined everything?

‘Oh, Laine,’ she whispered, tears watering her eyes. ‘I miss you so much.’

Needles opened the door and Jassy gasped in shock. He was unshaven, his eyes red and sore, and he wore a shabby top with food stains on it.

‘Mum made a casserole,’ she said.

He looked at the stoneware pot and opened the door wider.

‘Who is it?’ called Jim.

‘Just a friend. It’s okay.’

Jassy followed him into the kitchen, where he placed the pot on the counter that had toast crumbs peppered all over it. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the overflowing bin and offered to empty it, but Needles said he would do it later. Jassy didn’t know what else to do, so she walked to the kettle, ignored the rust-stains on the sink and dirty dishes, and filled it from the juddering tap.

‘The tap isn’t working properly,’ she told Needles.

‘It’s good enough.’

‘Shall I make Jim one?’

‘Nah, he’ll just forget it’s there. He’s probably dozed off again.’

Placing the tea on the kitchen table, she sat opposite Needles. ‘It wasn’t Sajid. He wouldn’t hurt Laine for the world.’

‘I know,’ He nodded. ‘It was The Vigilante. He disrespected me on the coach. He smashed my bike. And now he’s killed my sister because he hates me.’ Jassy thought the same, but why did this hooded fucker hate Needles so much that he’d kill his sister? First, the incident with the coach, then the bike, and now Laine. There had to be a connection.

‘You’re coming to the candle-lit vigil tomorrow night, aren’t you?’ asked Jassy. ‘Loads of people are going to be there. We need to show Laine how much we love her.’ She burst into uncontrollable tears. ‘I should have followed her into the woods instead of being such a coward,’ she sobbed. ‘I could have saved her.’

Needles stood and walked around the table, and then they were hugging and crying together. ‘He might have attacked you, too. I’ll get the bastard,’ he said. ‘I’ll make him wish he’d never been born.’

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

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