Page 67 of The Girl in the Woods

‘Thank you, ma’am.’ Ana smiled.

‘Sorry your evening has been spoilt, but we’ll need your statements.’

‘Of course,’ said Ana.

‘It will just be a later dinner.’ Jonny smiled. ‘God, you’re bloody stubborn,’ he said, relieved to see her safe.

‘And you’re bloody mad. You’re not even trained, you madman.’

He grabbed her hand. ‘I’m mad for you,’ he said.

CHAPTER FORTY

Skinner cried throughout most of his interview to the point where Matt thought they would run out of tissues. The lad even offered to pay for the beer and crisps. Finally, he was released with a caution. His dad gave him a bashing around the head to knock some sense into him, and then Skinner went to Benson’s garage to assure Needles he hadn’t mentioned any names.

‘Good lad,’ said Needles, slapping him on the back, much to Skinner’s relief. He’d already decided to tell Needles that he wanted out of the Vipers. He’d get tanked up first and then tell him. Needles was getting out of control, and it frightened Skinner.

He’d just turned the corner into his street when the panda car passed him, and for one awful moment, he thought he might vomit in the road, but the car didn’t stop, and he could breathe again.

Matt pulled up outside the garage, and he and Ana got out. ‘I don’t think the guy you’re after would have brought his car here,’ said Matt.

‘Not for the damage, maybe, but it might have been convenient before the accident to bring it here.’

Needles recognised her immediately and tried not to show it on his face. They weren’t here about yesterday. Skinner assured him he hadn’t told them his name.

‘Your boss in?’ asked Matt.

Needles pulled his eyes away from Ana, who was looking around the garage.

‘He’s out testing a car for its MOT.’

Ana nodded. ‘I’m sure you can help. Didn’t you have a Golf, reg beginning with an S, come in for repair around April 15th or sometime after that?’

Needles relaxed and pulled a book from a drawer.

‘Old school?’ said Matt.

‘Yeah,’ said Needles, flipping through the pages. ‘No, nothing around that time,’ he said.

‘Any other time?’ asked Ana.

Needles sighed, licked his thumb and flicked through more pages. ‘Only an MOT on a Golf, reg SD51 OMR in December last year.’

Ana felt a tingle of excitement run down her spine and noted down the registration. ‘Do you have the invoice for that work?’

‘You’d have to ask Margaret for that. She handles the invoices and keeps them on her laptop. She’s in on Wednesdays.’

‘Thanks,’ said Ana.

‘They letting you off early for the village do later?’ asked Matt.

‘Yep, early finish.’ Needles smiled.

‘Sure is a big thing around here, this fair,’ commented Ana.

Needles watched with relief as they walked to the door when Ana suddenly turned and said bluntly, ‘Your voice is familiar. Have we met before?’

Needles shook his head.

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