Page 70 of Her Hidden Shadow

‘I’ll find out for you.’

Tiffany remembered drinking water and being so tired, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. After Lauren’s visit, she’d panicked. The police weren’t outside and… what happened then? It was like a veil was dampening her thoughts. With shaky hands, Tiffany pulled the sheet from her face and grabbed a tissue off the table. She wiped her mouth before taking the tiniest sip of water.

A flash of jumbled memories made her shudder. The smashed photos, the scarf hanging on the bush, the balaclava, his outline in the darkness. The man at the window, he had been real. Her problems were a result of trauma but all everyone wanted to do was use her mental health against her. She knew her mind and knew she’d seen a man at her window. It was an easy box to put her in, the hysterical woman. No more. She grabbed the plastic glass and threw it onto the floor, but the satisfying crash didn’t come, making her feel more powerless. Why did they keep mentioning the word suicide? She hadn’t been trying to kill herself.

As the realisation hit her, she began to gasp for air. She knew exactly what had happened, but she wondered if anyone would even believe her. She had to get out before they did something unthinkable, like section her. She knew how it worked. Hysterical woman won’t leave house, drinks too much, takes drugs for her mental health, never believed, husband tells everyone she’s crazy, no one takes her physical symptoms seriously anymore and they think she makes them all up.

Sliding one leg out of the bed, she shuffled to the edge and rolled off, landing in a heap. The cannula came loose. Every part of her body ached or felt weak. The room filled as an alarm sounded. The nurse ran back in and was followed by someone in a white coat. ‘I don’t consent, no more drugs. Don’t you dare sedate me, or I will sue the hell out of you,’ Tiffany called out. ‘I want the police. Someone tried to kill me. Please believe me.’

Terror rained down on her as the white coats came closer. She closed her eyes and waited for a jab. That’s when she felt someone taking her under the arms and helping her up. She sobbed like never before. Maybe, just maybe they believed her. ‘Your blood results will be back soon, Mrs Crawford, but we need you to stay in bed. You’re far too weak to walk around.’ The white-coated man smiled, and she dared to believe that she could trust him.

She glanced up and saw a woman with a shiny black ponytail looking through the tiny window in the door. It was all coming back now. That night, while she’d been wandering in her pyjamas, she’d seen the murderer and the murderer had seen her. The whole puzzle had clicked into place. Finally, she was free.

‘Police, I need the police. I know who attacked me and I want to give a statement.’

The nurse waved the woman in. ‘This is DC Wyre from Cleevesford Police.’

However hard she tried to control her sobs, it was impossible, but she managed to get her sentence out as she heaved and cried. ‘He killed Sienna, too. I was there. I saw him.’

Fifty-Six

Gina drove through every ANPR camera she could find as she whizzed through Cleevesford. She wanted the police on her tail, and they were her only hope should she be right. She checked her phone, and it showed ten per cent charge. She took a left out of the town and followed the dark country lanes for the next mile. The fields were nothing more than different shades of grey blocks. There were no more cameras to automatically recognise her registration now. She was alone and heading for the woods. If she went in without backup, she could end up dead.

She thought of Hannah, the daughter she barely got on with, and her little granddaughter, Gracie. Families had a way of working through their problems and despite their differences, Hannah would be beside herself if Gina was killed in the woods tonight. She thought of Briggs and she knew she wasn’t ready to stare death in the face, despite him not keeping her fully in the picture. She turned her phone on and commanded the hands-free to call Briggs.

‘Gina, seriously, where are you? I’m worried sick,’ he said in a hushed voice.

Gina listened to the sounds of the incident room and Sullivan spoke. ‘Her registration has just been picked up. Cleevesford High Street, by the bus stop. Get uniform out there.’

‘They’re coming, Gina.’ Briggs cleared his throat.

‘It’s okay. I’m no longer there and I won’t be flagging up on any more ANPR. I wish I was because I feel as though I’m about to walk into the dragon’s cave.’ She took a right into the car park that led to the woodland walk. Her signal dipped. ‘I don’t even know if I’m right, but Sullivan doesn’t want to know my theories so I’m alone. I can’t ignore this lead and let Lauren die.’

‘I let you down. I should have said more, been more vocal but I’ve been shot down too.’

‘I know and I’m glad you’re still there but you could have trusted me with what was being said in those briefings,’ Gina replied. She paused.

‘I know and I’m sorry.’

Gina peered out into the darkness.

‘What’s happening?’

The wind howled and a branch hit her windscreen. ‘His car is parked up. I’ve just spotted it at the back of the car park, almost backed into the bushes. He’s here and he has Lauren. He came back to his familiar place.’

‘What familiar place, Gina? You’re not making any sense.’

‘Nancy was mumbling something about Lauren getting engaged years ago. Forever mine, he was never going to let her go, she was the one and not only that, he took the next woman he proposed to, to the exact same place. Maybe he wanted to capture that same magic but never could. Tiffany didn’t take an overdose, he tried to kill her and now he’s trying to kill Lauren. He went to the bungalow to kill Lauren and he killed Sienna instead.’

‘Gina, where are you? Don’t do this alone.’

Her phone began to beep, telling her that her charge was running low again. ‘Bluebell Woods. The blue flowers on the scarf, they’re bluebells. He chose this place. You’re looking for the huge stump of an oak tree. I think I know where it is. I’ve brought Gracie here to play in the past.’

‘Where is it?’

‘I can’t explain. Just follow the walking trail and hurry. Don’t veer off. I’m heading down there before it’s too late.’ With shaky hands Gina ended the call. She grabbed her torch from the boot and ran as fast as she could up the muddy slope that led to a dense mass of trees. She swallowed while crunching on branches below. Eerie shadows were cast from her torchlight, each one a finger pointing to tree upon tree. That’s when she heard a loud piercing scream.

‘Lauren,’ Gina called as she ran as fast as she could.

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