Chapter 47

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

F rankie 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.'

‘Stay with me, darling,' Ana pleaded. ‘We need an air ambulance,' said Ana, nodding towards Sajid. ‘He's also in a bad way.'

‘Air ambulance needed at Longbridge playing fields, Oxfordshire. Two seriously injured,' Matt said into his mobile.

Ana turned to Sajid, who was breathing heavily. ‘What's her name?'

‘Laine. Elaine Lees.'

Ana leaned close to Laine's ear. ‘Laine, can you hear me? My name is Ana Rawlins. I'm a police officer.'

Laine moaned softly. ‘We're getting you to the hospital, okay?' She grasped Laine's cold hand. ‘I'm going to stay with you. You're going to be okay. Try and stay awake.'

‘Is she alive?' asked Frankie.

‘Yes,' said Anna. ‘Get DC Harper and DI Miller,' she said, turning to Matt. ‘We need to cordon off the whole area. We need to preserve evidence. Don't let anyone near.'

She turned to the crowd that had now gathered. ‘Unless you witnessed the incident, then, with all due respect, I need you all to bugger off. This is a crime scene now.'

Matt was staring down at Laine's battered head. He could feel nausea rising within him. Sajid beside him was crying uncontrollably.

‘What happened?' asked Ana.

‘I don't know. I found her like this.'

‘What's your name, lad?'

‘Sajid. She's my girlfriend, and that's her brother. He just beat me up. I think my ribs are cracked.'

‘You've killed her,' screamed Needles.

‘Matt, get Beth and Tom Miller,' she said again, this time more sternly.

Matt shook himself as though coming out of a nightmare, but Beth and Tom were already hurrying towards them.

‘What the hell's happened?' asked Tom.

‘Sajid here found the body. Her name is Elaine Lees, and that's her brother,' Ana said, nodding towards Needles. ‘There's a phone and handbag here, but I haven't got gloves. There's also a card.'

Tom pulled on rubber gloves and carefully placed everything into bags.

‘He did it,' Needles screamed, tears running down his face. ‘That Paki killed my sister.'

‘Air ambulance on the way,' said Matt.

Beth radioed control to send forensics, and then she and Tom sealed off the area.

‘I wonder if Jack is right about you,' she murmured to Tom. ‘Every time you come here, someone gets hurt.'