Chapter 142

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, the distant wail of sirens cut through the air.

Redhair’s face went white. “Shit!” He grabbed his buddy’s arm. “We’re outta here!” They both bolted into the woods and disappeared.

Anastasia finally let out the breath she’d been holding and rushed to the girl’s side, helping her sit up. “Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

The girl’s face was streaked with tears, her whole body shaking. “Thank you… they tried to rob me, and they were gonna…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. “I’m so glad you showed up…”

“It’s okay now,” Anastasia soothed. “The police are almost here.”

“I just… I just want to go home,” the girl whispered, her voice barely audible.

Anastasia gently rubbed her back. “Hey, you’re safe now. The cops will be here any second. Can you stand? Want to sit in my car for a bit?”

The girl nodded, and Anastasia helped her to her feet, though her legs were still trembling from the shock. They made their way slowly to the car, where Anastasia got her settled in the backseat and handed her a bottle of water.

“What’s your name? What were you doing out here alone?” Anastasia asked softly.

The girl wiped her eyes, her voice still shaky. “I’m Rainee Collins… I live in the village nearby. I was taking a shortcut home from school when those creeps jumped me. They grabbed my backpack, and then they…” She broke down again, unable to continue.

Anastasia squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry about it now. The police will handle everything.”

Two patrol cars came screaming up the road, officers jumping out to assess the situation. Anastasia quickly filled them in on what happened and pointed out which direction the attackers had fled.

The officers immediately launched a search while a female cop came over to comfort Rainee and take her statement.

“Ma’am, thank God you called when you did,” the senior officer told Anastasia. “Could’ve been a lot worse. But next time, maybe don’t confront them yourself. Too risky.”

Anastasia nodded. “Yeah, I know. I wasn’t really thinking straight.”

The officer smiled. “Takes guts, what you did. But next time, stay in your car and wait for us, okay?”

“Definitely. Lesson learned.”

After they finished with the statements, Rainee looked up hopefully. “Um, could you maybe drive me home? My parents are probably freaking out by now.”

Anastasia nodded. “Sure thing. I’m heading to the factory anyway, so it’s on my way.”

Once the police gave them the all-clear, they got back in the car and headed out.

Anastasia asked for Rainee’s address and started driving in that direction. The poor kid was exhausted—she curled up in the back seat and was out like a light within minutes.

Anastasia kept checking the rearview mirror, making sure she was okay, and slowed down a bit so she could sleep.

It wasn’t too far to Rainee’s place – maybe thirty minutes. From there, it was another half hour left to the factory, so the timing worked out perfectly. About twenty minutes into the drive, Rainee was still dead to the world in the back seat.

But Anastasia was starting to feel uneasy. The roads were getting narrower, more isolated. She frowned, scanning the area.

Something felt off.

Did Rainee really live out here? She looked around – there wasn’t a single house in sight.