Frozen Grave

Chapter 42

Later that day, Lisa was sick of thinking about nothing but JJ Ellerman. She needed a run. She needed to think about everything and decide what to do. She headed out of the house, back out through the alleyway. The weekend traffic was noisy as it drove over the wet road, the swish of tyres on Marine Drive – the coastal road that ran over the top of the cliffs from Black Rock to Saltdean. The cliffs shone luminescent as the last rays of sun fell across the Channel.

She got into a good pace and ran for further than she thought she would. It was dark when she doubled back along the top of the cliffs. As she ran she heard her own breath, her lungs beginning to burn with the cold air. Her legs were tiring on the homeward stretch and her sweat cooled ice cold on her skin as the air temperature plummeted. She glanced behind at the sound of another runner. The thud of trainer on tarmac. She felt reassured. She never liked running late and it was already gone nine. To her left the ocean was now a vast expanse of pitch-black. To her right a lonely stretch of road now, with just the odd car passing. In the darkness she was aware of the other runner gaining on her. Lisa sprinted a little. The coastal road was a long one. Her legs were already weary. She didn’t have a lot left in the tank. The other runner was now just a step behind her but just out of her vision. Lisa thought about stopping, pretending to have stitch, letting the other runner pass her, but they were alone on the road and beside them was the long cliff drop. Lisa put on another spurt. The runner caught up. Lisa turned to look again and she saw that the runner’s face was hidden beneath a hood. They were coming close now and matching her speed. Now the runner’s arm was brushing hers as her arm moved with the running motion. Now their breath was on her neck and she felt herself panic. She stifled a scream as she tried to run faster but the runner pressed even closer. She went to turn away but she felt her legs buckle and a pain in her shins as she fell over something hard and rolled towards the cliff edge. She was lifted and pushed and, screaming, she felt her body twist in the air as she fell.