ROSE ON THE LAKE 18+

🌹CHAPTER SIXTEEN🌹

How many days have we been in love?
How many secrets have we spoken of?
How many wishes have yet to come true?
How many wonders will I see with you?

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Beating himself up for the umpteenth time, he stood at the cliff, watching below him. The flee ridden mongrel had been gone for almost forty- eight hours and the last he heard was that Dillan left for the Garton's farmlands.

At least the servants had enjoyed a few days of repprive from his tyranny but he was getting worried.
Not about his brother, mind you, but about those who were presently suffering at his expense.

More than once he'd contemplated rushing over there and throttling his brother. But that'll only draw more negative attention to the family. As brazen as he was, he wasn't about to let their name be ridiculed.

Rush had been so lost in thought, looking at the curve of the river that separated both lands beneath him that he hadn't heard Nathan approach him from behind.

"Rush?" Nathan called out the third time and louder this time around.

Snapping out of his reverie, he turned around scowling.
"The hell do you want?"

"I was worried, sir" he said. "The servants say you've been out here for four hours. The weather's looking bad sir, like a storm's coming."

"Oh were you now?" He drawled. "Of course I know you hardly care if I'm struck by thunder so piss off."

"Fine, I was merely being polite." He said walking up to Rush.

"Now, what do you want?" Rush asked more than a little irritated. He despised the man, and the thought that he may have had something to do with Rose only fueled his hatred for him even more.

"The detectives called." Nathan murmured, standing next to Rush.

Despite himself, Rush turned to him "What did they want? Any news on the murderer?"

"Murderer?" Nathan's eyes were wide with shock.

"Don't look so surprised. Even you are not that stupid to think she drowned. That's someone who'd have been a professional diver. We practically grew up together swimming in this river full of rocks" he said pointing to the river below.

"In here she could have drowned if there was a storm and the currents were too heavy. But in the lake? Not a chance, unless someone drowned her.

And what, with the bruises and finger imprints on her body? I knew she was raped just by looking at her after pulling her from the lake." His voice cracked at this moment.

The pain was too much to bear. Since that moment he'd been a vessel without a heart.

"So who do you think could have done this?" Nathan asked.

"You know who."

Nathan cleared his throat and Rush looked at him suspiciously.

"The detectives wanted to inform you and Mr. Garwood that the ME is done with her examination and her body can be claimed for burial.

"I'm not letting her go without finding the culprit. Or at least proving the one I suspect is guilty. He certainly wasn't a professional."

"How do you mean?"

"The way she was killed shows the act was personal. A professional would have sought other measures."
Those measures, he didn't say but Nathan knew what he was talking about. Guns, broken neck, car crash...