Weeping Willows: A Thrilling Mystery Novella (Dark Desires Book 1) (4 page)

- Chapter 12 -

Suzie clutched her file tightly against her chest,
with her right hand she adjusted the strap on her handbag pulling
it higher onto her shoulder and quickly walked up to the lecture
hall. She had requested a meeting with the English lecturer. Her
studies were lagging behind. She’d been given extensions on all of
her assignments, but she knew that she wasn't coping, she'd decided
to continue only in the next semester. She needed time, she needed
to come to terms with everything that had happened in her life. She
needed to lose herself in an unknown city, away from Rosewood
Creek, away from university where every lecture room and cafeteria
reminded her of Melly and her parent’s tragic death. To date there
didn't appear to be any leads to the person responsible for her
parents death. The pain, just thinking about it was overwhelming.
She found herself blinking hard to stop the onset of fresh tears
threating to spill. She took a deep breath and swallowed hard as
she saw the kind lecturer approach her. He'd been so helpful and
kind with his twinkly blue eyes masked with concern. He'd tried to
help Suzie update her notes. She felt a bit guilty that so many
strangers like Mr. Cole had took the time to be kind and
supportive. She felt that she would be letting them down dropping
out of the semester. Suzie knew that she owed it to herself to heal
so she could begin to feel whole again. She owed it to herself, she
owed it to her parents to be okay, and they would want that!

Walking away from Mr. Cole, a sense of relief washed
over her. She'd been surprised that Mr. Cole had been so
understanding and supportive telling her that she should take her
time before she renewed her studies. It was understandable. Under
the circumstance, she needed time. A lot of her friend who had
overhead them come over to wish Suzie the best, telling her that
they would look forward to seeing her next semester. Everyone was
too kind.

Walking away she told herself that
she had been lucky living in a town like Rosewood Creek as people
in the country were so warm and caring, she thought that city
people would never be able to do this, a person could be drowned in
a large city. She felt blessed for that. Fishing out her keys from
her bag, a voice called out to her. It was Kyle, Craig's friend.
Suzie looked up enquiringly. What was Kyle doing racing after her?
What could be so important? She paused, greeting Kyle as he reached
her panting out of breath.
“Have you heard
the news?”
he exclaimed. It's all over the
radio station, breaking news,
“Craig's
been arrested.”
he said. Her keys fell
with a loud clang on the concrete and with a look of shock on her
face she stared at Kyle as horror etched her face. What was he
saying? It couldn't be true. Leaving Kyle standing alone she picked
up her keys, got into the car and drove off to Uncle Frank and Aunt
Lizzie. She prayed that what Kyle had told her was untrue. God
could not be so cruel.

Two police vehicles were in the driveway of the
Andrews residence. The solemn looks on the officer’s face spoke
volumes, Suzie had seen it before, Aunt Lizzie lay passed out on
the couch - she'd fainted. One of the officers held Uncle Frank
around the shoulders as she wept unashamedly, totally beaten. He
kept crying that his baby was gone. Suzie went cold, her best
friend in the whole world was snatched from her. Melly was no more.
She'd been murdered. Anger, rage tore through her she tried to push
away her pain, she needed to be here for Melly's parents, they had
shown her lots of love and kindness. She knew exactly how they were
feeling. The sense of futility and loss of a loved one. It knocked
the breath of a human being leaving them with a constant shallow
emptiness. The pain, the suffering it was unbearable. The officers
told them that a young couple, American tourist, were hiking on the
outskirts of Rosewood Creek and Hanover, stumbled upon Melly's
body. She'd been floating near the river just over the old bridge,
Suzie felt cold thinking about her nightmare. It had come true.
Melly's body had been discovered exactly where she had dreamt it
was. The police had fished her decaying body out of the river.
She'd been shot, they said and parts of her body had been sliced
off. The killer had mutilated her body. Forensics would determine
everything. The police told them a lighter had been found on the
bank of the river. It was one of those very expensive types, a
limited edition, with engravings of Craig Jackson. They told
Melly's dad about Craig's disturbing childhood and past, they
believed that he was the murderer killing Melissa in a fit of the
rage. They had searched his place at the guest house and
blood-stained clothing had been found, hidden in a box under his
bed. The police stated that Craig was vehemently denying any
involvement in killing her but the evidence spoke otherwise. They
believed they had the right man! His trial would commence soon.

- Chapter 13 -

Melly was laid to rest on that
Sunday afternoon, the 2
^nd
of May, two months after
she had gone missing. Suzie, Uncle Frank and Aunt Lizzie wept
hysterically, broken as her battered body in the closed casket was
lowered into the grave. Suzie felt as if her heart had been cut
into tiny pieces, her beautiful friend had been senselessly killed,
life snuffed out for no reason. People in Rosewood Creek gossiped
among themselves that Craig with his broody expressions were always
strange. The claimed that he'd fit the profile of a psychopath. The
trial was set on the 14
^th
of May, the word out there
was that Craig continued pleading his innocence, claiming that he'd
been framed. He'd loved Melly and wouldn't hurt her. The people on
the street, as in most little towns were convinced otherwise. A
perpetrator would pay.

Justice must prevail!

Meanwhile, Suzie had promised herself that she would
wait until the trial had concluded and sentencing had passed, she'd
decided to visit dad's family in New Zealand. They had made a trip
out to London, coming to Rosewood Creek to see her, they had been
nice, and they’d regretted the distance between the families and
mourned her parents’ loss. Uncle Johnathan had offered to fly her
out to New Zealand at her convenience, she was most welcome, after
all they were family related by blood. Spending most of her days
moping about the cottage mourning the loss of her parents and
Melly, her moods alternating between weeping sessions and
remembering the fun-filled days with Melly.

- Chapter 14 -

The season of winter was drawing to a close, months
had passed with Craig’s trial continuing, the defense fighting a
strong case in his favor. It was taking an intensive knock on them.
Suzie and the Andrews needed closure. As yet no leads had become
apparent regarding her parent’s killer or killers. The police had
hit a dead end. Suzie awoke one morning she decided to take a long
walk, she'd been too cooped up. Besides Uncle Frank and Aunt
Lizzie. She's been spending all her time alone, mourning licking
her wounds but the ugly truth was that life does go on, she would
have to harden her heart and pick up the pieces. As painful as it
was, she had to move forward, she owed it to Melly and her parents
to live a productive life.

Coming out today would be the first step. Breathing
in the fresh air, she walked toward the cluster of weeping willow
trees, her heart felt just a tad lighter, being out in the fresh
air she felt a little better. Walking slowly, head down absorbed in
her thoughts, Suzie reflected over the unfolding of the trial, she
had the uncanny feeling that the case regarding Craig did not feel
right. The evidence felt too pat. Sitting through the trial she
could not explain why, but watching Craig she felt that she had
gotten to know him quite well, she felt that he didn't appear to be
lying. Her own thoughts shocked her. She wanted her friend’s killer
to be put away, but a feeling deep inside kept gnawing at her.
Something was not quite right. Although Craig's past had become
public knowledge, Suzie could not shake the feeling that Craig's
remorse in court appeared genuine. She kept asking herself what if
this was true or was Craig just as phenomenal liar?

The entire town of Rosewood Creak believed in his
guilt. Shrugging away her thoughts she stared at the puffy clouds
in the distance. The countryside smelled fresh, with a hint of
pine. Suzie loved that smell. It was soothing, sparrow and finches
whistled merrily on the adjacent trees, spring was definitely
tiptoeing into Rosewood Creek. She loved it here. Seating herself
on a clump of cut tree stumps near the adjacent forest, she
surveyed her surrounding, lots of people were nervous in the open
wilderness, not her, she loved Mother Nature, and it rejuvenated
her. She sat quietly, enjoying the solitude. A sense of peace
descending on her for the first time in a long while.

The man stroked his beard carefully watching Suzie.
He's burly shoulders hunching forward as he crouched behind the
trees. He'd been watching her leaving the cottage and he'd followed
from a distance quietly tailing her. A thoughtful gaze flickered
across his face, he had planned to take her quietly from the
cottage but he reflected that opportunity had just presented itself
when she had made her way towards the forest. She lifted her face
up to the pale sunshine and as he watched her he knew this was it.
His moment had come. He crept up slowing behind her, she was
oblivious to his presence, so lost in thought she was. Suddenly,
Suzie sat up as the faint whiff of chemical rent the air. Just as
realization dawned that she was not alone, a large hand with a
cloth was pressed against her nostrils and mouth, tried to struggle
as arms held her in a tight grip. The forest receded into a blur,
her senses slowed. She slipped into blackness.

The man gently scooped her unconscious limp body and
hurriedly walked up to his truck, laying her body on the backseat
of the truck. He didn't bother to tie up her arms just yet or to
gag her as he'd done to her friend, he was confident that she'd be
out for a long while. He quickly jumped into his truck and drove
off towards the mountains, he'd be there in 20 minutes, the cabin
wasn't too far out but its seclusion was ideal. His refuge, hidden
in the rough terrain, he'd be safe. He was bringing the girl of his
dreams home, he fantasied their future together was going to be
magical. He'd planned an amazing life for them, he pondered these
thoughts as he drove to the cabin. He felt exhilarated, everything
was coming together beautifully. He felt so proud of himself,
basking in his glory of all his plans coming to fruition. He and
Suzanne, he'd call her Suzanne, not Suzie like the others called
her, he liked the name Suzanne as it rolled of his tongue. She was
special, he'd been watching her for 2 long years at campus,
silently learning her likes and dislikes. He knew she loved
strawberry ice-cream and chocolate bars, she literally thrived off
them. Oh yes, he'd learnt a lot about Suzanne, she was a creature
of habit, enjoying her own company. He'd played them all, the
police, the university, the green eyed witch and her boyfriend,
they were all pawns in his game. He'd even gotten away with murder,
three of them precisely but a lot more in his bag. He was
brilliant! He smiled to himself devilishly. He's handsome face
lighting up.

- Chapter 15 -

The fog in her brain would not clear, she tried to
shake her head to clear it but the room kept spinning out of focus.
She opened and closed her eyes wearily in the drug induced state.
Realization dawning she'd been taken. A dull thudding in her head
kept the fear gripping her heart at bay, she'd felt like someone
had hit her over the head with a cricket bat, but the dulled senses
told her she'd been drugged. Her throat felt dry and parched, she
tried to keep her eyes open but the kept closing of their own
accord. A while later, the fuzziness had begun clearing. Fear,
terror, anxiety panicked, her companions. She slowing looked
around. It was cold and dark, a man was crouched near a fireplace.
He'd been starting a fire with his back to her.

As the embers began crackling and
as the shadows from the firelight danced on the wall near the bed
that she lay on, she stared. There were lots and lots of pictures
of her alone, sometimes with Melly at campus, some at the cottage,
some new, others old all lined the walls. Suzie stared in shock at
the photographs. Horrified, she stared dumbfounded. She'd had no
idea. She glanced at the crouched figure, wondering who he was,
this man who had stalked her for years, she hadn't even known. The
man placed a log into the fire and stood up, dusting his hands on
the legs of his pants and turned walking towards her, a slow smile
creeping across his face. Her eyes opened wider in shock.
“Hello, Suzanne.”
he
greeted while his long fingers stroked the neatly kept beard, a
hint of steel in his twinkly blue eyes assessing her, a calculating
look in his eyes as his gaze never faltered as he met hers. She
felt the urge to scream at the familiar face staring at her. She
twisted feeling the tight rope cutting at her wrists and ankles.
Her delicate skin chaffing with the tight rope cutting through, the
feeling of helplessness overwhelmed her. She bit hard on her lower
lip, tasting blood. She suppressed the urge to scream, a tiny tear
sliding out of the corner of her eye, fearful of what might happen
to her.