It didn't take McWilliam long to return to the mountain path leading up to the church. If Rosa had been pushed by the same person who'd killed Rodd and framed her for theft then it was very likely they were still nearby.
Although exactly how and why they'd chosen to focus on Rosa still remained a mystery. McWilliam frowned. His contact with Grant had led to a dead end. Rosa didn't seem to have any ties with anyone in Scotland. The only time she'd ever been north of the border (before he'd kidnapped her) was several years ago when Emily had drowned.
Trying to ignore the image of Rosa lying dead at the bottom of the hill path that kept flashing before his mind's eye and the desperate sound of her scream as she'd fallen, he scoured the ground for clues. The path was scuffed where she'd fallen, individual footprints impossible to distinguish, and it wasn't like Rosa's attacker had left a calling card.
Yours disrespectfully Rodd's murderer, Mr... Hell only knew.
McWilliam's eyes narrowed. There was an indent by the edge of the path, right about where Rosa tumbled over. It was a perfectly round hole, about two inches wide. Just like the indentations his uncle's walking stick left in mud or soft earth.
McWilliam frowned. Could it have been here since Cameron last climbed the hill to the church? Even after all the rain they'd had recently?
"Andy!" Rhona dashed up the path and into sight.
"What are ye doing?" He rushed to meet her, but she brushed him away.
"Cameron..." she panted, her cheeks flushed and one hand pressed to her side. "He's acting completely mad. He stole Rosa."
* * *
"Miss Amelia." Cameron practically purred her name.
A shudder of revulsion jumped down Rosa's spine. Although she had her back to him, she could easily imagine the smug expression upon his face. His voice said it all.
"I know my cousin looks just like Elspeth," she said, trying to keep her own voice as neutral as possible.
"The similarities are truly remarkable. I was quite blown away by them when I first set eyes on her."
"Where is she?"
"You still haven't solved it, have you? And you think you're so clever. Prying through everyone's lives and telling McWilliam about Rhona."
His arms around her waist tightened. Not as tall or broad as McWilliam, but he could still easily overpower her.
She let out a shaky breath. Over-power, certainly. Out-wit, maybe not. If only she could work out what Bennie Cooke would do in this situation...
They had skirted around the hill, heading north.
"I know you were working with Rodd," she continued, trying to distract him. "You were the one who persuaded McWilliam to send him to London to make contact with the buyer in the first place. It was always your plan to steal that money."
He snorted in a that's-not-even-half-of-it way.
"I know more," she said, her heart beating painfully hard against her ribs. "You let Rodd keep 500 pounds for his silence. And then you had him kill Duncan."
"Duncan was interfering where he wasn't wanted."
"He was a physician," she said incredulously. "He was only trying to help Miss Rhona."
"Sweet Rhona," he purred. "She's too young to know what's best for her."
"Amelia's hardly older. I suppose you think she doesn't know what's best for her either?"
YOU ARE READING
The Highlander's Thief
Romance'She was a thief. She was a liar. She was his prisoner. And he'd just broken every rule in the book and kissed her.' Laird Anndrais McWilliam knows his father was murdered. He might not have been struck with a sword or pushed down stairs, but the wo...
