Читать книгу Dig Two Graves - Carolyn Morwood - Страница 7

Prologue

Rose surveyed the darkening landscape and knew that coming here with Alfredo had been a mistake. He was still caught up in his deluded romantic dream, when she couldn’t care less. Clean breaks, Rose. Why was that so hard to learn?

She counted to ten, remembering that even on those first captivating afternoons this high mountain plateau could seem sinister. The uneven surface of rocks and shale. The dark gash of the crater behind her. In the valley, two lights had come on but the residence was entirely dark. On their previous climbs, it had been lit up like a beacon.

Even as the light faded around them, Alfredo kept on. ‘Rosa … this importante. You listen.’

She had no intention of listening. The idea was ridiculous and more so when they could barely understand one another.

‘You no … listen.’

He grabbed at her wrist and she pulled away, her feet slipping on the loose shale. Shale, she thought even in the process of falling, was as slippery as ice, and she landed painfully on knees and hands. Afterwards, she wasn’t sure whether it was fear or pain that set off the rage within her. She was terrifyingly close to the edge of the crater.

‘Rosa.’ Alfredo was bending over her, hauling her to her feet, dusting her off. ‘Perdon, Rosa … you pull.’

Alfredo’s grip on her wrist was like an iron band. ‘This is wrong, Alfredo. This has gone terribly wrong.’ Her words were clear and separate as she turned in a half-circle, away from the crater. Alfredo turned with her and his gaze was unwavering.

‘Si, Rosa.’ His grip tightened. She could see the glimmer of his eyes, the white flash of his teeth. ‘This wrong. You stay … me.’

Like hell she would. She jerked her wrist up and away and kicked out at him. For a moment he was solid, like a tree rooted into solid earth, and then his hold slackened and a small eternity passed before her in the blink of an eye.