Of Night and Dark Obscurity

“Stupid chit thought I would marry her once I found out she was with child. It was the opposite actually. Once she was pregnant, I knew I had to dispose of her.”

“You are a monster,” Caroline said.

“And Aida?” Val asked.

“Ah. Sweet Aida. That was another one you got wrong. She told you that Charles had raped her. Charles just took the fall for that. In actuality, I was the lucky bloke who tasted that sweet morsel,” he smiled. “However now that I recall, she didn’t exactly succumb to my charms. I think I was a bit heavy handed. But I tasted the nectar all the same.”

Val could feel his blood boiling. “You raped Aida? Not Charles.”

“Poor Charles. He’s such a simple-minded creature. Easy to manipulate.”

“You’re going to hang Rowland. You, and Edgar and Father. You’re all going to hang.”

“Well we did have a backup plan. I was going to kill the little fresh peach here and have the blame fall on you.”

“That’s never going to happen Rowland.”

“Hmmm.”

“And the why,” Val pressed.

“The why?” Rowland laughed a sharp laugh. “That should be obvious even to a second-rate detective like you.”

“Tell me.”

“You’re sanctimonious. You always have been. Everything comes so easy for you. You deserved to be knocked down a peg or two.”

“And those women you killed? Those innocent women guilty of nothing. Did they deserve this?” Val yelled.

“What are you going to do now, Val. Put a bullet in my brain. Send me to the gallows. You don’t have it in you. I’m your brother.”

“I am arresting you.” Val said softly. “You just admitted to the murder of two women.”

“And Odean Barton. Don’t forget him.” Rowland smiled.

“Odean? What did he do?”

“He was weak. Stupid. He made poor mistakes.”

“You aren’t a monster. You’re inhumane. You have no feelings. No empathy. You’re a concrete wall.” Val shook his head.

“Am I?” Rowland nodded. “Perhaps I am.”

“And this is bullshit,” Val said passionately. “Because you had everything. You were going to have the title, the money, everything!”

“Yes, except all of that was handed to me. I didn’t work for it. I wasn’t admired or respected like you.”

“So, this is jealousy? You chose this path. You chose destruction instead of creating something. I feel nothing but pity. For you and mostly for mother. She’ll be alone now.” Val shook his head.

Rowland looked sideways at Caroline and then back at Val. “I may have something up my sleeve yet,” he whispered.

“Don’t Rowland. You know we don’t have to do this. Come quietly.”

“Never,” he hissed.

Pulling out his own pistol, he leveled the pistol at Val even as Val was pulling the trigger. Falling into the dirt and mud, Rowland had a smile on his face.

“My way,” he whispered.