Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Lurking Menace

I suppose I should have been grateful to Rose. After all, the sight of her slipping through the kitchen door was a brilliant distraction from the pain of my arm and various bruises. I hurried after her, a head of steam building, Mom's absence from the kitchen clearly the only reason Rose made it through to the back yard without being challenged. I followed, keeping my distance, if only because the feminine half of Rosebert seemed intent on something I now wanted to discover for myself.

She rushed over the bridge, ignoring Fat Benny and his koi buddies, shoes silent on the wood slats, looking right and left as she went but apparently not knowing I was behind her. I kept pace, wincing as I tripped on a flagstone and catching myself and my breath at the edge of the bridge before carrying on.