windows of the old house had been boarded up a long time ago by the look of things. There were no signs of human or animal life or farmland equipment anywhere, even within the deserted surrounding farm fields. Curiously, a single modern car was parked around the side of the house. Possibly the owner or an estate agent checking up on the scabby property. Would be a nice little refurbishment project. Jason reflected with a throwaway thought, before the property became a distant speck in his side view mirror and a soon to be forgotten image inside his tired mind.
CHAPTER four
Jason reached his destination. A tiny little secluded highland cottage, from a seemingly far away and almost forgotten, distant, past life of his. It had belonged to his Uncle once upon a time, his Dad's more upbeat and openly charming brother. A man Jason had shared a strong bond with, even stronger than the irreparable one he had with his father while growing up. Jason's Uncle had been in the army too. In fact it was him that had encouraged Jason to also sign up. Sadly though, his Uncle had passed away a year before Jason did finally put that plan into action and sign up.
Surprisingly he had left Jason his secluded getaway cottage in his will, and so Jason had been coming and going here ever since. And back in his bad boy womanising days before he'd eventually settled down with his wife Sandra, the cottage had been his regular old shagging pad for many a dirty weekend away with his various and casual squeezes who had been apart of his wild life back then.
It was a stunningly beautiful place though whether you were here all alone or on a romantic weekend away. The whole surrounding area really was the heart and soul of the Scottish highlands. No human life for miles around. Only the sound of nature and the way the world was meant to be without the interference from the animal known as man.
Jason parked his car off the dirt road and right around the backside of the cottage. He parked purposely out of view from the single dirt track road and any nosy or curious random passers by, which would be unlikely out here in the middle of nothing and nowhere, but still, better safe than sorry.
Jason got out of the car and stretched his stiff arms and legs. He then made his way into the cottage with his sports bag full of clothes and toiletries and of course the leather briefcase. He imagined it filled with a new life, new dreams and an excitingly rich new future, if only he could get last nights violent and tragic acts out his mind. Did he really kill his wife? His unborn child? His father? It all felt like a dream now. Was it a dream? Maybe it was.
Jason shrugged these thoughts away and entered the main bedroom of the two bedroom cottage. He placed the sports bag and briefcase down upon the double bed. He opened his sports bag and took out an old photograph which looked to have been taken in the seventies. It was of a young, happy and handsome couple whose sparkling eyes looked full of excitement and anticipation of a happy and fulfilling life still yet to come. A dark thought in the back of his mind soon reminded him that that sparkle of happiness inside the young newly wed lovers eyes, that unknowing excitement of a bright and happy future together. Well, it certainly didn't quite pan out the way anyone expected.
Jason shook his head and placed the picture down upon the small bedside cabinet. Next he opened the briefcase and glanced over its bulky cash contents. His thoughts filled with more wonderful rich visions and sexy dreams of an awesome new adventure ahead of him. An adventure taking place underneath a golden scorching sun and exotic clear blue skies. All the while lounging beside an even clearer, bluer and lusciously warm, crystal clear sea. Jason took a deep breath, closed the briefcase and placed it firmly underneath the bed.
***
Later that afternoon while the sun was dipping back down towards its