Hot Revenge Box Set 2
Chapter 4
*****
Michael
Removing two dozen slates makes a gap comfortably big enough to take a man and incidentally exposes the timbers. There’s no question of how to anchor the rope this time.
“You realise we’re probably invalidating Finchby’s building insurance.”
Klempner whistles in. “What a shame.” We peer down into Stygian darkness. “How far down you think? Twenty-five… Thirty feet?”
“It can’t be more than that if the windows outside are anything to go by.”
This time on the rope, I'm much more in control.
It’s a straightforward climb down, the rope snagged by hand, thighs and crooked around one foot, and my body mass working for me rather than against, hand over hand, I descend into gloom. As my feet touch floor, the slight noise reverbs with the feel of a large empty space.
Blind-sighted in the darkness, the faint lines of external light seep through eaves.
Almost as I land, the rope shivers in my hand as Klempner also descends, coming at speed and I step smartly to one side as I realise he's all but on top of me.
He lands lightly. “Can't believe it's all going to be this easy.”
The air smells, not exactly stale, but unused. Revolving through three-sixty, the only light is the faintest of gleams, a fine line marking the eaves.
Also from above, a slight rustling…
Roosting birds?
From below, the floor vibrates to the bass thump of overloud music.
“Still got Beethoven’s Fifth Racket playing,” mutters Klempner from the gloom beside me.
“Useful for us though. He’ll not hear us coming with that going on.”
“Too right. I think we can risk a little light.”
With a click, the narrow beam of an LED flashlight cuts through the air, producing a startled flapping from above. To one side of us, the cracked plaster and paint of a wall, the beam painting threads and dots of light over webs and dust. But as the beam swings, it illuminates receding plaster then vanishes into darkness.
“A single open space?”
“It is a warehouse. Or was.”
Klempner gestures with the light. “That way is the front of the building, the main entrance and stairwell.” He swings the beam the opposite way. “So, let's follow the wall that way and see if we can find another stairwell. A place this size must have more than one.”
The torchlight aimed at the floor, we follow the line of the wall, stepping over the remains of ancient birds’ nests and small heaped cones of guano.
Almost immediately we come to a plain timber door; no lock, no complications beyond the weavings of the local spiders over the handle. On the wall beside it, a metal plaque in what might be brass under the patina. 'C-Bay'.
The handle resists turning, but only with the groan of long disuse. And the hinges complain as the door swings slowly open to reveal a small room beyond...
… then stepping through, stairs leading both up and down.
Klempner aims the torch upwards. “Presumably our roof access door is at the top. Wait here. I'll check. If we need to make a fast exit that way, it'll be nice to know what's there.”
He disappears up into shadow, the sound of his booted feet surprising quiet. For a tall man, he walks lightly. From downstairs, the bass thump is louder.
a minute, Klempner descends again. “It can be opened from the inside. Simple turn-key and
swings the rucksack from his shoulder, takes out his weapon, a machine gun. “Keep that axe of
to bring the axe? It's not exactly a
a gun. But I've seen you handle that axe…” His voice turns dry… “… and
to apologise? You’d sent them after Charlotte. It was December. We had to escape into the snow. I was fucking naked
slides to a half-smile, looking sheepish. “Sorry about
might be
you’ve come
realise that was two years ago… Almost to the day? And here we
for
*****
flights then reach a landing; stairs up, stairs down, and a
lips… “Listen.” He cups
low murmur of sound… Voices speaking from some distance away, just audible over
Klempner aims a long forefinger along the corridor, then moving quietly, he
hand, ready to
“I think we’re
likely to
Normally I’d have entered from
got
was a kitchenette area to the back, I think. I was never
growing louder. As we turn into a door, abruptly, we must be all but on top
hum over an overflowing trash can, crawling over a slick brown stain on the lid. The steel
lies open, spilt crumbs being investigated by bottle-green buzzers. A half-empty jar of coffee is about the cleanest thing
Adam’s apple working as he recoils
the City authorities would shut him down for something. Poisoning
need one or two of the great and good in your pocket
“As you would know.”
“Yes. As
ajar, across from where we entered.
“You've done well, Lena…”
I paint the question on
“You are
Lena. We had an agreement
door, inching around to see. After a second, he motions me
beside an empty tumbler. An open laptop casts a glow brighter than the daylight which struggles through a barred window and glass clouded with dust
pregnant woman sitting opposite. She accepts
the woman Beth spotted on the video footage, watching James and
a wad of notes. “Here you are, Lena. Five thousand, like we agreed. You can
view and both Klempner and I
face: Baxter. We met when he was driving for
Ben…
blisters at my cheeks then morphs
couldn’t have brought myself to kill my brother.
he’s
rent for a nice place. Get yourself some decent furniture, decorate. Maybe
chin lifts.
He displays yellow teeth.
shop.
a brow. Finchby notices but Lena
Lena. You see… It's all going your way now. And all because you
forward. “You got him?
Update Chapter 4 of Hot Revenge Box Set 2
Announcement Hot Revenge Box Set 2 has updated Chapter 4 with many amazing and unexpected details. In fluent writing, In simple but sincere text, sometimes the calm romance of the author Simone Leigh in Chapter 4 takes us to a new horizon. Let's read the Chapter 4 Hot Revenge Box Set 2 series here. Search keys: Hot Revenge Box Set 2 Chapter 4