Hot Revenge Box Set 2

James

But downstairs in my playroom, Klempner is nowhere to be seen. Neither is he in the laundry, the boiler room or anywhere else.

Finchby has vanished too.

Michael regards the empty spot. Clicking a thumbnail against his teeth. “There’s only one way he could have gotten out.”

“Yes, there is. Michael, Klempner knew the tunnel existed. How long d'you think it would have taken him to find it if he was seriously looking?”

Hissing through his teeth, he marches across to the hidden exit at the far end of the chamber.

A click, the concealed door opens and he vanishes inside.

Re-emerging a minute later. “There’re drag marks where the floor turns to earth. You want to follow them?”

“I don’t think I do. I’m not sure I want to be responsible for whatever happens to Finchby. Besides, I have more immediate things to do.”

“Such as?”

“I have a hard drive to clean up before I deliver it to the police.”

Michael scratches at forty-eight-hour stubble. “I suspect Finchby may not be our problem anymore.”

“I suspect you’re right. Klempner wanted to question him some more. I doubt he’ll survive the experience.”

“And Klempner?”

“He'll be back.”

“You think?”

“Mitch.”

*****

The following evening, the front door opens and Klempner breezes in as if he had not a care in the world.

“James, Michael, sorry to leave you so precipitously. I'm sure you understand why.”

He’s changed, wearing fresh clothes which look new and fit him well; trousers, a roll-top sweater, jacket and shoes. And he carries a pair of bags, offering one to me.

“Yours. Thank you for the loan. I had them laundered of course.”

“Finchby?” I ask, cautiously.

“... Will trouble you no more.” His gaze is direct. “Or for that matter, anyone else.”

did you do with

He regards me from under his brows. “You

“Yes.”

he’d told me what I

in the

I want what’s left of him found.” His tone turns savage. “I want it known what will happen to

his smile sunny. “If someone has a

This is Klempner…

some

you stopped at cutting

reading something like that

of the hall:

regards him. “And how

say. He blistered my

second bag. “I should have given you this before, but we were rather busy. It’s Finchby’s half of the money.

the bag. “I assumed I’d never see that

head. “You know what they say about

*****

Klempner

upstairs. They want to see

And the baby…

Of course…

too. To see his Beth,

now, I pace the

stands, half-decorated. Close by, a cardboard box

for lack of anything else to do, I make up the fire. It’s not difficult. A wicker basket contains paper, matches and kindling; the hearth is stacked with logs and

and I stack thinnish stove-lengths then thicker logs over it, building

drifts. I can pick out Jenny’s voice, excited

off her new

much deeper tones rumble down too and occasionally the nurse trots past the door, uniform crisp,

the fire,

of activity, the buzz of excitement fades. And depression settles over

Now what?

Perhaps I should go?

play

be tracking

turn to stand over the fire, leaning with both hands on the mantle, staring down

The voice is

is Jenny alright? And the

now. They’ve put Cara in an incubator, but it’s just a precaution while they make sure everything’s working

“An incubator? Here?”

they needed to, everyone could be whisked away to a clinic or hospital, but unless it’s an emergency…” She shrugs. “I think he just kept shoving money at them until they agreed to set up