Hot Revenge Box Set 2

After clearing up the breakfast dishes, I go looking for Klempner. I find him outside, on the terrace. The fog is clearing and leaning with both hands on the wall, he stares out over the valley, watching wreaths of silver mist twine over the lake.

I take a place beside him. “You okay?”

He turns. “Yes,” he smiles, “I'm extraordinarily okay.”

He looks away, then looks back, meeting my eye. “But we both know I fit in there like a giraffe in a wet suit. However, my thanks for the invitation. I appreciate it. I really do...” He picks at a bit of lichen growing on the stonework.

“But you're not ready to settle down with the carpet slippers and the chocolate Labrador by the hearth?”

“No. And as you said, there are things I need to do, dealing with Baxter being the priority.” He blows air. “Do you think Mitch will handle that? For some fairly obvious reasons, I can't stay here long. But even if I could stay, it wouldn’t work. Not long term.”

“I think you should ask her yourself…”

“But…”

“… But… I suspect that for both of you, simply knowing that the other is there will count for a lot. And besides, if you're careful, you can visit from time to time. See your daughter, your grand-daughter.”

He looks at his feet, scuffing at the ground. “I suppose.”

“Does it occur to you that for Mitch, a… um… part-time relationship, might appeal?”

His forehead furrows. “Run that by me again.”

“Mitch has had men controlling her all her life. Or trying to. She’s enjoying her freedom, especially now she’s earning money… Real money… in her own right. Living a life of her own but having a partner… you… there occasionally might just work, for both of you. The two of you would simply spend quality time together.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Would that work?”

“It might. It wouldn’t be for everyone. But for Mitch… And for you… Who knows? Wouldn’t it be worth a try?”

His head sways, slowly, up and down. “Do you think Jenny will want to see me?”

“I think so, yes. It might be a bit of a rocky road for a while, but it will be good for her.”

“And you? Will I be welcome here?”

“For me, yes, you’ll be welcome. But for now, will you stay for Christmas? I’m sure Mitch would like that.”

“Yes…” He scuffs at the ground. “I think I will. In any case, there are things I need to do here too.”

“And after that? Back to Thailand?”

He flashes me a startled glance, then his smile twists into humour. “Um... Nooo… Not Thailand. It's not a very healthy environment for me just now. No, it’s South America for me next.”

“Will you keep me informed on that? Anything you learn.”

“Of course. I’ll set something up so we can stay in contact this time… without you having to rig up my old wiretap again.”

*****

Klempner

At the door, standing ajar, I hesitate, my stomach suddenly dropping away.

Have I done enough?

With muscles oddly reluctant to move, I tap on the door, very quietly.

“It’s open.”

I push, and too slowly, the door swings wider.

Jenny’s sitting in a rocking chair by the window. Her hair, so like her mother’s spills over a thick shawl pulled around her shoulders. A warm blanket covers her lap. And her face, while pale, has lost that sheen she had when Michael and I found her.

And held in her arms, wrapped in layers of knitted woollens…

Cara…

Your daughter.

My granddaughter.

I want to say something. Something appropriate, but I’m not sure what it should be.

I abused you…

Mistreated you…

Took my revenge on you…

had

as your gaze rises to me, you smile…

to see you smile at

“May I come in?”

“Of course you can.”

her position, fiddles with the layers of blankets and then, in a cheek-scalding moment,

Oh, God…

She’s feeding her…

look. “My apologies. I didn’t intend to interrupt

giving birth to

Breast-feeding?

Too personal…

spin,

Anywhere else…

for my eyes to

to look at: unicorns charge around the walls in a multicoloured herd accompanied by a kind of rainbowed Pegasus above them. A

then the other, trying to

It moves…

someone let your mother loose with a paintbrush in

recognise it? Her

She's still using that trick I see. Making

smiles. It’s almost the loveliest smile I’ve

agreement with the mermaid.

don’t know how she does

me she’d seen something about cave paintings; how they were intended to be seen

mouth opens a little. “Will you tell me more

“Like what?”

you met. How you got to

gnaws at me. “You’re sure you want to

“I think so, yes.”

has never been my strong suit, and now, here; in this place,

room. She watches

wish I could change

But you can change the future…”

Inside I’m

Long seconds pass.

and her clothes as the rocker moves slightly, to and fro. Absently, I notice that

stands, takes a step or two towards me, the baby still in her arms. “Would you like

inside me jolts.

granddaughter. Don’t you want

mouth is dry and the heat

there, offering me the

past me and I turn to

raises brows,

but Michael steps

offering her

My granddaughter…

the indignity of the world. The features are soft and

what do I

What’s expected?

a

another hand, smaller than the end of

Such tiny fingernails.

to me. “You want to. I can

I’ve never done

sake

cradle her in

this.” She takes my hand, slipping it under the head.

Then she steps away.

hazy and, I think not quite

Dark-haired like her father?

there a touch of

…

What to say?

“Hello, Cara.”

“It’s

Crap…

times can I fucking fuck it

get the name

“It’s not? I thought…”

a hand on her arm “Charlotte? I thought…” There’s hurt in his voice. And confusion. “I

Even James is frowning.