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…

you had no involvement

rises to

think to see you smile

“May I come in?”

“Of course you can.”

position, fiddles with the layers of blankets and then, in a

Oh, God…

She’s feeding her…

to look. “My apologies. I didn’t

me. Even seeing Jenny giving

Breast-feeding?

Too personal…

spin,

Anywhere else…

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 mermaid and frog

one way then the other, trying to get perspective on

It moves…

see someone let your mother loose with a paintbrush in

recognise it?

spot her touch, yes. She's still using that trick I see.

loveliest smile I’ve ever seen. “You've seen it

shift again watching the thing nod in agreement with the mermaid. “It was a butterfly the first time I

know how

cave paintings; how they were intended to

little. “Will you tell me

“Like what?”

How you met. How you got

me. “You’re sure you want to

“I think so, yes.”

out of things to say. Small talk has never been my strong suit, and now, here; in this place,

pace the room. She watches me, calm,

I… I wish I could change what’s past. I

has happened. But you can

I’m tight, cold, but heat rises up

Long seconds pass.

the blankets and her clothes as the rocker moves slightly, to and fro. Absently, I notice that the chair also has received the ‘Mitch treatment’, painted cream, ferns twine up and around the

towards me, the baby still in her arms. “Would you like to

me

She’s your granddaughter. Don’t you

is dry and the heat

there, offering me

turn to see James, Michael and

look to James. He raises brows, lips twitching. “She’s the mother.

little as she moves, but Michael steps forward, a hand under her arm. “Take it

offering her

My granddaughter…

are soft and

do

What’s expected?

extend a finger

than the end of my thumb, takes hold of

Such tiny fingernails.

her to me. “You want to. I can see

I’ve never done this before, but

fuck’s sake don’t

I cradle her in

my hand, slipping it under the head. “Her

Then she steps away.

hazy and, I think not quite focussed on me. A wisp of hair spirals

Dark-haired like her father?

there a touch

…

What to say?

“Hello, Cara.”

“It’s not

Crap…

times can I fucking fuck

even get the name

“It’s not? I thought…”

There’s hurt in his voice. And confusion.

Even James is frowning.