Hot Revenge Box Set 2

I scrutinize that crack in my footprint.

Need to get new boots soon…

Or I’ll have wet feet…

“I'm scared,” I admit.

His voice is soft. “Of what? Committing? To him?”

“No, not exactly. What if it all went wrong?”

I know that I sound like some spoiled child, complaining about homework or the wrong cookies with my milk, but the words keep coming… “What if I lost my job? Or Ryan was doing badly? If we couldn’t pay, we could lose everything.”

Klempner shrugs. “So, what’s the difference with that to paying rent for the rest of your life? That’s always going to be money down the drain. If you’re on a mortgage, you’re building it up.” He sniffs, scratches his nose. “It seems to me, that you need to sort out your priorities; to decide what it is you really want…”

He’s making a lot of sense…

But he keeps talking. “… Too many people go through life making do. If you fuck up what you really want, you could spend the next twenty years of your life regretting it, before you get another chance.”

“Like you did?”

His gaze goes distant, staring off down at the lake. “Like I did.”

Why are you talking to me like this?

Lawrence Klempner in the role of agony aunt…

However, my good sense rules and I keep that thought firmly inside my head where it belongs.

But I do keep speaking. “It’s just… it’s such a huge amount of money. I’m really worried we can’t afford it.”

Klempner sucks at his cheeks. “You work for Haswell? Do I have that right? And he’s arranging the purchase for this Mill you want to buy?”

“Yes, that's right.”

“And your Ryan, what does he do?”

“He owns his own company. They make heating and ventilation systems. He's doing a lot of contract work right now for James and Richard.”

“He’s the company director?”

“He is, yes.”

“So… his files are a matter of public record. Haswell probably has a very good idea of what he's worth too. And he knows what size of orders Ryan’s company is likely to pull in over the next few years?”

“I suppose so.”

Klempner huffs. “There’s no suppose about it. You don't get into Haswell’s position without having a knack for putting a value on people.” He levels a finger at me. “If he thinks you can afford it, you can afford it. And he’s the one offering you the sale and setting the price.”

Still I hesitate.

He lets out air. “Kirstie, you do realise that Haswell's selling it to you under value?”

He is?

on at the same price he

time period… he's… well, if he's not losing

he didn’t have

you imagine he had an option on the place? He heads a multi-company international

sinks in. My mind races. “But why would he

on with them all in there…” He thumbs back into the house… “Jenny, James, Haswell and his wife… But they’re clearly all looking out for each other… Haswell seems a decent enough man. But you can be sure that to be where he is, he’s been playing the game at the edge. Still,

words over

Lawrence Klempner…

much does he know about

rest of

talk as though

He eye-flashes me, suppressing a smile. “Once… in my previous life… I went looking for skeletons on Haswell and I couldn’t find any. So far as I can see, he's as honourable as big business ever allows.” He aims a finger at me. “You helped to protect Jenny, so

making his best effort to do you a favour. A big favour. No offence meant, Kirstie,

didn’t do that

aside, I’ll not forget that. If you ever need my help, Kirstie, you can remember that I pay my debts too…” His gaze turns distant again… “…

I realise that he’s not simply staring into space. He really is looking into the distance, scanning over

the air,

slants sidelong at me. “Baxter’s

about

of coming back at me.” His eyes flash fury. “I have no reason to believe he’s given up on that.” He chews his lower lip, staring out and down over the frozen

drying, “You think he'll come

not. He knows I'll be looking. But...” He rocks his hand back and forth...

His words hang, half-said…

though,” I say,

his breath, then breathes in, lets it out. He paces,

sharing problems, Kirstie, alright…” He swipes a hand back over his head. “Baxter insisted that I betrayed him, and I still don't understand why. He said I’d abandoned him. Left him for the police. We've known each other a long time. He

two of you

colleagues.

it's someone

head inclining. “Like

perhaps? A partner? A brother? A lover? Someone close enough to get inside his head… Is Baxter married? Is there a

“Not that I’m aware of. But I’ll think about

silence and I begin to feel awkward. “You

shakes his head, jolting

about everyone else; James, Richard, Beth,

his eyes are cracking a laugh. “I understand why my daughter is

don’t like Michael? Everyone

a meeting of minds Jenny was opting for when she married him. It’s not as though he’s the brains

being fair on

cocks a brow.

letters after his name, but whatever he feels inside, James isn’t good at expressing it well. And he doesn’t always read people properly.

Klempner

“Michael… has emotional intelligence.”

further. “Emotional intelligence? Really? That's an idea I have

Slaver... Trafficker… Murderer…

realise that. It doesn't

He muses. “It's

suppose if you can read people it's got to make you better at the job…” Then I choke on my own words. “Oh,

offended. More amused. “Perhaps. Still… she didn't read