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?

was selling it on at the

offering you. With the terms of payment, the agreed interest rate and the time period… he's… well, if he's not losing money, he could have made a lot more by following his original

didn’t have any plans for

head. “Really? So why do you imagine he had an option on the place? He heads a multi-company international corporation, not a charity for retired

“I’m not a secretary.” Then what’s he’s saying to me sinks in. My mind races. “But why would he do that? He’s an important man. He doesn’t

going 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

his words

Lawrence Klempner…

much does he know

rest

talk as though

did.” 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

“I’d say you’ve been pulled under the collective family wing. Haswell’s making his best effort to do you a favour. A big favour. No offence meant, Kirstie,

didn’t do that

when Ben might have murdered Jenny and Mitch. And you identified Baxter as Jenny’s kidnapper.” He muses then smiles. “Haswell aside, I’ll not forget

simply staring into space. He really is looking into the distance, scanning

just taking the air, are you? You’re watching

slants sidelong at me.

about him? I

back at me.” His eyes

“You think he'll

certainly not. He knows I'll be looking. But...” He

His words hang, half-said…

else though,” I say,

curses under his breath, then breathes in, lets it out. He paces, circles, then meets my

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

of you

long-term colleagues.

someone else,

blinks, his head inclining. “Like

knows him better than you, perhaps? A partner? A brother? A lover? Someone close enough to get inside his head… Is Baxter

that I’m aware of. But I’ll think about what

lapses into silence and I begin to feel awkward.

his head, jolting slightly.

James, Richard, Beth,

cracking a laugh. “I understand why my daughter is married to

like Michael?

of minds Jenny was opting for when she married him. It’s not as though

not being

cocks a brow. “You think

be the one with all the academic qualifications, the letters after his name, but whatever he feels inside, James isn’t good at expressing it well. And he

Klempner seems

“Michael… has emotional intelligence.”

intelligence? Really? That's an idea I have trouble

Slaver... Trafficker… Murderer…

It doesn't mean

muses. “It's something Mitch is

you better at the job…” Then I choke on my own words. “Oh,

More amused.