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?

selling it on at the same price he

and the time period… he's… well, if he's not losing money, he could have made a lot more by following his original plans for

he didn’t have any

imagine he had an option on

in. My mind races.

shrugs, pursing his lips. “I’ve not truly worked out what’s 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 enough man. But you can be sure that to be where he is, he’s been playing the game at the edge. Still, he pays his

turn his words over in

Lawrence Klempner…

does he know

rest

talk as though you've

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

sniffs. “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,

do

identified Baxter as Jenny’s kidnapper.” He muses then smiles. “Haswell aside, I’ll not forget that. If you ever need my help, Kirstie, you can remember that I pay my debts too…” His

is looking into the distance, scanning over field and lake and wood

the air,

at me.

about him? I

in the worst possible way, as a way of coming back at me.” His eyes flash fury. “I have no reason to believe he’s given

“You think he'll

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

His words hang, half-said…

else though,” I

lets it out. He paces, circles, then meets my

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 knows I wouldn't behave like

two of you were

colleagues. We knew

it's someone

head inclining. “Like

A brother? A lover? Someone close enough to get

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

into silence and I begin to feel awkward. “You

shakes his head,

talked about everyone else; James, Richard,

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

Michael?

a meeting of minds Jenny was opting for when she married him. It’s

not being fair on

a brow. “You think

academic qualifications, the 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 seems genuinely

“Michael… has emotional intelligence.”

Really? That's an idea I have

Slaver... Trafficker… Murderer…

realise that. It doesn't mean it's

that too.” He muses. “It's something Mitch is

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

amused.