Hot Revenge Box Set 2

Chapter 33

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?

it on at the same price

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 plans

he didn’t have any plans

imagine he had an option on the

me sinks in. My mind races. “But why would he do that? He’s an important

all looking out for each other… Haswell seems a decent enough man. But you can be sure that

turn his words over in my

Lawrence Klempner…

he

the rest

as

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

to do you a favour. A big favour. No offence meant, Kirstie, but there're not too many women in your

do

“Haswell aside, I’ll not forget that. If you ever need my help, Kirstie,

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

not just taking the air, are you? You’re watching for

sidelong at me.

about him?

worried about him. He’s tried his best to hurt my family, 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 up on that.” He chews his lower lip, staring out and

drying, “You think he'll come

But...” He

His words hang, half-said…

though,”

in, lets it out.

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 knows I wouldn't

of you

long-term colleagues. We knew each other

it's someone else,

head

than you, perhaps? A partner? A brother? A lover? Someone close enough to get inside his

sucks at his teeth. “Not that I’m aware of.

into silence and I begin to feel awkward.

head,

Richard, Beth, Charlotte.

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

don’t like Michael? Everyone

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

being

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 doesn’t always read people properly. But

Klempner

“Michael… has emotional intelligence.”

Really? That's an idea

Slaver... Trafficker… Murderer…

realise that. It doesn't mean it's not

muses. “It's something Mitch is

you better at the job…” Then

amused. “Perhaps. Still… she

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