Michael

“James, we have to tell her. Given her condition, Mitch has to know. ”

He exhales slowly, avoiding my eye. “Yes, she does. I’ve… been avoiding it…”

“Hoping it would go away? That Klempner would contact us out of the blue and we could warn him? That just like that, everything would be alright?”

“Something like that, yes.”

“If Mitch doesn’t have all the facts, she can’t make proper decisions. She’s going to need support. And part of that support is to give her the truth. It’s not doing her any favours to be kept in the dark.”

“You’re right of course.” James squeezes his eyes closed, presses at a temple. “Let’s get it over with. Can you get everyone together. We’ll need the family with her for this.”

*****

Richard and Beth drop what they are doing, joining us in the lounge. Georgie appears shortly afterwards, strolling in from the hotel with a speculative look in her eye.

Elbow resting on the chair arm, I talk behind my hand to James in the next seat. “You think it’s a good idea to have Georgie here?”

“She’s family too,” he snaps. “And she was also targeted by that maniac woman. So, yes, she should be here.”

Turning away from me, he flips open his mobile, giving the screen a couple of taps. “Hickman? Yes, it’s James. Could you join us in the house, please… Yes, right away.”

I bite down on my doubts. Georgie sits off to one side, silently waiting, regarding me from under lidded eyes as she sees me watching her.

But it’s James’ call…

His daughter…

His problem…

Or at least, the problem he created…

Charlotte perhaps has similar reservations. She meets my gaze for a long moment, her attention broken as James speaks. “Charlotte, could you fetch your mother, please. Tell her I need a word.” He stares at his feet for a moment, then, “Don’t say more than that. This has to come from me. Try to keep her calm.”

Sucking at her lips, Charlotte nods and heads out.

James paces the room, looking as though he’s just been asked what he would like for his last meal.

Richard pushes a glass into his hands. “Calm down. We all know it wasn’t intentional.”

James knocks back half an inch of golden liquid, then thrusts the glass back at Richard. Legs akimbo, his back to the fire, he stares moodily into space, cracking his knuckles.

an armchair at the back of the room;

doorway, brow

“Um… why don’t you sit down, Mitch. There’s something I have

is it? Is it about Larry? You’ve heard something?” Her voice snatches. “Has… something happened

“Please, Mitch, sit down.”

hand. “Sit by me on

“So you know something I don’t? How do

her to the seat. “Mitch, please sit down.

glares at me sidelong, but sits, sandwiched between me and Charlotte, who slips her hand over her

sheened, his words slow, speaks like

As indeed, he

Klempner was fooled into uploading James’ Trojan to his

Set a locator

the cloud, so that when Klempner replaced

hacked, and that virus now has control of

that it is

“Mitch, I’m sorry. I never intended any of this, but

complexion sallow. “Are you telling me that woman can trace exactly where

yes, that’s almost

And it didn’t occur to you to tell any of us what you were doing?” Her

James doesn’t reply.

hands clasped over a still flat stomach. “What exactly is she

He swallows…

an octave. “Tell me, James. What have

assuming it is Juliana… has complete control of Klempner’s mobile. If the phone is capable of doing it, then she has control. She’ll certainly know where he is. She’ll have his log-ins, passwords and his entry codes. She’ll be able to use the camera and the microphone.

top-line model. It’s capable of a lot. But he doesn’t

stares at him, trembling,

long is it now

a look that would etch glass then, speaking in

did he normally contact

Different pattern. Mainly…” He looks towards Mitch…

thing you

me to obtain the information regarding the organised crime syndicates in

James. “I’d have been happy to help

swings his gaze

“Klempner’s in trouble because of me. I’ll book a flight and

Mr Klempner has encountered the kind of trouble that

I say. “I can handle

Mr Summerford.” Hickman sucks at

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