Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Chapter 34

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.

any expression. He takes an armchair at the back of the room; leaning back, arms folded, legs

the doorway, brow furrowing as she sees the gathering. “What

gestures to an armchair. “Um… why don’t you sit down, Mitch.

it? Is it about Larry? You’ve heard

“Please, Mitch, sit down.”

takes her hand. “Sit by me on

her daughter. “So you know something I don’t? How

steering her to the seat. “Mitch, please sit down. James needs to talk and it’s not going to be

sandwiched between me and Charlotte, who slips

skin sheened, his words slow,

As indeed, he

was fooled into uploading James’ Trojan to

a

Programmed it to backup into the cloud, so that when Klempner replaced

himself was hacked, and that virus now has control of Klempner’s

only assume that it is Juliana

behind his hands, “Mitch, I’m sorry. I never intended any of this, but we’ve

that woman can trace exactly where Larry is? And he has no idea

But yes, that’s almost

occur to you to tell any of us what you were doing?”

James doesn’t reply.

still flat stomach. “What exactly is she able

He swallows…

rises an octave. “Tell me,

his entry codes. She’ll be able to use the camera and the microphone. If he carries it in

forehead. “Larry uses a top-line model. It’s capable

at him, trembling, stroking her

how long is it now since you last had contact with

man gives James a look that would etch glass then,

did he

about once a day. Different times. Different pattern. Mainly…” He looks towards Mitch… “… it was to

was the last thing

information regarding the organised crime syndicates in São

James. “I’d have been

his gaze

trouble because of me. I’ll book a flight and get over

voice has lost its edge. “Mr Alexanders, I know you mean well, but if Mr Klempner has encountered the

go,” I say. “I can

at his lips,

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