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.
at the back of the room; leaning back, arms folded,
the doorway, brow furrowing as she sees the gathering. “What can I do for
armchair. “Um… why don’t you sit down, Mitch.
What is it? Is it about Larry? You’ve heard something?” Her
“Please, Mitch, sit down.”
“Sit by me
glance at her daughter. “So you know something I don’t? How do you get to find
in, cupping her elbow with my palm, steering her to the seat. “Mitch, please sit down. James needs to talk and it’s not going to
at me sidelong, but sits, sandwiched between me and Charlotte,
his words slow, speaks
As indeed, he
uploading James’
Set a
to backup into the cloud, so that when Klempner replaced his mobile, he
how James himself was hacked, and that virus now has
only assume that it
“Mitch, I’m sorry. I never intended any of this, but we’ve heard nothing from him. Hickman can’t make contact…” He glances to Klempner’s henchman, who simply nods
usual, her complexion sallow. “Are you telling me that woman can trace exactly where Larry is? And he has
But yes, that’s almost certainly
any of us what you were doing?” Her tone would
James doesn’t reply.
still flat stomach.
He swallows…
“Tell me, James. What have
know where he is. She’ll have his log-ins, passwords and his entry codes.
fingertips to his forehead. “Larry uses a top-line model. It’s capable of a lot. But he doesn’t have control of it.
stares at him, trembling,
Hickman, how long is it now since
gives James a look that would etch glass then,
often did he normally contact
day. Different times. Different pattern. Mainly…” He
the last thing you discussed with
obtain the information regarding the organised crime
me,” says James. “I’d have been happy to
swings his gaze to James.
trouble because of me. I’ll book a flight and
edge. “Mr Alexanders, I know you mean well, but if Mr Klempner has encountered the kind of trouble that he can't handle…” He
I say. “I
you can, Mr Summerford.” Hickman sucks at his lips, rubs his
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