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.

an armchair at the back of the room; leaning back, arms folded, legs outstretched, crossed at

returns with Mitch, one arm hooked through her mother’s. Mitch pauses in the doorway, brow furrowing as she sees the

clears his throat, then gestures to an armchair. “Um… why don’t you sit down, Mitch. There’s something I have to tell

Is it about Larry? You’ve heard something?” Her voice

“Please, Mitch, sit down.”

Charlotte takes her hand. “Sit by me

something I don’t? How do you get to find out

“Mitch, please sit down. James needs to talk and it’s not going to be easy on either

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

sheened, his words slow, speaks like one

indeed,

into uploading James’

a

into the cloud, so that when Klempner replaced his mobile, he would be automatically

and that virus now has

can only assume that it is Juliana

sorry. I never intended any of this, but we’ve heard nothing

her complexion sallow. “Are you telling me that woman

sorry, Mitch. But yes, that’s almost certainly

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

James doesn’t reply.

carefully, precisely, hands clasped over a still flat

He swallows…

voice rises an octave. “Tell me,

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. If he carries it in his pocket as he usually does, she won’t be able to see much, but she will be able to eavesdrop and to record any

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

stares at him, trembling, stroking

in. “This doesn’t get us anywhere. Hickman, how long is it now since

that would etch glass then, speaking

did he normally

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

the last thing you discussed with

the information regarding the organised crime syndicates in São

could have asked me,” says James. “I’d

his gaze

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

short, but his voice has lost its edge. “Mr Alexanders, I know you mean well, but if Mr Klempner has encountered the kind of trouble that he can't handle…” He raises

say. “I can

can, Mr Summerford.” Hickman sucks at

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