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.

the back of the room;

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

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

You’ve

“Please, Mitch, sit down.”

hand. “Sit by me on

something I don’t?

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

glares at me sidelong, but sits, sandwiched between me

words slow,

As indeed,

Klempner was fooled into uploading James’ Trojan to

a locator on

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

hacked, and that virus now

that it is Juliana behind

behind his hands, “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

her complexion sallow. “Are you telling me that woman can

yes, that’s almost

tell any of us what you were doing?” Her tone would

James doesn’t reply.

over a still flat stomach. “What exactly is

He swallows…

voice rises an octave. “Tell me, James.

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. If he

presses fingertips to his forehead. “Larry uses a top-line model. It’s capable of a lot. But

stares at him, trembling, stroking

Hickman, how long is it now since you last had

heavyset man gives James a look that would etch

he

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

the last thing you discussed with

me to obtain the information regarding the organised crime

asked me,” says James. “I’d have been

his gaze to James.

of me.

I know you mean well, but if Mr Klempner has encountered the kind of trouble

say. “I

Hickman sucks at his lips, rubs his nose.

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