Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Chapter 37

“Charlotte, could you set an extra place at the table, please.”

“Sure.” She pauses, her hand full of cutlery. “Who are we expecting?”

“Georgie’s joining us for lunch…”

Her mouth opens in a silent Ahhh…

“… Is that alright with you?”

She moves table-mat, knife and fork to one side, clearing enough space for another setting. “Of course it is, Master. I know how much it means to you to have Georgie speaking to you again. I’ll do my best to make friends with her.”

“Thank you.” I kiss her forehead, tilt her chin up. “For what it’s worth, she said something similar.”

*****

The doorbell rings.

Charlotte stands. “I’ll go.”

She returns a minute later with Georgie, who offers her a bottle of wine. “I wasn’t sure what everyone likes, red or white, so I brought a rosé.”

“Good choice.” I gesture towards the fridge. “It’ll go well with the salmon we’re having. Just pop it in the fridge for now to chill, then take a seat.”

She hovers by the table. “Any particular place I should sit?”

“I set your place there...” Charlotte points. “… next to your Dad.”

Georgie takes a seat, having the look of one floundering. Then, spotting Cara on her playmat on the floor, patting at a dangling pink and blue ladybird. “Are you enjoying being a Mom?”

Charlotte beams. “Oh, yes. But I'll be glad when I’m back to my proper shape again.”

“I suppose you can use the gym in the hotel. Get plenty of exercise.”

“There's that. And I can ride too. That's good exercise.”

“Ride? You have a horse?”

“That’s right. She was a Christmas present. Can you ride?”

Georgie blows air. “I’ve never been on a horse.”

Credit where it’s due, Charlotte’s hesitation is infinitesimal. “Would you like to try? You could… You could borrow Charlie. I'm sure my Ma.. your dad would teach you.”

Georgie swings around to me. “Would you?”

“If Charlotte is happy for you to ride Charlie, I’d like that very much.”

“When can we try?”

“No time like the present. After lunch?”

*****

 

Klempner

Abandoning the abattoir above me, I make the quick climb down again, hanging from the rail of the lowest balcony to let myself drop to the ground. Landing on my toes, the rifle swings against my shoulder then jogs against me.

“Ah, there you are, Larry. I was beginning to worry you might have taken a wrong turn.”

The voice comes from behind me and despite myself, I startle, spinning to face the grinning Juliana and, by her side, a stranger with a gun in his hand. In the poor light, I can’t make out the model, but since the dangerous end is waving at me, that’s by the by…

I look more closely, but not at the weapon: his face.

A bit of a pretty boy: his hair is slicked back to a fetching ponytail and he has that slightly oily look that says Pimp.

No… not a stranger…

Now I look again, it’s Cash-Counting-Man from the night Wonder Boy led me here the first time.

While Juliana was making cow’s eyes at another gang member…

Cash-Man hovers close to Juliana with a slight proprietorial air…

Thinks he’s got her?

Another one?

Must have worked her way through half the fucking city…

Be walking bow-legged if she’s not careful…

And now I think on it, I have Cash-Man’s photo in my phone…

Wonder if Hickman made any progress on that?

Juliana’s wearing that manic grin that is so much a part her sexual allure and Femme Fatale appeal. “So sorry, Larry. Weren’t you expecting me?” She fishes into a shoulder bag, producing a mobile, then tapping the screen to life.

WTF?

Calling for backup?

She’s opted for redhead this evening…

Deliberate?

Probably…

… with green eye make-up which I’m guessing is supposed to give her a delicate mermaid air, but in reality reminds me of one of the characters I saw in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie.

Oddly, Cash-Man seems attracted to her. I cannot see why. But she’s repeated this pattern now again and again.

does she

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

is she has, she has the knack to sucker a certain kind

careful, Sola. He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man

speaking

bit thick but perfectly

benefit? Put up

if he knows she’s screwing

that it matters when

him. “… how dangerous can he be when I have you to

raise a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you know all your friends up there

killed them all of them, did you? All by

poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you let her

are you talking about?” His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward

can he

Seriously?

the finger at Juliana, “How difficult would it be for her to slip a little

bit of something different for

has a use

him a high?

Superman complex?

as he speaks. “I don’t believe

a user too? Sorry. My

time, time to think.

Deja vu…

spot, and under just these conditions, as

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

of balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

for

Or me…

halfway down? Throw me off the

Or try to…

a security camera somewhere…

Ah… the phone…

to a

tapping

thought

No-one’s infallible…

something on her screen, then her face twists. “Don’t let him get away,

He raises

I told you. I

his chin at the rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up

edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol. “And how much use

raising the gun. “She

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole in the wall of the apartment block before skittering to ground and

it jarred it. And I’m not about to give him time to regret his moment

but as I swing a foot around his ankles, he’s off-balance and

I’ve nothing against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my hair

it with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting

almost horizontal from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down and

make his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my gun pressed to his skull. “You’re coming with me, Juliana, if you don't

I think she gives a shit about him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I

Is she armed?

except the mobile in her

so.” Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it,

you ask

sap if I can avoid it. He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling. “I know

playing for time, trying to figure what the card is she holds

Someone else here?

I dart glances left and right…

Juliana

into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is occupied holding

pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming,

she knows something

vibing. With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail with the other. “On your knees, hands clasped

calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and now she’s

the base of his skull, I fish the

… and turn cold…

of the usual accept/deny button, there's an image

not an image. It’s moving: a live feed. And of

of James’ home in the mountain. Mitch and Jenny are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body

dry, crosshairs hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by accident, they pass over

feed from

Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can take

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his

gut him

picked off one at a time. Or my sniper can simply mow them all down

Christ…

an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to be a

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning as her

give the order

surrender, then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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