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 pull it

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

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

dangerous.” Cash-Man

he speaking in

a bit thick but perfectly

benefit? Put up

if he knows she’s

that it matters when they’re

dangerous can

a finger, pointing skyward.

all of them, did you? All by

poisoned pocket is the one responsible.

His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward me and now, closer, I see

dense can

Seriously?

be for her to slip a little something

bit of something different for

she still has

him a

Superman complex?

fiddling with her phone as he

pusher who’s a

to buy time, time to

Deja vu…

and under just these conditions, as I descended from

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies,

All overlooking this alley…

for the police

Or me…

halfway down? Throw

Or try to…

a security camera somewhere…

Ah… the phone…

to

she’s tapping at the

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

her screen, then her face twists. “Don’t let him get away, Jose,”

He

that. I told you.

at the rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up close?” He

the glint on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol.

snarls, raising the gun. “She said alive, not

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

need. Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires,

Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m not about to give him time to regret

his mistake, but as I swing a foot around

I prefer my hair long enough to provide a bit of padding against blows, but short

with my free hand, I yank

firmly on the ground. But dangling where I hold him by the hair, he’s almost horizontal from

him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my

that I think she gives a shit about him, but at least his body

Is she armed?

don’t see anything except the mobile in

don’t think so.” Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s

ask

to murder the poor 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 you don’t care if I

figure what the card is

Someone else here?

glances left and right…

fucking infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look

Knotting my right hand tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is occupied

chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a look.” She’s not exactly

she knows something

muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the

he obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze

the base of his skull, I fish the

… and turn cold…

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

moving: a live feed. And of a view

up towards the terrace 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 language relaxed. James and Michael stand nearby,

the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then

feed

cracks wide and she giggles again: an infuriating, sickening sound. “Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can take the

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

gut him for

Larry.” Juliana sniggers. “Who's first? Jenny? Or Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off one at a time. Or

Christ…

an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to be a good boy and put the

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

the muzzle of my Glock still to Jose’s head, I watch as

she give the order

surrender, then murder

Mitch…

Jenny…

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