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.

fuck does

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

she has the knack to sucker a

He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man

speaking in

is a bit thick but perfectly

Put up

if he knows she’s screwing

when

“… how dangerous can he be

a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you know all your

You killed them all

of the poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you let

talking about?” His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward me and now, closer,

dense can he

Seriously?

difficult would it be for her to slip a little

bit of

she still has a

him a high?

Superman complex?

says nothing, simply smirking and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You think I’m

pusher who’s a

time,

Deja vu…

is the second time I’ve been found at the spot, and under

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies, windows

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for the police

Or me…

down? Throw me

Or try to…

security camera somewhere… One

Ah… the phone…

linked to a camera

tapping at

thought of

No-one’s infallible…

at something on her screen, then her face

problem.” He

that. I told you. I want

at the rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any

blade. “No. This is what I use for up

snarls, raising the gun. “She

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole in the wall of the apartment block before skittering

screams. The blow may have broken his wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m not about to give

to recover from his mistake, but as I swing a foot around his ankles, he’s off-balance

the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my hair long enough to provide a bit of padding against blows, but short

follows him down. Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting his fall… kind

horizontal from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down and now, shoving the knife into my belt for speed, I have the Glock

his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle

about him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I figure

Is she armed?

except the

is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You

ask Speeding Gonzales

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

for time, trying to figure what the card is she holds in her hand that I

Someone else here?

glances left and right… back, front…. up. There’s no-one

infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look

his hair, keeping Jose

my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a look.”

knows

gun into the back

obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him

to the base of his skull, I

… and turn cold…

button, there's an image on the

a live feed. And of a view

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.

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 Jenny. And then, finally, they settle squarely

feed from

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

Where the hell's Hickman?

his fucking

him

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

Christ…

an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

still to Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters

she give

then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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