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?

has the knack to sucker a certain kind of

dangerous.” Cash-Man

he speaking

is a bit thick but

my benefit? Put up

if he knows she’s screwing

that it matters when they’re

“… how dangerous can he be

I raise a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you

You killed them all

the poisoned pocket is the one responsible.

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

dense can he

Seriously?

difficult would it be for her to slip a little

of

still has a use for

him

Superman complex?

with her phone as he speaks. “I

A pusher who’s a user too? Sorry. My

to buy time, time to think.

Deja vu…

at the spot, and under just these conditions,

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for

Or me…

down? Throw me off

Or try to…

security camera somewhere… One

Ah… the phone…

linked to

tapping at

thought

No-one’s infallible…

then her face twists. “Don’t let

He raises the

Not like that. I told you. I

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

my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol. “And how much use is that when she wants

snarls, raising the gun.

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

it’s all I need. Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole

his wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m not about to give him

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

ponytail was a mistake. I’ve nothing against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer

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

by the hair, he’s almost horizontal from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down and now, shoving the knife into my belt

enough to make his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my gun pressed

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

Is she armed?

see anything except the mobile in her

Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You think you have the upper

ask Speeding

first to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling. “I

trying to figure what the card is she

Someone else here?

I dart glances left and right…

infuriating Juliana

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

eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry.

knows

phone is vibing. With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail

Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and

of his skull,

… and turn cold…

button, there's

image. It’s moving: 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. James and Michael stand nearby, leaning against a wall, mugs in hands,

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

feed from rifle

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

him for

Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off one at a time. Or my sniper can simply

Christ…

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

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

watch as Juliana

give the order

my surrender, then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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