Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Chapter 39

Back in the lounge, Cara is sitting on Mitch’s knee. “Getting into practice?” I ask.

Hope and tears war in her voice. “I suppose.” Then as Cara stretches chubby arms out to me. “I think she wants a hug.”

My baby daughter gives me a gummy smile as I pick her up, cradling her to my chest and bouncing her a bit. “You been a good girl then?”

A burble is my only reply, but Georgie looks at me a little oddly. “You never used to do that with me.”

“In fact, Georgie, I did. But your mother didn't like it. She always took you away from me when she could.”

She frowns. “Mom stopped you picking me up?”

“That’s right.”

“But…why would she do something like that?”

I shrug. “I suppose she wanted control of you.” I speak off-handedly, but suddenly, the conversation is uncomfortable. “Mitch I’m making tea. Peppermint for you?”

*****

 

Klempner

Nightmares…

The world spinning…

A face… Juliana, grinning at me… Her teeth sharp and pointed, like a cat’s.

Pain… Something gnawing at me, some monster biting at my ankle.

I know I’m in a nightmare, but I can’t jolt myself out of sleep. Sickeningly, the world spins and wavers around me. I want to retch, but my sleep-bound body won’t let me.

*****

Harsh white light filters through my lashes to stab at crusty eyes. The world still revolves. Or is it me that’s turning?

Consciousness returns only slowly, one sensation after another settling enough to make sense of them.

The spinning around me slowly dies and my world settles. I’m chilled and numb. Pain stabs behind my eyes and as I move, my stomach threatens rebellion. Gradually, it comes to me that, while my shoulder muscles burn, my hands are free.

A male voice: “He should be awake now, shouldn’t he?”

A female voice: “Yes. I didn’t give him much. He should be awake by now. He’s probably faking it.”

Just lie here…

Eyes closed…

Listen…

I’m lying on some cold, hard surface, slick with damp, coated with Christ-knows-what unnamable muck. And for some reason, I’m stretched out full-length, one arm reaching out above my head.

The male voice again: “Wakey, wakey, Larry.” And something plants itself in my ribs, whoofing the air out of my lungs.

Instinctively I roll, snatching for a foot, a leg, a fist: but I catch only empty air. Then I pull up short, with the clink of metal and something biting into my ankle.

What the hell…?

The air stinks. A fetid smell; stagnant water and the rank scent of decay, washes over me. All without meaning to, I react, covering my mouth and nose with my hand before realising that my hand is part of the smell, foul with slime and muck.

Somewhere close by: a trickling sound, and the slap of water against hard sides.

Where the fuck am I?

Oddly out of place, the smell of fresh paint tickles my nostrils.

The male voice again. “He’s awake for sure. He opened his eyes just then, but closed them again.” The words sound far away, as though carried through a tunnel. My eyes won’t focus properly. Nor my head: stuffed and unclear.

it’s going?” The female

to clear gummy eyes, I try to haul myself upright. But a stab of pain at my ankle competes with the rebellion of my stomach. My guts

Wiping it away with the back of my hand succeeds only

Someone giggles.

realise my fingertips too are sticky with something

?

head is cloudy, achy. My thoughts too. Nothing makes sense. Every part of me screams protest as, stiff-muscled, my body torpid, I try again to raise myself into a sitting

ankle again, something clinking as I

leaden fingers, I feel at the metal, probing sluggishly: it’s good quality, the steel polished and new. My feet are

in short gasps, finally I

quickly fades, illuminating only a small area around

them and me, trickled over muck

me, a slight smile playing over her lips. “You

holds something up, dangling it in her fingers, glinting dully: a small brass key: She passes it to Jose, who hangs it on

good, Larry?” Juliana rises from her chair, to stand a little distance from me, smirking. “Don’t worry, the nausea will pass… Or…” She sweeps an arm around… “Or maybe it won’t. I’d like to think you get the benefit of the accommodation I’ve chosen for you.” She pauses, I assume for effect, letting me take in

concrete. Beside me, the floor drops away to a channel containing an uncertain depth of oozing

Sewers?

space with sharp dark shadows. And set in the wall behind Juliana, towards the ceiling,

cheeks before I speak, “You’re consistent, Juliana. I’ll say that for you. You imprisoned Jenny below ground in primitive conditions. Now you plan

Larry. I’ve done it.” She squats down, noticeably well to her side of the

cellars at Blessingmoors, whenever you or that bastard Jenkins…” Her lips curls…”That fucking perv you put in charge… Whenever either of you felt like handing it out to a

snarl washing from her face. “Oh, yes, you like cellars. I remember that about you. I remember those cellars so well. We all spent time there; with the rats for company and knowing the bodies of the ones who disappeared were down

I don’t comment, don’t move, try not

dark places, this is your life now… for as much of it as you have left.” She leans closer, hissing the words. “What goes around, comes

words at her, trying to inject

still have his gun

“Of course.”

“Give it to me.”

it from his pocket, passing it across grip first. She turns it over in her hands, examining it, as though she has never seen such a

She won’t shoot…

She’s a gloater…

she doesn’t want me

Not yet….

But my breath holds…

barrel swings, apparently randomly, first one way, then

shoot you dead. Bang! Bang!…” She mimes firing… Fake recoil with each Bang… “…Just like that…” Then she sniffs. “But that wouldn’t

were a genuine question, as though, waiting for

I could take you a piece at a time.” She stares upward, as though addressing the ceiling. “What do you think, Larry? A foot maybe? Perhaps the

myself to

In… Out… In… Out…

making the victim collaborate

barrel drifts between my feet. “Which will it be, Larry? Left or right?

Fuck this…

right, Larry? Time to

Keep calm…

Don't panic…

Baxter…

into a pumpkin smile and she widens her eyes at me… “… It's not as though you’re going to need it again. I'll leave you the other one for a bit. You’ll want to stand up when

“Leave me with gunshot wounds down here, Juliana, and they'll be infected within hours. I'd be dead of sepsis or gangrene within

of the Glock. “Quite right, Larry.” She gives a quick, sharp nod. “It's good we understand each other...” She looks toward Jose,

radiating machismo. “All your enemies

me… “You’re only alive as long as Solana chooses to keep you that way. I don’t think you have more than a few

in trouble, Jose? If your only use to Juliana was to make me her

late. “… Sola can do what she wants with you. No one

She moves closer to him, slides one hand over his cheek, then around his neck, as

he not see

around her, smiles in his belief

Dumb bastard…

“Hey, look out. She's...”

too wrapped up in

I’m

the muzzle of the Glock pressed into his

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