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.

to see you awake again. How it’s going?”

of pain at my ankle competes with the rebellion of my stomach. My guts heave and the sad remains

the back of my

Someone giggles.

with something besides the filth: white, already drying, crisping at the edges. Cautiously, I

?

My thoughts too. Nothing makes sense. Every part of me screams protest

ankle again, something clinking

snapped closed. And as my vision clears, I see a padlock. With leaden fingers, I

I look up and

quickly fades, illuminating only a small

wooden chair. Jose stands beside her. Between them and me, trickled over muck and slime, a thick white

a slight smile playing over her lips. “You won’t

passes it to Jose, who hangs it on a nail banged into the concrete wall, clearly visible, but well beyond

will pass… Or…” She sweeps an arm around… “Or maybe it won’t. I’d like

concrete. Beside me, the floor drops away to a channel containing an uncertain depth of oozing water. Rusted metal grates obstruct narrow black unknowns: some dry, some trickling

Sewers?

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

speak, “You’re consistent, Juliana. I’ll say that for you. You imprisoned Jenny

it.” She squats down, noticeably well to

your cellars at Blessingmoors, whenever you or that bastard Jenkins…” Her lips curls…”That fucking perv you put in charge… Whenever

the 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;

I don’t comment, don’t move, try

lifts her chin, eyes slanting down to me, then continues…”That’s good. I can see you do remember. Since you’re so fond of tunnels and dark places, this is your life now… for as much of it as you have left.”

words at her, trying to inject

turns to Jose. “You still

“Of course.”

“Give it to me.”

examining it, as though she has never seen such a thing before. Then, holding it loosely, almost

She won’t shoot…

She’s a gloater…

she doesn’t

Not yet….

But my breath holds…

one way, then the other, but

might just shoot you dead. Bang! Bang!…” She mimes firing… Fake recoil with each Bang… “…Just like that…” Then she sniffs.

her head at me, as though it were a genuine question, as though, waiting for

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…

I know all about these games: making the victim

barrel drifts between my feet. “Which will it be, Larry? Left or right? If you don't choose, of course, it will be both

Fuck this…

or right, Larry?

Keep calm…

Don't panic…

Baxter…

right one, I think…” Her face splits 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

chilled skin streams cold. “Leave me with gunshot wounds down here, Juliana, and they'll be infected within hours. I'd be dead of

“Quite right, Larry.” She gives a quick,

radiating machismo. “All your enemies are dead

way. I don’t think you have more than

“You think I’m the one in trouble, Jose? If your only use to Juliana was to make me her prisoner, your

stay out late. “… Sola can do what she wants with you. No one else knows you’re here.

see the knife in the smile. She moves closer to him, slides one hand over his cheek, then around his neck, as though to kiss him. “As

he not

around her, smiles in his belief that they are

Dumb bastard…

“Hey, look out. She's...”

he’s too wrapped up in his

and I’m too

of the Glock pressed into his belly, she

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