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.

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

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

my chin. Wiping it away with the back of

Someone giggles.

I realise my fingertips too are sticky with something besides

?

of me screams protest as, stiff-muscled, my body torpid, I try again

bite at my ankle again, something

reach for my ankle, finding a steel cuff, snapped closed. And as my vision clears, I see a padlock. With leaden fingers, I feel at the metal, probing sluggishly: it’s good

short gasps, finally I look

is bright, harsh and white, But it quickly fades, illuminating only a small area around me, three or four yards,

beside her. Between them and me, trickled

her lips. “You won’t escape that padlock, Larry. I chose it especially for

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

arm around… “Or maybe it won’t. I’d like to think you get the benefit of

The smell says that. The walls and floor are concrete. Beside me, the floor drops away to a channel containing an uncertain depth of

Sewers?

confined space with sharp dark shadows. And set in the wall behind Juliana, towards the ceiling, a camera eye aims at me, a light

some saliva from my 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 to do

Larry. I’ve done it.” She squats down, noticeably well to her side of the painted line, fastidiously not

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

again, 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; with the rats for company and knowing the bodies of the ones who disappeared were down

don’t move, try not

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

you.” I spit the words at her, trying to inject some venom, but it’s false bravado and we both know

still have his

“Of course.”

“Give it to me.”

pocket, passing it across grip first. She turns it over in her hands, examining it, as though she has never seen such a thing before. Then, holding it loosely, almost negligently, she waves it through the air, the

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

yet, you know.” She aims at my forehead. “I might just shoot you

head at me, as though it were a genuine question,

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

force myself

In… Out… In… Out…

all about these games: making the victim collaborate

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

Fuck this…

or right, Larry? Time to

Keep calm…

Don't panic…

Baxter…

though you’re going to

cold. “Leave me with gunshot wounds down here, Juliana, and they'll be

lowering the muzzle of the Glock. “Quite right, Larry.” She gives a quick, sharp nod. “It's good we understand each

legs akimbo; radiating machismo.

his chin toward 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 days. And they’re not going to be

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

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

in the smile. She moves closer to him, slides one hand over his cheek, then around

can he not

slips arms around her, smiles in his belief

Dumb bastard…

“Hey, look out. She's...”

he’s too wrapped up in

and I’m too

of the Glock pressed into his belly,

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