Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Klempner

My resources: The clothes I’m wearing. A notebook and the stub of a pencil: A book on herbal toxins. A small supply of sweet water. An infinite supply, for any practical purpose, of foul water, slime and garbage. And of course, one small potato.

I’d like to give in to despair. There’s something alluring about despair, something seductive. Perhaps I should simply not play Juliana’s game; let her kill me.

But if I’m dead…

Mitch…

My beautiful green-eyed Mitch.

So alive. So energetic.

So full of courage.

So vital.

Vitale

…

Stay alive...

So, eat the fucking potato…

I prise it out from its bed of sludge and slime with a slight sucking sound. It’s small; perhaps half the size of my fist. On the other hand, adhered muck aside, it seems sound; firm, mid-brown, no sprouts or green parts. I have a vague idea that I’ve read that green potatoes are unsafe to eat.

Hauling myself up from my concrete seat, lifting my chain in one hand, with the other, I hold my meal under the water inlet, thumbing away the dirt under the clean water.

Time to live…

And I bite in.

*****

With no warning, the light blinks on and without meaning to, I groan, hiding my eyes behind my hands.

the darkness. “Good afternoon, Larry. How are you? I do

today, long and draped over her shoulders, with deep red lipstick. The dress is long and clingy, with a low cut neckline; designed to show off a figure which I

streaming eyes, I don’t reply and she awards me a polite little smile, then sits, on her fold-up chair, hands neatly folded. She could be in school, waiting for a favourite teacher to begin the lesson. Or perhaps

are we going to talk about

me, a touch of wariness in her eyes. Momentarily, her gaze drops to her painted line, but she’s well to one side of it, me to the

I fold my arms, lean back against the

to get

you have a selection of choice topics.” I pace a little, as much as the chain allows,

a bright little smile. “And…” She

Fake…

Extensions?

You must look after yourself. Exercise. You won’t do well down here if you don’t move about more than I’ve seen you doing the last two

Two days?

there

I pause…

Seriously?

“How about a cup?”

letting your little bitch daughter

a

Lick it off the wall if you have to. I’m

your concern for

you’ve lost. You’re mine

the police. By now they'll

left of him has been found dead in his hotel suite after the explosion. And I made sure the police found some clues about you being near my apartment. With the number of bodies

My chest tightens…

“What clues?”

insist, I left your passport not too far away, close enough to link you to the spot.” She sighs, stroking a hand over her hair. “I suppose they might decide you were involved with the gangs. But I think it's more likely they'll say you got caught in the war between the Wolves and the Nightshades. You know…”

leans forward onto her knees, her smile widening. “Either way, Larry, they’re not looking for you. You’re dead. Or the man they

mind spins… “So… you rigged that explosion just so you could

wondering where you are, could I? That

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

then,” I spit back. “How many have you murdered? There were scores of people caught in that explosion. All innocent. All