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.

“Good afternoon, Larry. How are you? I do hope you’ve had the opportunity to fully appreciate your

with a low cut neckline; designed to show off a figure which I suspect is being enhanced with well-chosen underwear. A clutch bag in black satin completes the

to begin the lesson. Or perhaps in the audience at some small town hall, for a talk on jam-making or how to grow dahlias. At

says brightly. “What are we going to talk

to let her look down at me while we talk. She watches 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,

fold my arms,

to get off the

topics.” I

little smile. “And…” She aims a long

Fake…

Extensions?

part of it, Larry. You must look after yourself. Exercise. You won’t do well down here if you don’t move about more than I’ve

Two days?

Is there

I pause…

Seriously?

“How about a cup?”

And give you something to turn into a weapon or a tool? Finchby and Baxter were stupid, letting your

get a

to do with your time? Lick it off the wall if you have to. I’m not giving you

by your

grouchy, Larry. I’ve won and you’ve lost. You’re mine now and we’re playing by

they'll be looking for me, the police. By now they'll know I'm

made sure the police found some clues about you being near my apartment. With the number of bodies they’ll have found around there recently, I’m sure that will perk

My chest tightens…

“What clues?”

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

forward onto her knees, her smile widening. “Either way, Larry, they’re not looking

spins… “So… you rigged that explosion just so you could plant a corpse

looking away. “Couldn't have people wondering where you are, could I? That would

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

“How many have you murdered? There were scores of