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.

Click of heels on concrete, then Juliana emerges from the darkness. “Good afternoon, Larry. How are you? I do hope you’ve had the opportunity to fully appreciate your

clingy, with a low cut

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

are we going

down at me while we talk. She watches me, a touch of wariness in her eyes. Momentarily, her gaze drops to her painted line,

I fold my arms,

it’s good to

talk about? I’m guessing you have a selection of choice topics.” I pace a

bright little smile. “And…” She aims a long painted fingernail

Fake…

Extensions?

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

Two days?

Is there anything

I pause…

Seriously?

“How about a cup?”

give you something to turn into a weapon or a tool? Finchby and Baxter were stupid, letting your little bitch daughter get hold of a glass bottle. I'm not

a

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

by your concern for my

you’ve lost.

looking for me, the

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 they’ll have found around there recently, I’m sure that will perk their interest

My chest tightens…

“What clues?”

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…” She makes air commas… “Innocent Tourist Witnesses Gang Murder And Bloodbath. Criminals Retaliate.” The papers love that

way, Larry, they’re not looking for you. You’re dead. Or the man

so you could plant a corpse to

“Couldn't have people wondering where you are, could I? That would spoil our

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

you murdered? There were scores of people caught