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 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

clingy, with a low cut neckline; designed to show off a figure

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 in the audience at some small town hall, for a talk on

she says brightly. “What are we going to talk about

touch of wariness

my arms, lean back against the

to get

topics.” I pace a little, as much as the chain

right.” She gives me a bright little smile. “And…” She aims a long painted fingernail at

Fake…

Extensions?

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

Two days?

there anything you

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

get a real

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

touched by your concern for

you’ve lost. You’re mine now

the police. By now they'll know I'm

found dead in his hotel suite after the explosion. And I made sure the police found some clues about

My chest tightens…

“What clues?”

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

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

rigged that explosion just so you could plant a corpse to stand in for

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

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

scores of people caught in that explosion. All innocent. All nothing