Hot Revenge Box Set 4

The Wolves and the Nightshades…

Gang names…

?

‘Wolves’ has masculine overtones, a touch of the machismo about it. I can see that as a gang name.

But Nightshades?

What gang calls itself Nightshades?

Poison is a woman’s weapon…

Chewing my potato, I retrieve Sola’s text on poisons.

Nightshade…

Also known as Belladonna… ‘used historically as medicine, poison and cosmetic…

Cosmetic?

I read on… Belladona…’Beautiful lady… the juice used historically in Italy to enlarge the pupils of women to enhance their appearance…

Fuck me…

I flick a page or two: Symptoms of belladonna poisoning… dilated pupils, rash or flushed skin on the face, neck and upper body, accelerated heartbeat, epileptic spasms, vomiting…

*****

James

“What do you think?”

Michael raises brows. “Klempner?”

“Of course, Klempner. D’you think he’s alive?”

He scratches into his scalp. “With the kind of life he's led… leads… I suppose it was only a matter of time before he walked into one of these situations and didn’t walk out again.”

“I suppose. Still, it’s hard to imagine him going down with some half-crazed woman. I mean, drug barons, criminal overlords, yes. Experienced mercenaries or assassins… You can see how they might have outclassed him. But some half-cocked girl with a grudge? How could she have gotten the better of him?”

“That’s not really the question is it?”

“No?”

“No. The question is, how is Mitch handling it?”

Guilt clutches at me. “Not well.”

*****

Klempner

and behaving as though our previous meeting

fashion statement consists of a tight geisha-style dress in green silk, heavily embroidered with gold dragons. It’s too loud against the curly, mid-brown hair and subdued, flesh-tone lipstick. But I’m not

you seduce

be a fucking

we going to

straightening up against the wall. “What would you like to talk about? My packed social

tailbone is rubbing and I move to ease the pressure. It works, but now my weight is on

she snaps,

attention with concrete rubbing a hole

baby. Aren’t you comfy?”

I’m not, but if your idea is to keep me incarcerated in

through her teeth, then props

“A chair?”

having a chair. I didn’t bring you

If they get infected

“We'll see. Perhaps I’ll give you something… since

*****

I stare into the

This is it then.

all…

Mercenaries…

Murderers…

Machete-wielding savages…

hundred bastards just like me… Some of them

I survived the lot.

captured by

…

…

No… Not stupid…

Vengeful…

Depraved…

Insane…

Yes, insane…

I don’t find something

a

diagnosis, but encapsulating all the important

What's her intention?

What does she want?

To kill me?

I'd already be dead.

at least

does she

Power.

enjoy wielding power over