Richard

My intercom buzzes.

“Yes, Francis?”

“Mr Haswell, I have the police commissioner on for you.”

“Put him through, please…” The phone clicks… “Richard?”

“Will, good to hear from you. What can I do for you? Do you have any news?”

“I do, Richard, yes. But it’s not good news I’m afraid.”

Damn…

“Go on.”

“I’ve emailed you a report from the authorities in Brazil. Briefly, there was an explosion in a hotel room in São Paulo; a booby-trapped lavatory would you believe. It took out several rooms and there were a lot of casualties. Two bodies were taken from the room. One was a member of the hotel staff. The other was a guest. The passport identifies him as one Harry Hughes: English. But take a look at the photograph and tell me what you think.”

My mouth sours…

Christ…

If it is…

“Can you hold, Will, while I pull up the email.”

“No problem. Take your time.”

Tap… Tap… Tap… Click…

Password…

Scroll…

Click…

Crap!

I breathe in. Let out air.

“Yes, that’s him. He’s clever with the hair and the glasses. It’s quite subtle and you wouldn’t see it on a casual glance, but that’s him…”

“Richard?”

I

… Or Charlotte?

“Richard? Are you alright?”

I’m not. It might sound ridiculous. We know the man Klempner was in the past… But the courage he’s shown… The way he behaved when Charlotte was abducted… And when he knew there was a threat to Mitch. And James. There was a real human inside there somewhere, fighting to get out.

What a waste…

Richard… Would… would you like me to call by and tell Mitch myself? Give her

deserves better than that. I’ll tell her. Or I’ll tell James and Michael, and

there’s anything I can do, you

“Thanks, Will.”

*****

in his office next door to mine. He

“James?”

pinches the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezing. “I feel

know that for

almost certainly

her. At least for a while. After the birth.

away.” He tugs at his chin. “She’s already stressed out with waiting and hoping. Could this be worse? At least it’s closure

house? So we can all

spying on her. But we could make up her old room again, so it’s there

face-to-face. I’ve already asked Francis to cancel appointments

Eyes red-rimmed, he tugs his jacket

*****

Klempner

the light flicks from dim to bright, and grunting, I raise a hand to shield my eyes for a few seconds. By the time I’m

God-knows-what, and as usual, colour-co-ordinated to her

too tightly and the lipstick is too bright for her. Although that might not show on

you wear sunglasses

fashion statement.” Her voice

around my legs, I do shift a little, moving my weight from one side to

her complexion. Not that her complexion is visible, with her face plastered under a brown sludge that would be flattering on some young woman of genuine Latino

auto-pilot, I catch the miserable thing mid-air before it hit the deck but, despite

Lunch?

her lunch box, unwrapping some fragrant dainty, then appears to realise I’ve not moved. She nods down

Still, I don’t move.

eat that one now and

head. I take a bite from the potato, chewing slowly to convince my stomach it’s getting a good meal. What’s galling is that

“Enjoying that?” she says.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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