Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Chapter 23

Michael

“Think he’ll be talkative?”

James shrugs. “Who can guess with that bastard?” He casts down. “Charlotte?”

She’s tight, controlled, hands shoved in the pockets of her jeans. “It’s okay. I’m alright.”

Mmmm…

The guard at the counter goes through the usual rigmarole…

Got to have their procedures I suppose…

… sliding the daybook across the counter. He taps a cracked fingernail on the bottom row. “Name and signature there, sir. And some ID, please.”

I hand over my driving license. “I’ll just be a moment.” The guard scans the license, stapling the copy to the rest of his paperwork, passes it back then turns to James. “Now you, sir.”

He repeats the performance with James and Charlotte, then “And your car keys, please.” I hand them over and he hangs them on a keyboard at the back of the reception area. “Thank you, sir. You can go through now.”

The interview room is as dismal as ever…

Can’t they ever give these places some fresh paint?

And a couple of extra light-bulbs…

Footsteps have trailed a path over worn linoleum and the reek of cigarette smoke competes with stale cabbage.

Klempner’s waiting, sitting behind the barrier. His gaze flicks between me and James then settles on Charlotte as she takes her seat facing him. “Thank you for coming.” His expression is schooled flat but polite, his tone just as much so.

She flushes. “You’re welcome.”

The prison-issue clothes are shabby, but well pressed, immaculate, his hair well cut, fingernails trimmed and clean.

He sits with his hands on the counter, fingers interwoven, thumbs circling each other as though this were no more than a job interview or perhaps a niece visiting a favourite uncle.

Ignoring me and James, “And what would you like to talk about today?”

I push the paper up to the barrier. “Does that mean anything to you?”

His gaze flicks to mine then to the paper. He leans in, looking more closely. “An address? Should it?” He radiates boredom.

Faked?

“I found it in the police files. Supposedly it was the last known address for Charlotte’s mother.”

Klempner’s cheek twitches...

… Yes, faked…

“I’m guessing you visited?” he says. “What did you find?”

“We tried to visit, but the address no longer exists and hasn’t for a long time. There’s a supermarket and a car park on the site now.”

Klempner sucks his teeth. “It may have been a dead end to begin with. Bech was fairly creative about muddying the records. It was a good part of what he did; keeping the dogs sniffing in the wrong direction...”

A shudder runs through Charlotte, seated next to me. Klempner’s gaze flickers to her, his face a blank. Under the counter, I lay a hand on her thigh and she settles.

“So the address was bogus in the first place?”

“I don’t know.” Klempner inhales. “It probably was. I lost track of her. And Bech…” He pauses.

“What?”

“Nothing, just thinking.”

“About what?”

His head tilts back. He regards Charlotte under lowered lids. “Bech wasn’t happy about Mitch,” he says eventually. “It’s possible he tried to misdirect me too.”

“I thought he was your reliable henchman?”

“And who told you that?”

Assumptions…?

Charlotte breaks in. “Bech… Corby as I knew him… He knew my mother? He didn’t like her?”

“No, he didn’t. But then, Bech didn’t really like anyone but Bech. He had his own agenda.”

“Which was?”

“Making himself very wealthy.”

“So why did you work with him?”

“He was efficient… most of the time anyway. He generally had good ideas and could put them into practice. It was his suggestion that I send you to that farm up north.”

She inhales sharply.

She okay?

I try to take her hand in mine, but she tugs it away.

“But why? I thought I was going to be punished for murder, but I woke up there.”

“Murder?” Klempner frowns. “Why would you think that?”

“Supervisor Jenkins…” she suddenly swallows her words.

“Jenkins was hit by a truck. Why…?”

Better stop this…

I interrupt. “So why did you send her to that farm?”

He ignores me, addressing Charlotte. “Jenkins was dead. I had to get you out of the way. Left to his own devices, Bech would almost certainly have killed you. Or arranged that you died. I wanted you alive.”

“So you sent me to the farm and set a spy on me? Why there?”

He taps a forefinger, the nail click-clicking on tired formica.

“I wanted you to grow up like your mother.”

Christ!

“You wanted me as

it

revenge on me? Because she

almost touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted

is he

Admitting this?

face almost meeting his save for the barrier. “You imagine I would have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love with you? Is that what you mean? After the way you treated me when I was little? It’s been over twenty years. You’re obsessed. You’re fucking

poking a

the guard's stance;

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you go upsetting your visitors, you’ll not be getting

excuse to

eyes flash sidelong, fury glittering there. Just

The monster…

his features to a more normal expression; apparent passivity…

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

he murmurs. “It’s past.”

about what I just saw, but

in her chair. She and Klempner eye-ball each other. After

tell me something about my mother?” There’s pleading

eyes unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far

thing? What do

butterflies. She had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He

was artistic? A painter?

teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as an artist had she chosen that

words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always seemed to be wearing butterflies on

in her

He sucks in his cheeks, looking amused.

mumbles a bit. “Didn't have it down as a

a tone like a

to his. “Would you tell

muses. “Perhaps the next time

face sets. “Why

will encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

“She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that

closing. Then she dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning eye.

she pulls something; the photograph, holding it up to the grill. “Is that it? The

stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the chances? Where the hell did you

persons file on my father.” Her hand is shaking. “Is that it?

his attention

to the guard who snaps fingers at the photo. Charlotte

the grill and Klempner

Something precious?

then sits staring at

the necklace you were

Yes, it is.” His voice is quiet as he looks

him in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

the monosyllable lacks

doesn’t seem to notice. “When

before...”

“It's the only one

icy. “It's

into mine. She swings to James. “You're sure?” He

if you want it, you can have

still have that necklace you know. If you like,

it?” Charlotte's voice trembles.

story. But your father gave it to your mother. Since she's not here, I

“I thought they didn't let you keep things like that in

I can have it sent to

mine. “Why

at a lip. “I used

something I had nothing to

He stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid pro quo.

that really it?”

arms, a sneer flirting

James stares back.

try to out-stare

did I hear

between the two of them then, “Why did it fail? Between you and my mother? Because she was afraid of

eyes for a long pause before speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But... there was something about her well

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was

supposed

had no

a blade. “While you do? You mean she didn't

his arms. “No,

loved my

tilts. “I’m

“But she married him?”

not actually necessary to love

you want to

I wanted her.

she didn’t want you.” Her voice drips

that either. There was something else. Something stopping her from…

that she had no capacity to

have left you at

air through

the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you. I believed she would. But

her hand again, curling warm fingers around her

ask me what happened. Do you want the truth or do you

whispers. “I want the truth to be a fairy

seems to drain from him. “And whatever led you to think

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

Comments ()

0/255