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!

recoils. Shock ricochets over her face. “You wanted me as a

put it that way,

revenge

touching the grill. “You got it

he

Admitting this?

love with you? Is that what you mean? After the way you treated me

guard moves to stand behind Klempner, poking

is something in the guard's stance;

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

your visitors, you’ll not be getting any more

for an excuse

glittering there. Just

The monster…

his features to a more normal expression; apparent passivity… “Yes,

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

a hand on Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he murmurs. “It’s past.” It’s the first

I just saw, but my thoughts

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

rage drains from her. “Will you tell me something

eyes unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far distance. “She had a thing for

What do you

the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself. “And she’d painted one on the wall of

artistic? A painter?

Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually.

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

in her

his cheeks, looking amused. “What’s so

a bit. “Didn't have it down

tone like

“Would you

the next time you come

sets.

will encourage you

“Oh… What else?”

again. “She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver thing. Just

the performance with

to the grill. “Is that it? The

blinks, glances, then stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the chances?

my

her, his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back

who snaps fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it a cursory inspection,

slides it under the grill and Klempner takes

Something precious?

sits staring at

that the necklace

is quiet as he

him in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still

the monosyllable lacks

to notice. “When

before... before...” He holds up the photo. “Can I

“It's

hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's

swings to

you want it,

image. “I still have that necklace you know. If you like, you can have

voice trembles.

it to your mother. Since she's not

didn't let you keep things like that

here. But I can have it sent to you.

dragging her hand from mine. “Why would you take that kind of trouble?

sits back, chews at a lip. “I

something I had nothing

stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid pro quo. You give

really

flirting over

James stares back.

to out-stare

did I

two of them then, “Why did it fail? Between you and my mother? Because

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 to mean.

had no capacity

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

sits back, folding his arms.

my

“I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

necessary to love someone

want to

didn’t get that far. But yes, I wanted her.

you.” Her voice drips

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

you deduce that she had no

she have

sucks air

leans forward again, folded arms resting on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you.

curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You

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

truth to

drain from him. “And whatever led

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