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!

face. “You wanted me as a substitute

it

revenge on

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

he saying all

Admitting this?

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.

poking

guard's stance; something in his

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

go upsetting your visitors, you’ll

an excuse to cut

fury glittering there. Just

The monster…

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

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

on Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he

just saw, but my thoughts

each other. After long seconds he says, “So what would you like to

you tell me something about my mother?” There’s pleading in her voice.

inclines, eyes unfocusing, seemingly looking into some

A thing? What

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

was artistic? A painter? A

at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could

to run out of words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always seemed to be wearing

in her chair.

in his cheeks,

have it down as a pyjamas kind of

tone like

eyes lift to his. “Would you tell

the next time you

face sets. “Why

encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

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

mouth opening and 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. I shrug. He avoids

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

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

file on my father.” Her hand is shaking.

glances at her, his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention

to the guard who snaps fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it a

under the grill and Klempner takes it

Something precious?

then sits staring at

the necklace you were talking

is quiet as he looks up.

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still friends

But the monosyllable

seem to notice. “When was

before... before...” He

flushes then swallows. “It's the

a hand over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a

to James. “You're sure?” He nods without

you want

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

have it?” Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why do

it to your mother. Since she's not

thought they didn't let you keep things like that

it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell offices where you spend so

mine. “Why would you take that kind of trouble? You hate

at a lip. “I used to

something I had nothing to do

up the photo. “Quid

that really it?”

folds his arms, a sneer flirting over his

James stares back.

to out-stare

I

it fail? Between you and my mother? Because she

like that, yes. But... there was something

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch

that supposed to

no

gives him a look like a blade. “While you do? You

folding his arms.

loved my father

head tilts. “I’m not convinced

“But she married him?”

not actually necessary to love

you want

yes, I wanted her. I wanted

you.”

There was something else. Something stopping her from… from

that she had no capacity to

would she have left

air

forward again, folded arms resting on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would

could be carved in stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe in

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

“I want the truth

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

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