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!

wanted me as a substitute for her?

put it that way,

revenge on me? Because she left

got it right the

is he saying all

Admitting this?

would have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love with

moves to stand behind Klempner, poking a baton

guard's stance;

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

visitors, you’ll not

an excuse to cut

fury glittering there. Just for

The monster…

he schools his features to a more

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

he murmurs. “It’s past.” It’s the first

think about what I just saw, but

Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says,

tell me something about my

unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far distance. “She had

A thing? What do you

She had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself. “And she’d painted one on

was artistic? A painter?

his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as

continues, “She always seemed to be wearing butterflies on herself somewhere...

back in her

sucks in his cheeks,

mumbles a bit. “Didn't have it

a tone like a

“Would you tell

the next time you

sets. “Why not

encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

a necklace with one too, a butterfly

bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning

photograph, holding it up to the grill. “Is that it?

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

my father.” Her hand is shaking. “Is

narrowing, then he turns his attention back to the photo. “I'd like

Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it a cursory inspection,

it under the grill and Klempner takes

Something precious?

sits

the necklace you were talking

His voice is quiet as he looks up. “Your

him in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still

But the

seem to notice. “When was it? Where was

end, before... before...” He holds up

flushes then swallows. “It's

slip a hand over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy of the original. James can make you

She swings to James. “You're

if you want it, you can have

silently gazing at the image. “I still have that necklace you know. If you like, you can

it?” Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why

gave it to your mother. Since she's not

thought they didn't let you

don't. I didn’t say I have it here. But I can have it sent

“Why would you

back, chews at a lip. “I

something I had nothing to

“Quid

really it?”

sneer flirting over his mouth, staring him

James stares back.

to

I

the two of them then, “Why did it fail?

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

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch was damaged

supposed to

no capacity to

like a blade. “While you do? You

back, folding his arms.

my

head tilts. “I’m

“But she married him?”

necessary to love someone to marry

want to marry

But yes, I wanted her. I wanted her

want you.” Her voice

convinced of that either. There was something else. Something stopping her

that, you deduce that she had no capacity

would she have left

air through

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

her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe in softening the blow

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

“I want the truth

aggression seems to drain from him. “And whatever led you to think life is like

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