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!

her face. “You wanted me as a substitute for her? Is that

put it that

revenge on me?

touching the grill. “You got it

he saying all

Admitting this?

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

behind Klempner, poking a baton between his

something in the guard's

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

visitors, you’ll

for an excuse to

sidelong, fury glittering there. Just for a

The monster…

a more normal expression; apparent passivity… “Yes,

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

down,” he murmurs. “It’s past.”

think about what I just

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

her. “Will you tell me something about my

some far distance. “She had a thing

A thing? What do you

butterflies. 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 the

A painter? A

Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as an artist had she chosen

then continues, “She

in her

in his cheeks, looking amused. “What’s so surprising

“Didn't have it down as a pyjamas kind of

a tone like a desert, “Long

to his. “Would you tell me about

the next time

face sets. “Why

you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

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

inside. Klempner watches the performance with

photograph, holding it up to the

more closely. “Well, what are the chances? Where the

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

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

snaps fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes

the grill and Klempner takes it

Something precious?

then sits staring

the necklace you

voice is quiet as he looks up. “Your father gave

him in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still

the monosyllable

seem to notice. “When

words are slow. “Towards the end, before... before...” He holds up the photo. “Can I keep

“It's the only

over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy of the

tighten into mine. She swings to James. “You're sure?” He nods without

if you want

image. “I still have that necklace you know.

Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why do you

But your father gave it to your mother. Since she's not

they didn't let you keep things like that

I didn’t say I have it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell offices

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

chews at a lip. “I used to

something I had nothing to

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

really

his arms, a sneer flirting over his mouth,

James stares back.

try to out-stare a

I

between the two of them then, “Why did it fail? Between you and

pause before speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But... there

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch

supposed

no capacity to

a look like a blade. “While you do?

sits back, folding his arms. “No,

my

tilts. “I’m not convinced

“But she married him?”

to

want

far. But yes, I wanted her. I wanted her

want you.”

either. There was something else. Something

deduce that she had no capacity

she have left you

air through

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. I believed she would. But

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

“I thought you came to talk; to ask me what happened.

“I want the truth to

him. “And whatever

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