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!

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

could put it that way,

revenge on me? Because she left

forward on folded arms, his face almost touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted you as a

is he

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

to stand behind Klempner, poking a

something in the guard's stance;

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

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

an excuse

glittering there. Just

The monster…

before he schools his features to a

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he murmurs. “It’s past.”

just

After long seconds he says, “So what would you like to talk

her. “Will you tell me something

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

What do

back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself.

artistic? A painter? A good

“Almost

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

in

He sucks in his cheeks, looking amused.

mumbles a bit. “Didn't have it

a tone like a desert,

to his. “Would you tell

the next

sets. “Why not

encourage you to visit me

“Oh… What else?”

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

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

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

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

it in some old records… The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand

his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back to the

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

the grill and Klempner takes it

Something precious?

then sits staring

the necklace you were

His voice is quiet as he looks up.

in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

the monosyllable

to notice. “When was it?

the end, before... before...” He

then swallows. “It's the

“It's a copy of the

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

you want it, you can have

“I still have that necklace

trembles. “Why do you

your mother. Since

didn't let you keep things like that in

have it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps at

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

at a lip. “I used to hate you.

had nothing to

photo. “Quid pro quo. You give me something.

that really it?”

flirting over his

James stares back.

try to

I

fail?

for a long pause before speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But...

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch was damaged

supposed to mean.

had no capacity to

a blade. “While you do?

folding his

my father

head tilts. “I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

necessary to love someone

you want to marry

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

she didn’t want you.” Her voice

something else. Something stopping her from… from

that, you deduce that she had

have

air through

folded arms resting on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where

stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones.

what happened. Do you

“I want the truth to

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

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