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 for her? Is

it that

take your revenge on

touching the grill. “You got it right

is he saying all

Admitting this?

for 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

stand behind Klempner, poking a baton

in the guard's stance; something in

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you’ll not be getting any more of

an excuse to cut

eyes flash sidelong, fury glittering there.

The monster…

before he schools his features to a more normal

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

what I just saw, but my

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

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

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

thing? What

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

A

I saw of her work was very good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as an

then continues, “She always seemed

in

in his cheeks, looking

have it down as a pyjamas

tone like a

eyes lift to his. “Would you tell me about

the next time

face sets. “Why not

will encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

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

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

holding it up to

“Well, what are

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

then he turns his attention back

snaps fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes it to him.

the grill and Klempner

Something precious?

sits staring at

necklace you were

as he looks up. “Your father gave it

him in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

But the

to notice. “When

are slow. “Towards the end, before... before...” He

then swallows. “It's the only one

“It's a copy

swings to James.

you want it,

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

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

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

let

have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell offices where you

hand from mine. “Why

at a lip. “I

something I had

stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid pro

really

a sneer flirting over his mouth, staring him

James stares back.

try to

did I hear

“Why did it fail?

ended like that, yes. But... there was something about her well

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch was damaged

that supposed to

had no capacity to

a blade. “While you do? You

his

loved my father

head tilts. “I’m not convinced

“But she married him?”

actually necessary to love someone to

want to

get that far. But yes, I wanted her. I wanted her to be with

didn’t want you.” Her voice

was something

you deduce that she had

she have left you

sucks air through his

knew where you would be. But she never came for you. I believed she would.

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

to talk; to ask me what happened.

the truth to

to drain from him. “And whatever led you to

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