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!

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

it that way,

To take your revenge on me? Because she

touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted you as a substitute

he saying

Admitting this?

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

to stand 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 not be getting any more

for an excuse to cut his

fury glittering there. Just for

The monster…

a

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

just saw, but my thoughts are cut

in her chair. She and Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says, “So what

her. “Will you tell me something about my mother?” There’s

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

What

mean, she liked 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

A

sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made

of words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always

sits back in her

cheeks, looking

bit. “Didn't have it down as a

tone like a

his. “Would you tell me

muses. “Perhaps the next time

sets. “Why

will encourage you to visit me

“Oh… What else?”

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

closing. Then she dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance

up to the grill.

looking more closely. “Well, what are the

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

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

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

the grill

Something precious?

then sits staring at

the necklace you

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

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

But the

“When was it? Where was

before...” He holds up

“It's the only

Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy of

fingers tighten into mine. She swings to James. “You're

want it, you can have

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

trembles. “Why do you

your father gave it to your mother. Since she's not here, I suppose

wavering, “I thought they didn't let

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

upright, dragging her hand from mine. “Why

chews at a lip. “I

something I had nothing to do

“Quid pro quo. You give me something.

that really

sneer flirting over his mouth, staring

James stares back.

try to

did I hear

it fail? Between you and my mother?

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

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was damaged

that supposed to

had no

a look like a blade. “While you do?

folding his

my father

“I’m not convinced

“But she married him?”

actually necessary to love someone to

you want to marry

didn’t get that far. But yes, I wanted her. I wanted her to be with

want you.”

convinced of that either. There was something else. Something

that, you deduce that she had no capacity

she have

sucks air through his

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

hand again, curling warm fingers around her

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

the truth to be

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

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