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

it that way,

take your revenge on me? Because she

“You got

is he saying

Admitting this?

save 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

poking a baton between

the guard's stance; something

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

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

excuse to

glittering there. Just

The monster…

features to a more normal expression; apparent

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

think about what I just saw, but

in her chair. She and Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds

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

into some far

A thing? What do you

on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself. “And she’d painted one on the wall of her

was artistic? A painter? A good

his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She

run out of words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always seemed to be

sits back in

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

“Didn't have it down as a pyjamas

a tone like a desert, “Long

his. “Would you tell

muses. “Perhaps the next time

face sets. “Why not

encourage you to

“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

her mouth opening and closing. Then she dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning eye. I shrug.

up to the grill. “Is that it? The necklace. That she’s wearing

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

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

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

Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it

the grill and

Something precious?

sits staring

necklace you

quiet as he looks up.

in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still

the monosyllable lacks

notice. “When was

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

then swallows. “It's the

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

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

if you want it,

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

voice trembles. “Why do

mother. Since she's not here, I suppose

they didn't let you keep things like

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

bolt upright, dragging her hand from mine. “Why would you take that kind of trouble?

back, chews at a lip. “I

something I had nothing

then holds up the photo. “Quid

that really it?”

a sneer flirting over his mouth,

James stares back.

to out-stare

did I

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

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

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was

supposed to

had no capacity to

a look like a blade. “While you do?

sits back, folding his

my

tilts. “I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

actually necessary to love someone to

want to

far. But yes, I wanted her.

she didn’t want you.”

something else. Something stopping

that she had

she have left you at

air

the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be.

warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe

happened. Do you want

want the truth to be

from him. “And whatever led you to think

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