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!

Shock ricochets over her face. “You wanted me

could put it

revenge on me?

the grill. “You got it

he saying

Admitting this?

have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love with you? Is that what you mean? After the way you treated

Klempner, poking a baton between his shoulders. “Behave yourself,

is something in the guard's stance;

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

upsetting your visitors, you’ll not be getting

excuse to cut

eyes flash sidelong, fury glittering there. Just

The monster…

to a more normal expression; apparent passivity…

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

just saw, but

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

from her. “Will you tell me something about

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

A thing? What do you

her shoulder, just there.”

was artistic? A

at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as

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

sits back in

his cheeks, looking amused. “What’s

have it down

a tone like a

lift to his. “Would you tell me

he muses. “Perhaps the next time you come to see

face sets. “Why not

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

the performance with a raised brow.

purse she pulls something; the photograph, holding it up to

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

The missing persons file on my father.” Her

then he turns his attention back to the photo. “I'd

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

grill and Klempner takes

Something precious?

then sits staring

the necklace you were

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

him in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still

But the monosyllable

seem to notice. “When was

“Towards the end, before... before...” He holds up

“It's the

icy. “It's a copy of the original.

into mine. She swings to

yes, if you want it, you can

the image. “I still have that necklace you know. If you like, you can have

have it?” Charlotte's voice trembles.

to your mother. Since she's not here,

didn't let you keep things like that in

have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell

bolt upright, dragging her hand from mine. “Why would

a lip.

had nothing to do

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

that really it?” asks

sneer flirting over his mouth, staring

James stares back.

try to

I hear

then, “Why did it fail? Between you and my mother? Because she

speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But...

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch was

supposed

no

him a look like a blade. “While you do? You mean

sits back, folding his arms. “No, she

my

“I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

to love someone

you want to marry

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

didn’t want you.” Her voice

was something else. Something

that she

she have left you

sucks air through his

counter. “She knew I had you. She knew

could be carved in stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You

ask me what happened. Do you want the truth or do you want

“I want the truth to be

from him. “And whatever led you to think

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