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 that

put it that way,

To take your revenge on me?

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

is he

Admitting this?

in love with you? Is that what you mean? After the way you treated me when I was little? It’s

guard moves to stand behind Klempner, poking

guard's stance; something

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

upsetting your visitors, you’ll

excuse

eyes flash sidelong, fury glittering

The monster…

he schools his features to a

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

down,” he murmurs. “It’s

think about what I just

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

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

unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far

What do

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

was artistic? A painter? A

very good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as an artist had

her, then continues, “She always seemed to be wearing butterflies

sits back in her chair.

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

bit. “Didn't have it down as

like a desert,

“Would you

“Perhaps the next

face sets. “Why not

will encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver thing. Just

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

up to the grill.

“Well, what are the

records… The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand is

turns his attention back

Charlotte passes

under the grill and Klempner takes

Something precious?

then sits staring at

the necklace

quiet as he looks up. “Your

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

But the monosyllable lacks

seem to notice. “When was it?

before... before...” He holds up the photo. “Can I keep

flushes then swallows. “It's the only one

over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy of the original. James can make

swings to James.

if you want

“I still have that necklace

trembles. “Why do you have

mother. Since she's not here, I suppose

wavering, “I thought they didn't let you keep things like

I have it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell offices where you spend so much

from mine. “Why would you take

chews at a lip. “I used to

I had

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

really

his arms, a sneer flirting over his

James stares back.

try to out-stare

did I hear

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

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

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch

that supposed to

no capacity

a look like a blade. “While you do? You mean she didn't love

sits back, folding his arms. “No, she

loved my

“I’m not

“But she married him?”

to love someone

want to marry

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

you.”

that either. There was something else.

that, you deduce that she

have left

sucks air

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

curling warm

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

whispers. “I want the truth to

aggression seems to drain from him. “And whatever led you to think life is like

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255