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

it that way,

what? To take your revenge on me? Because she left

grill. “You got it right the first

is he

Admitting this?

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

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

the guard's stance; something

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you’ll not be

an excuse

glittering there. Just for a

The monster…

schools his features to a more normal expression; apparent passivity… “Yes,

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

down,” he murmurs. “It’s past.” It’s

what I just saw, but my thoughts are cut

Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says, “So what

from her. “Will you tell me something about my mother?”

unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far

thing? What do

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

A painter?

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

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

sits back in her chair.

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

bit. “Didn't have it down

a tone like a

“Would you

next time you

face sets.

encourage you to

“Oh… What else?”

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

dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances

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

glances, then stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the chances? Where

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

turns his attention back to the photo. “I'd like a closer

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

the grill and Klempner takes

Something precious?

then sits

the necklace you were

quiet as he looks up. “Your father gave it

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still friends

the monosyllable

seem to notice. “When was

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

“It's the

hand over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy

swings to James.

want it, you can have

image. “I still have that necklace you know. If you

trembles. “Why do you

it to your mother. Since she's not

didn't let

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

her hand from mine. “Why would you take that kind of

a lip.

had nothing to

the photo. “Quid pro quo. You

really it?” asks

folds his arms, a sneer flirting over

James stares back.

to

I

fail? Between you and my

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

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was

supposed

no

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

sits back, folding his arms. “No,

loved my father

head tilts. “I’m

“But she married him?”

to love someone

want to marry

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

you.” Her voice

not convinced of that either. There was something else. Something stopping her from… from

that she had

have left you at

air

knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never

warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe in softening the blow do

happened. Do you want the truth or

“I want the truth to be

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

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

Comments ()

0/255