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
Read Masters & Lovers Box Set Three Chapter 23
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Chapter 23 novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three