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 as a substitute for her?

could put it that

your revenge on

the grill. “You got it right the

he

Admitting this?

too, her face almost meeting his save for the barrier. “You imagine I would have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love with you? Is

stand behind Klempner, poking a baton between

in the guard's stance;

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

If you go upsetting your visitors, you’ll not

for an excuse to

sidelong, fury glittering there. Just for

The monster…

his features to a more

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

down,” he

think about what I just

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

you tell me something about my mother?” There’s pleading

head inclines, eyes unfocusing, seemingly looking into some

A thing? What do

back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself. “And

artistic? A

teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as an artist had she chosen

her, then continues,

in her

in his cheeks, looking amused.

mumbles a bit. “Didn't have it down

tone like a

his. “Would you

he muses. “Perhaps the next time

sets.

encourage you to

“Oh… What else?”

“She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver thing. Just a trinket, but

her mouth opening and closing. Then she dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance

it up to the grill. “Is

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

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

his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back to

looks to the guard who snaps fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it a cursory inspection, then

under the grill and Klempner takes

Something precious?

then sits staring

that the necklace you were

it is.” His voice is quiet as he looks up.

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

the monosyllable lacks

doesn’t seem to notice. “When was it? Where

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

then swallows. “It's the only one

flesh is icy. “It's a copy of the original. James can

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

you want it, you can have

still have that necklace you

Charlotte's voice trembles.

to your mother. Since she's not here,

voice wavering, “I thought they didn't let

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

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

lip. “I used to hate you.

I had nothing

photo. “Quid

that really it?”

his arms, a sneer flirting over his

James stares back.

try to out-stare

did I hear

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

pause before speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But... there was something about her well before then. As though she

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch

that supposed

had no

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

his arms.

loved my

tilts. “I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

necessary to love

want

wanted her. I wanted

she didn’t want you.” Her voice drips

either. There was something else. Something stopping her from… from giving

that she had no capacity to

would she have left you

sucks air through

the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you. I believed she

curling warm fingers around her cold

me what happened. Do you want the truth or

the truth to be a

him. “And whatever led

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

Comments ()

0/255