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!

her face. “You wanted me as a substitute for her? Is that

it that

what? To take your revenge on me?

leans forward on folded arms, his face almost touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted you

is he saying

Admitting this?

with you? Is that what you mean? After the way you treated me when I was little? It’s been over twenty years. You’re

behind Klempner, poking a

something 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 be getting any more of

an excuse

glittering there.

The monster…

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

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

on Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he murmurs. “It’s past.”

about what I just saw,

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

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

seemingly looking into some far distance. “She had

A thing? What

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

A

was very good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so

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

back in

pyjamas.” He sucks in his cheeks, looking amused.

mumbles a bit. “Didn't have it down as a

tone like a desert,

his. “Would you tell

next time you

face sets.

will encourage you to visit me

“Oh… What else?”

that distant look again. “She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver thing. Just a trinket, but she was fond

dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning eye. I shrug. He avoids

to the grill. “Is that

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

found it in some old records… The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand is shaking. “Is

glances at her, his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back to the

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

grill

Something precious?

then sits

the necklace you were talking

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

in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still

the monosyllable

seem to notice. “When

before...” He holds

swallows. “It's the

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

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

want it, you

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

voice trembles. “Why do you have

your mother. Since she's not here, I suppose that

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

it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell

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

a lip.

had nothing to do

photo. “Quid pro quo. You give me something. I

that really

his arms, a sneer flirting over his

James stares back.

try to out-stare a

I hear

the two of them then, “Why did it fail? Between

that, yes. But... there was

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch was damaged

that supposed to mean.

had no

a look like a blade. “While

sits back, folding his arms.

loved my father

tilts. “I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

to love someone

you want

wanted her. I wanted

you.” Her voice

There was something else. Something

deduce that

she have

sucks air

leans forward again, folded arms resting on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you.

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

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

want the truth to

seems to drain from him. “And whatever led

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