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 a substitute for
could put it that
what? 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
he
Admitting this?
leans forward 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 that what you
guard moves to stand behind Klempner, poking a baton between his shoulders. “Behave
the guard's
He dislikes Klempner?
Really dislikes him?
Something personal?
And Klempner’s face…
your visitors, you’ll not
for an excuse to
fury glittering there. Just
The monster…
a more normal expression; apparent
Apparent meekness.
Apparent obedience.
All fake.
What’s going on?
on Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he murmurs.
want to think about what I just saw,
Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says, “So what would you like
drains from her. “Will you tell me something
head inclines, eyes unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far distance.
What do
butterflies. She had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just
A
good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually.
to run out of words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always seemed to be wearing butterflies
sits back in
in his cheeks,
a bit. “Didn't have it down as a pyjamas kind
like a
eyes lift to his. “Would you tell
the next time you come
sets. “Why
you to visit me
“Oh… What else?”
again. “She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver thing. Just
watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning eye. I shrug. He avoids
the purse she pulls something; the photograph, holding it up to
glances, then stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the chances? Where the hell
records… The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand is
his attention
fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes it to
grill and Klempner takes it
Something precious?
then sits
the necklace you
is.” His voice is quiet as he looks up.
in the
“Yes, that’s Conners.”
still friends
the monosyllable
doesn’t seem to notice. “When was it? Where was
end, before... before...” He
swallows. “It's the only one I
slip a hand over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy of the original. James can make
into mine. She swings to James. “You're
yes, if you want it, you can have
still have that necklace you know. If you
it?” Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why do you have
But your father gave it to your mother. Since she's not here, I suppose
voice wavering, “I thought they didn't let you
can have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell offices where you
mine. “Why would
sits back, chews at a lip. “I
had nothing to do
father...” He stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid pro quo. You give me something. I give you
that really
his arms, a sneer flirting over his mouth,
James stares back.
to out-stare
I
did it fail? Between
holds her eyes for a long pause before speaking. “It ended like that,
“Couldn’t what?”
“Mitch
that supposed to mean.
had no capacity to
a blade. “While you do? You
folding his arms. “No,
loved my father
head tilts. “I’m
“But she married him?”
actually necessary to love someone to marry
you want to marry
far. But yes, I wanted her. I wanted her
didn’t want you.” Her voice drips
that either. There was something else.
that, you deduce that she had no
would she have left you at
sucks air through his
had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you. I
take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe in
to ask me what happened. Do you want the truth
whispers. “I want the truth to
whatever led you to think life
Read Masters & Lovers Box Set Three Chapter 23
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Chapter 23 novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three