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!

face. “You wanted

put it that

To take your revenge on me? Because

“You got it right the first time.

is 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

guard moves to stand behind Klempner, poking a baton between his shoulders.

something in the guard's stance; something in

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

go upsetting your visitors, you’ll

an excuse to cut

flash sidelong, fury glittering there. Just for

The monster…

he schools his features to a more

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

think about what I just saw, but my

shuffles in her chair. She and Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says, “So what would you like

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

eyes unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far

thing? What do you

butterflies. She had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind

artistic? A

realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made

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

back in

pyjamas.” He sucks in his cheeks, looking

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

tone like a desert, “Long

eyes lift to his. “Would you tell me about

the next time you

face sets. “Why not

encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver

scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning eye. I shrug. He

something; the photograph, holding it up to the grill. “Is that it? The necklace. That

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

old records… The missing persons file on my father.”

glances at her, his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back to the photo. “I'd

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

the grill and Klempner

Something precious?

then sits staring

that the necklace

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

him in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still friends

But the

doesn’t seem to notice. “When was

before... before...” He holds up the photo. “Can I

“It's the only one I

hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a

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

you want it, you can

you.” Klempner sits silently gazing at the image. “I still have that necklace you know.

Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why do

to your mother. Since she's not here, I

“I thought they didn't let

I can have it sent to you.

hand from mine. “Why would you take that

a lip. “I used to hate

I had nothing

the photo. “Quid

that really it?” asks

his arms, a sneer flirting over his mouth, staring

James stares back.

to out-stare

did I hear

did it fail? Between you

holds her eyes for a long pause before speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But... there was something about her well before then.

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was damaged

that supposed

no capacity to

blade. “While you do? You

sits back, folding his arms. “No,

my

tilts. “I’m

“But she married him?”

not actually necessary to love someone to marry

you want

far. But yes, I wanted her. I wanted her

you.” Her voice

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

that she had

she have left

air through his

you. She knew where you would be.

carved in stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around

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

whispers. “I want the truth to be a fairy

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

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