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!

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

put it that way,

To take your revenge on me? Because

the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted

is he saying

Admitting this?

save for the barrier. “You imagine I would have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love 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 obsessed. You’re

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

something in the guard's stance; something in

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you’ll not

an excuse

flash sidelong, fury glittering there.

The monster…

before he schools his features to a more normal expression; apparent

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

think about what I just saw,

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. “She had

A thing? What do you

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

was artistic? A

I saw of her work was very good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could

out of words. Klempner regards her, then continues,

in

pyjamas.” He sucks in his cheeks, looking amused. “What’s so surprising

it down as a pyjamas

like

eyes lift to his. “Would you tell me

the next time

sets. “Why

you to visit me

“Oh… What else?”

with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver thing. Just a

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

the photograph, holding it up to the grill. “Is that

then stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the

it in some old records… The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand is shaking. “Is that it? The necklace she’s

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

the photo. Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it a cursory inspection, then

the grill and Klempner

Something precious?

then sits

necklace you

His voice is quiet as he looks up. “Your

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still friends

But the monosyllable

“When was it? Where was

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

“It's the only

Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy

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

you want it,

still have that necklace you know. If you like, you

Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why do you

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

they didn't let you keep things like that

here. But I can have it

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

lip. “I

I had

up the photo. “Quid pro quo.

really

sneer flirting over his mouth,

James stares back.

try to out-stare a

I

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

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

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was damaged

that supposed to mean.

had no capacity

“While you do?

sits back, folding his

my

head tilts. “I’m not convinced of

“But she married him?”

not actually necessary to love someone

want

yes, I wanted her. I wanted

you.” Her voice

either. There was something else. Something

that, you deduce that

would she have left you at

sucks air through

counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would

her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You

to ask me what happened. Do

whispers. “I want the truth to be a fairy

whatever led

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