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

put it that way,

take your revenge on me?

arms, his face almost touching the grill. “You got it right the

is he saying all

Admitting this?

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

guard moves to stand behind Klempner, poking

the guard's

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you’ll not be getting any more of

for an excuse to

glittering there. Just

The monster…

to a more normal

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

to think about what I just saw, but my thoughts are cut

eye-ball each other. After

me something about my

unfocusing, seemingly looking into some far distance. “She

What

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

artistic? A painter?

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

her, then continues,

sits back in her chair.

cheeks, looking amused. “What’s

bit. “Didn't have it down

tone like a

lift to his. “Would

he muses. “Perhaps the next time you come to

sets.

will encourage you

“Oh… What else?”

again. “She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little

her mouth opening and closing. Then she 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 James’

it up to the grill. “Is that it? The necklace.

blinks, glances, then stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the chances? Where the hell did you get

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

narrowing, then he turns his attention back to the photo.

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

slides it under the grill

Something precious?

sits

the necklace you

voice is quiet as he

in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still friends

the monosyllable lacks

doesn’t seem to notice. “When

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

swallows. “It's the only one

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

swings to James.

you want

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

trembles.

long story. But your father gave it to your mother. Since she's not here, I

“I thought they didn't let you keep things like that

can have it sent to

bolt upright, dragging her hand from mine. “Why would you take that kind of trouble?

back, chews at a lip. “I used to hate

I had nothing to

the photo. “Quid

that really

flirting over

James stares back.

to out-stare

I hear

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

that, yes. But... there

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch

supposed

had no

“While you do? You mean

back, folding his arms. “No, she

loved my

head tilts. “I’m not

“But she married him?”

necessary to love someone to

you want to marry

wanted her. I wanted her to

you.”

convinced of that either. There was something else. Something stopping

deduce that she had no capacity

she have left you

air through his

resting on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew

stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't

to ask me what happened. Do you want the truth or do you want a fairy

truth

seems to drain from him. “And whatever led you to think life is

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

Comments ()

0/255