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!
“You wanted me as
could put it that
revenge on me? Because she
touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted
he
Admitting this?
the barrier. “You imagine I would have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love with you? Is that what you mean?
Klempner, poking a
guard's stance; something
He dislikes Klempner?
Really dislikes him?
Something personal?
And Klempner’s face…
your visitors, you’ll not be getting any more
excuse to
flash sidelong, fury glittering there.
The monster…
his features to a more normal
Apparent meekness.
Apparent obedience.
All fake.
What’s going on?
Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he murmurs. “It’s past.” It’s
I just saw, but my thoughts
After long seconds
her. “Will you tell me something about my mother?”
seemingly looking into some far distance. “She had a
thing? What do
tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just
artistic? A painter? A
was very good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so
regards her, then continues, “She
in her chair.
cheeks, looking amused. “What’s
a bit. “Didn't have it down as
tone like a desert, “Long
eyes lift to his. “Would you tell
“Perhaps the next
face sets. “Why not
you
“Oh… What else?”
“She wore a necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A
mouth opening and closing. Then she dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised brow. He glances
the photograph, holding 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
file on my father.”
then he turns his attention back to the photo. “I'd
the photo. Charlotte passes it to
it under the grill and Klempner takes it
Something precious?
then sits
necklace you
quiet as he looks up. “Your
in the
“Yes, that’s Conners.”
still friends
the monosyllable lacks
“When was it? Where
the end, before... before...” He
“It's the only one
hand over hers. Her flesh is icy. “It's a copy of
fingers tighten into mine. She swings to James. “You're sure?” He nods without
you want it, you can have
still have that necklace you know. If you like,
Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why
mother. Since she's not here, I suppose
let you keep things
it sent to you. Perhaps at
“Why would you take that kind
sits back, chews at a lip. “I used to
had nothing to
up the photo. “Quid pro
that really it?”
sneer flirting over
James stares back.
to out-stare a
did I
the two of them then, “Why did it fail? Between you and my mother? Because
long pause before speaking. “It ended like that, yes.
“Couldn’t what?”
“Mitch
supposed to
no
gives him a look like a blade. “While you do? You mean she
folding his arms. “No, she
loved my
head tilts. “I’m not convinced
“But she married him?”
necessary to love someone to
you want to marry
wanted her. I wanted her to be
she didn’t want you.” Her voice drips
was something else. Something stopping her from… from giving
deduce that she
have left you at
air through
you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you. I believed she would. But
curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe in softening the
to ask me what happened. Do you want the truth or do you want
“I want the truth to be a
whatever led
Read Masters & Lovers Box Set Three Chapter 23
Novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three has been updated Chapter 23 with many climactic developments What makes this series so special is the names of the characters ^^. If you are a fan of the author Simone Leigh, you will love reading it! I'm sure you won't be disappointed when you read. Let's read the novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three Chapter 23 now HERE.
Reading Novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three Chapter 23
Chapter 23 novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three