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!

recoils. Shock ricochets over her face. “You wanted me as a substitute for her?

put it

take your revenge

leans forward on folded arms, his face almost touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted you as a substitute

he saying

Admitting this?

“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.

Klempner, poking a baton between his

guard's stance; something

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

go upsetting your visitors, you’ll not be getting any more of

excuse

glittering there. Just for

The monster…

features to a more

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

about what I just saw, but my

eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says, “So what would you like

from her. “Will you tell me something about my

seemingly looking into some far distance.

What

the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself.

was artistic? A

sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so

regards her, then continues, “She always seemed to be wearing

in

cheeks, looking amused. “What’s so surprising

a bit. “Didn't have it

like a desert, “Long

“Would you

next time you come

sets. “Why not

encourage you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

one too, a butterfly that is. A little

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

the purse she pulls something; the photograph, holding it up to the grill. “Is that

are the chances? Where the hell did you get hold

on my

his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back

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

slides it under the grill and Klempner

Something precious?

then sits

that the necklace you were

is.” His voice is quiet as he

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still

the monosyllable lacks

seem to notice. “When was it? Where

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

swallows. “It's the only

is icy. “It's a copy of the original. James can make you

swings to James. “You're

if you want it, you can have

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

trembles.

your mother.

didn't let you keep things like that in

have it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps

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

at a lip. “I used to

I had

father...” He stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid

that really

arms, a sneer flirting over his mouth, staring him

James stares back.

to out-stare

did I hear

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

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 to mean.

no capacity

a blade. “While

his arms. “No,

my father

“I’m not convinced

“But she married him?”

actually necessary to love someone to marry

you want to marry

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

you.” Her

something

deduce that she had

she have left

sucks air through

on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you. I

in stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You

what happened. Do you want

truth to be

him. “And whatever led you to

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