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!
Shock ricochets over her face. “You wanted me as a substitute
could put it
revenge on me? Because
grill. “You got it right
he
Admitting this?
face almost meeting his 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
Klempner, poking
guard's stance; something in
He dislikes Klempner?
Really dislikes him?
Something personal?
And Klempner’s face…
your visitors, you’ll not be getting any
for an excuse
fury glittering there. Just for
The monster…
before he schools his features to a
Apparent meekness.
Apparent obedience.
All fake.
What’s going on?
he murmurs. “It’s past.”
about what I just saw, but my
each other. After long seconds he says, “So what would you
you tell me something about my mother?” There’s pleading in her voice. “Something
into some far distance. “She had a thing for
thing? What do you
She had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself.
A painter? A good
of her work was very good. Very realistic.” He sucks at his teeth. “Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a living as an artist had she chosen
out of words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always seemed
sits back in her chair.
his cheeks, looking amused.
it down as a pyjamas kind of
tone like a desert, “Long
lift to his. “Would
the next time you come to
face sets. “Why not
you to visit me
“Oh… What else?”
necklace with one too, a butterfly that is. A little silver
for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the
the photograph, holding it up to the grill. “Is that it? The necklace. That
blinks, glances, then stiffens, looking more closely. “Well, what are the chances? Where the hell
old records… The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand is shaking.
his eyes narrowing, then he turns his attention back to
at the photo. Charlotte passes it to him. He gives
grill
Something precious?
then sits staring
the necklace you were talking
Yes, it is.” His voice is quiet as
him in the
“Yes, that’s Conners.”
still
But the monosyllable
to notice. “When
before...” He holds
then swallows. “It's the
icy. “It's a copy of the original. James can
tighten into mine. She swings to James. “You're sure?” He nods without
you want it, you can
you.” Klempner sits silently gazing at the image. “I still have that necklace you know. If you
voice trembles. “Why do
mother. Since she's not here,
“I thought they didn't let
I can have it sent to you. Perhaps
mine. “Why would you take that kind
lip. “I used to hate you. That's
I had nothing to
stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid pro quo. You give me something.
that really it?” asks
flirting
James stares back.
to out-stare
I hear
two of them then, “Why did it fail? Between you and my mother?
before speaking. “It ended like that, yes. But... there was something about her well before then. As though
“Couldn’t what?”
shrugs. “Mitch was damaged
supposed
had no
look like a blade. “While you do? You mean
his arms.
my father
head tilts. “I’m not convinced
“But she married him?”
necessary to
you want to marry
yes, I wanted her.
didn’t want you.” Her voice drips
something else. Something stopping
deduce that
she have left you at
air through
She knew where
carved in stone. I take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You
“I thought you came to talk; to ask me what happened. Do
want the truth
him. “And whatever led you to think life is
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Chapter 23 novel Masters & Lovers Box Set Three