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!

wanted

it that way,

To take your revenge on me? Because she

almost touching the grill. “You got it

he saying all

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

stand behind Klempner, poking a baton between his shoulders.

guard's stance; something in his

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you’ll not

excuse to cut his

sidelong, fury glittering

The monster…

before he schools his features to a more normal

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

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

to think about what I just

her chair. She and Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds he says, “So what would

from her. “Will you tell me something about my mother?” There’s pleading in her

into some far distance. “She had a

What

had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back, tapping behind himself.

artistic? A painter? A

“Almost eerily so actually. She could have made a

to run out of words. Klempner regards her, then continues, “She always

back in her

cheeks, looking amused. “What’s so

it down as

tone like a desert, “Long

to his. “Would you tell me

muses. “Perhaps the next time you

face sets.

will encourage you

“Oh… What else?”

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

and closing. Then she dives for her bag, scrabbling inside. Klempner watches the performance with a raised

the photograph, holding it up to

“Well, what are

The missing persons file on my father.” Her hand is shaking.

then he turns his attention back

Charlotte passes it to him. He gives

grill and Klempner takes it

Something precious?

sits staring

the necklace you

it is.” His voice is quiet as he looks up. “Your father

in

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

you still

But the monosyllable lacks

“When was

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

flushes then swallows. “It's the

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

She swings to James. “You're

you want it, you

“I still have that necklace you know.

it?” Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why

But your father gave it to your mother. Since she's not here, I suppose that makes it rightfully

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

I didn’t say I have it here. But I can have it sent to you. Perhaps at those Haswell

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

at a lip.

had nothing to do

“Quid pro quo. You give me something.

that really it?”

flirting over his mouth, staring

James stares back.

to

I hear

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

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

“Couldn’t what?”

“Mitch was

that supposed

no capacity

blade. “While you do? You mean she didn't love

his arms. “No, she

my

tilts. “I’m not

“But she married him?”

to

want to marry

wanted her. I wanted her to

want you.” Her

There was something else. Something stopping her from…

that, you deduce that she had no

would she have left

sucks air through his

I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you.

take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her

happened. Do you want the truth

“I want the truth to be a fairy

him. “And whatever led you

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

Comments ()

0/255