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

it that way,

revenge on me? Because

arms, his face almost touching the grill. “You got it right the first time. I wanted

is he saying

Admitting this?

would have wanted you?” she hisses. “Fallen in love with you? Is that what you mean?

to stand behind Klempner, poking a baton between his shoulders.

is something in the guard's stance; something in

He dislikes Klempner?

Really dislikes him?

Something personal?

And Klempner’s face…

you go upsetting your visitors, you’ll

an excuse

flash sidelong, fury glittering there. Just for

The monster…

features to a

Apparent meekness.

Apparent obedience.

All fake.

What’s going on?

hand on Charlotte’s. “Calm down,” he

to think about what I just saw, but my

chair. She and Klempner eye-ball each other. After long seconds

“Will you tell me something about my mother?”

into some far

A thing? What

liked butterflies. She had a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just there.” He reaches back,

was artistic? A painter? A

“Almost eerily so actually. She could have made

her, then continues, “She always seemed to be wearing butterflies on herself somewhere...

back in her

sucks in his cheeks, looking

“Didn't have it

tone like a desert, “Long

“Would you tell me

he muses. “Perhaps the next time you come to see

sets.

you to visit

“Oh… What else?”

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

the performance with a raised brow. He glances at me with a questioning eye.

purse she pulls something; the photograph, holding it up to

what are

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

glances at her, his eyes narrowing, then he turns his

fingers at the photo. Charlotte passes it to him. He gives it a cursory inspection,

slides it under the grill

Something precious?

sits staring at

that the necklace

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

in the

“Yes, that’s Conners.”

still

But the

seem to notice. “When was

end, before... before...” He holds up the

then swallows. “It's

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

She swings to James.

if you want it,

you.” Klempner sits silently gazing at the image. “I still have that necklace you

it?” Charlotte's voice trembles. “Why

your mother. Since she's not here, I suppose that makes it

thought they didn't let you keep things like

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

mine. “Why would you take that kind of trouble?

chews at a lip. “I used to

had nothing

He stalls then holds up the photo. “Quid pro quo. You give me something. I

that really

arms, a sneer flirting

James stares back.

to

I

fail? Between you and my

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

“Couldn’t what?”

shrugs. “Mitch

that supposed

no capacity

look like a blade. “While you do?

folding his arms.

my father

head tilts. “I’m not

“But she married him?”

not actually necessary to love

want to

wanted her. I

she didn’t want you.” Her voice

either. There was something

from that, you deduce that she had no capacity

would she have left you at

air

forward again, folded arms resting on the counter. “She knew I had you. She knew where you would be. But she never came for you.

take her hand again, curling warm fingers around her cold ones. “You don't believe in softening

what happened. Do you want the truth

“I want the truth to

“And whatever led you to

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