Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Mitch

She descends the stairs as if the devil is behind her…

He is…

She risks a look up; the briefest of glances. She can’t see him, but the clang of pursuit echoes above her.

And she runs…

Down two stories, three. Almost to ground level… and there… As she hits tarmac… a door close by… An emergency exit swings open, a body erupting out of it…

Frank.

He canons into her, grabbing her by the waist, swinging her around.

“Mitch…”

“Don’t stop.” She jerks a head up to where Klempner rattles down the steps after her. “Where’s your car?”

“Basement, but the keys…”

“Got them. Move.”

The pair swerve, u-turning back into the stairwell, barrelling downwards. From above, the sound of a slamming door; echoing boots on concrete

They burst into the parking lot.

“Where?” She peers into the low dark space.

“There.” He points, still running, snatching at her wrist, towing her along. From behind another crash from a swinging door. From off-side, Bech appears with Malory, both with guns in their hands.

The pair dash from one grey concrete pillar to another; stooping, running at a crouch, dodging between corridors of vehicles; vans, station wagons, saloons… Then, a sports car; shiny, bright red and low…

A crack behind her. A whistle…

Mitch shrieks and drops as the bullet skids over the door of the two-seater, taking paintwork with it…

Klempner’s voice, reverberating through the low space. “Put the fucking gun down. Hurt her and I’ll gut you.”

… but she keeps moving…

Frank is ahead of her. For a moment he skids, foot sliding over a patch of oil. Slipping, he falls but catches himself on the handle of the nearest door, then, “There… Keys!”

She tosses them across and twisting, he catches them one-handedly, pointing ahead to his own 4x4. Lights flash orange, beeping and the crunch of disengaging locks resound through the low-ceilinged space.

She tumbles into the passenger seat.

“Stay down.” Frank engages and with the screech of tortured rubber, the car careens down the ranks of vehicles.

for the exit. Silhouetted against the daylight he stands, legs

the horn, it

the tarmac, cursing, he runs after them, squinting into the sunshine but already the traffic has closed around his quarry. They’re

behind. “We can’t

punching forward, directly into Bech’s stomach. The man drops, grunting and clutching his gut. Klempner lashes out with a foot, planting his boot in Bech’s ribs. “Use a gun near her again and it will be the last thing you do. Understand me? Hurt her

himself, Bech hisses through his teeth, winded; no words, but he

Next time it’ll be more than my boot in your guts. Now

*****

Charlotte

trying to find Charlotte.

but I interrupt her. “Yes,

have someone down here for you. A Mr Maurio Vincenzo. He

Master cocks a

who handled

earth could

he say what it’s about,

to speak with you. Should

“Yes, of course.”

frowning, “You don’t have anything

don’t see how I could. And if there was

cheeks. “Would you like me to

want to sit

like to, yes,

open and a man wearing a dark grey suit and a professional manner steps out. He glances around, then to me.

“That’s right.”

hand outstretched. “Maurio Vincenzo. You dealt with my father when

to meet you. I’m a bit baffled though. Surely everything to do with my divorce

holds up a hand. “This isn’t to do with your divorce, but another matter entirely. Although it was your estranged husband who informed

just now, Charlotte. The conference room is free all morning.” She gestures across. “If you’ll go through,

to

“It’s fine,” I say.

establish your identity. I understand you are currently known as ‘Charlotte Summerford’,

“That’s right.”

can prove

need to. But why should I need

you please give me

sits, silently watching, a finger pressed to his lips as I sign my old and long-abandoned name. The lawyer compares it with some paper from his case, then looks up again, smiling, holding up the paper. “Your original petition for divorce,” he comments. “And that’s fine, Mrs Summerford. Now…” He takes out another document. “As to why I am here. As I mentioned, my firm was contacted recently by your ex-husband, Charles

“Right… So?”

words with it. “So, I hold here the will deposited with

my Master stirs in his

Kalkowski…” Vincenzo looks over the rim of his spectacles at me…” Your old school-teacher I

“Yes, I knew