I drive. James stretches out his bad leg in the passenger seat. “Well, that was weird,” I comment.
James grunts.
In the rear mirror, Charlotte stares out of the window. “You okay?”
She keeps staring. Tonelessly, “The same thing happened to him as to me. He was scared. He stabbed someone. He ran.”
James swivels in his seat, stabbing a finger towards her. “It is not the same, Charlotte. All aside from the detail that he was responsible for you being in that position, however bad a start to life you both had, you both had choices afterwards. You made choices that turned you into a strong admirable woman. He made choices that took him down the path of slaver and multiple murderer. He could have turned from it at any point and he chose not to do so.”
*****
Michael
I tap on her office door. “Hi, it’s only me.”
Charlotte looks up from her desk. “Is it that time already?”
“Yup. Ready for home?”
“Sure. Let me just…”
My mobile buzzes. It’s Beth.
Not like her to call me out of the blue…
“Hi, Beth. What can I do for you?”
“Hi Michael. Um, could you spare me some time?”
Oh, God…
Not more bloody papers…
have in
now. Can you come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses
I slip a glance, but Charlotte’s occupied with
her. Just
got something she wants me to look at. I think it might be more of those damn papers
“What, more of them? Course I can. Give me a buzz when you’re done,
her forehead, squeeze her arm, then head for the
*****
and Richard are both there, wearing identical expressions. Arms
David, the younger
Charlotte’s uncle…
they wouldn’t
registered her
Because of her mother…
could have cheerfully punched
awkwardly. “Mr Summerford… Michael… May
on why you’re
“please don't tell anyone else in the family I'm here. Especially
reason to welcome this man who rejected my wife for events that had nothing to do with her. So, still standing, “As you wish. Why are you here? Is there something you would like to tell
meet my eye. “Yes, I couldn’t speak with Stephen there that
me any time since then. I left my contact
with age… He wants to control
have you come to
“Shelley called me.”
sit in rigid
consider her returning. But she still rang from time to
“And the last time?”
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