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
I mean right now, Michael. Right now. Can you come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her voice
in Beth’s tone penetrates. I slip a glance, but Charlotte’s occupied with something on
her. Just
at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle. Can you keep yourself busy for a few
at me, eyes dancing. “What, more of them? Course I can. Give me
squeeze her
*****
Richard are both there, wearing identical
is David,
Charlotte’s uncle…
they wouldn’t acknowledge
registered
Because of her mother…
could have cheerfully punched the pair
stands awkwardly. “Mr Summerford… Michael…
depends on why you’re
again. “First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else
man who rejected my wife for events that had nothing to do with her. So, still standing, “As
I couldn’t speak with Stephen there
phoned me any time since then. I left my
been. And he’s gotten more so with age… He wants to control everything. The first thing he
what have you come to
“Shelley called me.”
I look around the room. Beth and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’ eyes, all but
Stephen wouldn’t even consider her returning. But she still rang from time to time. Stephen
“And the last time?”
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