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 mind? I'm free tomorrow afternoon if

come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and

but Charlotte’s occupied with something on her laptop, not listening.

say anything to her. Just come up

Beth’s got something she wants me to look at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle.

“What, more of them? Course I can. Give me a buzz when

squeeze her arm, then head for

*****

Richard are both there, wearing identical expressions. Arms folded,

sitting by Beth, is David, the younger of Mitch’s

Charlotte’s uncle…

they wouldn’t

registered

Because of her mother…

time, I could have cheerfully punched the pair of them, and it must show

stands awkwardly. “Mr Summerford… Michael… May I call

on why

“First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else in the family I'm here. Especially Stephen. My life wouldn't be worth

my wife for events that had nothing to do with her. So, still standing, “As you

I couldn’t

any time since then.

been. And he’s gotten more so with age… He wants to control everything.

what have

“Shelley called me.”

Beth and Richard sit in rigid

her returning. But she still rang from time to time. Stephen always hung up on her and

“And the last time?”

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

Comments ()

0/255