Masters And Lovers 1-4

Klempner ambles in as though he’d been invited to a tea party. His eyes pass over me, already seated, instead sliding across to James who stands, arms folded, lids hooded, silent.

Klempner sits, the screen separating us. “Only you two?” he drawls. “Where’s Jenny?”

“We came without her on this occasion,” I say, then cock my head across. “James wanted to weigh you up for himself.”

“Is that right?” He looks back at James, apparently considering. “Does she know you're here?”

“No.”

He ignores me, addressing James. “So, what do you want?”

“I want to know why you want to see Charlotte. And why you imagine she would ever want to see you.”

“The last time we met, you broke both my arms. Am I supposed to be pleased to see you?”

“You were on the point of having someone I care about gang-raped. We'll call it even, shall we?” James’ chin lifts. “And it’s worth pointing out that, in fact, it wasn’t me that broke your arms. It was Charlotte. And if the police hadn’t turned up when they did, I might well have shot you with your own gun. I was tempted. That would have finished all our problems, wouldn’t it.”

Klempner looks down, rubs his nose, then back up again. “That's why I'm on this side of the screen, and you're on that side. So… Why should I talk to you?”

James sits back in his seat, folding the arms again. “If you don't satisfy us, me and Michael, Charlotte won't be coming anywhere near you. A show of goodwill on your part would go a long way. A little humility wouldn’t do any harm either.”

Klempner sucks in his cheeks, considering that, then “Okay, shoot. What is it you want?”

“Why do you want to see her?”

Klempner raises eyes, staring up at the ceiling, exhales, then aims a finger at me. “The last time you were here, with her…. When she laughed, it reminded me of... happier times.”

“You're not happy?”

He huffs. “They put me on suicide watch.”

“Really? You're thinking of suicide?”

Klempner gives a long look, then gestures around the miserable room. Unplastered brickwork, painted institutional green. Bars cut across windows. When the guard shifts his position, the sound of the slight movement echoes against hard walls and harder floors. “What do you think?”

“I think that you think far too much of your own skin to go down that path…” Klempner’s eyes narrow… “… If you weren't here… If you were still living your previous life, from before you were captured, would you be happy?”

Klempner shrugs. “What's happy? I worked. I was wealthy. For all the good it did.”

“If it didn't make you happy, why do it?” James' voice is dry, but….

He actually sounds interested….

Klempner’s reply is equally dry. “It's better to cry in a limo than on a bicycle….” His gaze travels the length of James’ expensive suit…. “…. Don’t you think?”

James doesn’t reply, instead pursing his lips. There’s a set to his eyes…

He leans forward on the counter, his face close to the screen, hands fisting. “I want to know why the man who enslaved, abused, and came close to having Charlotte raped, wants to see her again. Why?”

Klempner stills, silent.

“Do you want to see her again?” I ask. “Or was what you said last time simply a spur of the moment thing? You didn’t really mean it?”

His eyes snap up. “Yes. I want to see her again.”

get an answer that

slow look. “It seems to me….” he drawls, “from what I saw of her, that if that one decides she wants to come, she’ll

stiffens, bolt upright, eyes

mother. She takes

be your daughter,”

voice is flat. “She's

“You're sure of that?”

“I'm sure.”

“How?”

he doesn't reply,

she like? Her

spoilt and selfish. She told me she’d been the youngest in her family, and it showed. She wanted everything her own way. I don’t think she’d ever been refused.” He coughs a laugh, bitter and raw. “She learned better

“I can imagine.”

was the most beautiful woman I

a few.” James'

a good judge of….

brewing when I see it.

“I have no

idea? Not

care what's on board. Just how much it costs and

neck, blows air. “Why are you here, the pair of you? You didn’t come to ask about my business practices. What is

her mother. Charlotte wants to find her mother. You robbed her of that when she was a baby. Perhaps you can make amends

in over twenty years.” He speaks slowly. “If I knew where

you lose

then, “Got a

closely as James take his diary from a pocket, tears out a sheet and slides it under the screen with

slides it back. “That's the address where she was living when she was with Conners and

passes it to me. “You’re the

not from around here then?” Klempner seems

“Not originally, no.”

the same parish as the church

certificate?” Klempner sits bolt upright. “You have that?” Then

That rattled him….

Why?

and I exchange a

He saw it too….

sit back in my chair, folding my hands onto the counter.

regained his cool. Pursing his lips, he locks

to add?” asks

Head tilted back, the white of his eyes showing all round, Klempner swings

Trying to intimidate…?

Good luck with

if you want to find

“What does that mean?”

They're clearly related. Track it down

“Bech?”

to you. Before he died, I told him to find out who she is, where her family hails from. But he didn't make much progress other than to learn her family name is Kimberley. You

know about Michelle’s

She never spoke

leave