Masters And Lovers 1-4

James

My phone rings. Richard’s avatar flashes up. Klempner glances at it then passes it to me. “Answer it. Put it on loudspeaker.”

I talk quickly. “Richard, before you say anything, Klempner’s here.”

There’s a silence, then. “James, are you being held hostage? Has he…?”

“I'm not hurt if that's what you're asking, but no, I'm not exactly on top of the situation. He’s listening to what we say.” I cast a glance to Klempner, but he simply raises brows, folding his arms and sitting back.

“Have you spoken to Charlotte?” I ask.

Richard pauses. “No, I've not spoken to her. I got hold of Michael, some while ago, but I couldn’t get through to her. She wasn’t answering her phone.”

So, who…?

“Someone’s warned her. Or so it seems. She’s vanished, along with her mother and Kirstie. Is Beth okay?”

Another short silence. “Yes, Elizabeth is safely out of the way.”

Klempner snorts, then speaking loudly, “I'm not interested in your cringing wife, Haswell.”

Richard’s voice is austere. “You'll forgive me if I err on the side of caution.”

Klempner shrugs and looks away. “Your call.”

“Richard,” I say. “Look for the women. Now ring off.”

And the phone goes dead.

From the front, Baxter says, “Sir, we’re here.” The car crunches onto the parking lot of a closed-down motel.

“Round the back,” says Klempner. The car glides quietly to an area away from the road…

Dark…

Isolated…

No witnesses…

*Breathe*

Baxter parks up, indicating a door. “It’s in there, sir. It’s not overlooked. You can make yourself comfortable.” Pulling a key from his pocket he unlocks it and leads the way in to a small suite of the kind you would find in any motel: somewhere to sleep and wash and eat.

Klempner sits then lays my phone and his on a small table, within easy reach. “Sit down, James, while we wait.”

the fridge,

“Is there any coffee?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll have that. James?”

“Coffee for me too.”

as I like it, but I

“Please.”

please try to relax. Perhaps you would like something to

Dinner…

odd how the mind protects itself, distracts us with irrelevancies at stressful

his

“Oh, nothing.”

eyes

the house, I’d just put something in the oven. I can’t remember if I switched off the stove or not.” I shrug, feeling a fool. “Hardly seemed the moment to

The roast was done to a turn. Very good too. Great potatoes. Crunchy outside. Nice and squishy inside. And there was just the right amount of thyme

him as he rambles

do I. “You stole my

letting it go to waste. Too much garlic for

threaten me, abduct me and to crown it, you stole my

under his breath, Klempner raises eyes to heaven, muttering. “So

is indignant. Part

part of me is doubled over laughing,

wasn’t thyme. It was rosemary.

of waiting and looking for the woman, and another year inside, and this is what I

value of a good meal. Your daughter knows

*****

Michael

up the stairway. As we rise above basement level,

trying to call

below ground. Have

can’t get an answer from her. But I’ve

“When? Is he okay?”

insofar as you can ever tell with James. Klempner’s got him so I’d hate to guess at his

here and a security guard is helping me search, but so far I can’t

keep trying to contact them. I’ve got Ross out searching too,

“Will do.”

*****

strange; dark, empty of staff and clients. Jack aims his torch at the swing-doors. There’ll be a roster in

beam. “There it is.” A clip-board hanging on a nail, with a daily calendar filled in with names and table numbers. “Let’s see… Denise was the day manager. She’s okay. She

Jack. Sorry to call you so late. Listen, I’ve got someone here who’d like to talk to you. Name of Michael. He’s looking for three women. He’s pretty worried… That’s