Masters And Lovers 1-4

Charlotte

It was such a great day. I don’t normally enjoy shopping, but with my mother and Kirstie for company it was completely different.

Book-shops. My mother loves books; not the same ones as me, but books about places, adventures, exotic locations. It was such fun…

And Kirstie, with her smart mouth and shameless innuendo at every little thing….

In the tea room: crisp white linen, silver tongs to lift jam-and-cream scones and tiny cakes from a three-layer stand, porcelain cups and saucers…

Then, Ben’s sudden appearance, striding across the floor to us, brushing past waitresses and customers.

Stooping close to me to deliver his hastily muttered message… “Charlotte, Mike called me. You’ve got trouble. That man, Klempner. He’s escaped from prison. He’s out…”

My mother: her whimper of fear…

Kirstie: her eyes widening…

“I’ve got the car downstairs in the parking lot. It’s right by the door at the bottom of the stairs.” Ben wears a helpless expression. “Charlotte, this sort of thing is new to me. I don’t know… How dangerous is this man?”

“Think of the worse you can imagine, then multiply it.”

He glances up. My mother’s face is white. Kirstie wraps a hand around her clenched knuckles.

“You’ve dealt with this kind of thing before? Right? I’ve seen you fight, boxing with Mike. I know you can look after yourself.”

“Yes, I have. And I can.”

“Okay, for now, let’s just get out of here. How’s this sound? You come with me, down to the parking level. Kirstie and your mother stay here for a few minutes; here, where everyone can see them. Nothing can happen if they’re surrounded by people. You and I can look for each other’s back as we go down. You get the engine running. When we know the way’s clear, I’ll come back, get Kirstie and Mitch and we’ll come back to the car together. Then we go… Does that make sense?”

“Yes, it does. Ben…” I touch his hand. “Thanks for this. I know you’re not fond of me, but…”

His eyes narrow. “I’m fond of my brother, Charlotte. I don’t want him hurt.” He fishes keys from his pocket. “You have these. Mitch, Kirstie, stay here but keep your eyes peeled. Look out for anything that doesn’t seem right.”

I stand, turn for the escalator.

“No,” says Ben, “we can be seen if we go that way. I was riding it all the way up looking for you. Anyone looking could spot us. If we use the back stairs, it’ll take us straight down to the parking lot…”

“How do you know that?”

as the fire escape.

all very much at odds with the plush public face of Francesca’s, but I’ve been

first, in case there’s anyone waiting.”

We’re half-way down the fifth, heading for the parking

freeze, listening. “What? I can't

Must be my imagination. Come on.” He turns again to descend, then whips round once more. “There. Don’t you hear

pushes up past me, looking up

I still don’t

looking sheepish. “Sorry, Charlotte. My imagination’s running wild. You’re used to this kind of thing. I’m not. Let’s get you down to the car. It’s there, right by the door.” His arm outstretches, points over

shoulder. I stumble, trying to regain my balance, flailing out to jam my hands against the walls. But something plants itself between my shoulder blades, shoving hard

in around myself, protecting my belly as I drop before I crash down to

to think before the world

Traitor.

*****

Michael

the driver’s seat, two more in the back that I don’t recognise. James is getting

have a gun

gaze, I yank open the door, and grab him, hauling him bodily up and out of the car. “What have you done, you bastard? Where

jump out too, waving guns, but Klempner’s between me and them and I keep him that way, using

to James,

says James. “It’s not

“James…”

forestalling me. “I said, put him down. I’m not a prisoner and he doesn't have

“Oh, don’t talk…”

herself. She’s in an ambulance on her way to hospital. Her condition’s critical, but she told me herself.

No…

mistake. He

argue about it. You found the blood on Charlotte’s purse." He waves towards the swarm of emergency vehicles, flashing blue lights, day-glo cones and jackets only a few hundred yards away. "Kirstie may die with the extent of

desert-dry. “You going to put me down, Eye-Candy? Or do

slightly. As he shrugs his jacket back into place, his two thugs come charging up, guns waving. “Put it away, Baxter.

queasy inside. “James, are

sure. We have to find them or figure out where he’s taken them.” He scans around. “There can’t

if he

thinking at that level,” says James. “There was never any chance he wouldn’t be caught. How many security cameras has he driven past? The ones in the car park at Francesca’s for a start. And that’s before the