Masters And Lovers 1-4 novel Chapter 219

James

I lift the latch of the door to the walkers’ shelter, push and step inside…

… something presses to my temple. “Don’t move.”

“What?” I start to turn, but the something; cold, metallic, nudges at me. “I said, don’t move.”

“Who the fuck are…?” But my words are cut short. Abruptly, the shelter is flooded with light. It shoots through my eyes, blinding me.

“Is that any way to speak to your father-in-law?”

The voice is oh-too-familiar, and as my vision clears, I see the figure sitting on a bench; hands clasped behind his head, ankle crossed over knee. “Good to see you, James,” says Klempner. “Do sit down.” Then snapping his fingers to the figure beside me. “His phone.”

Gun-muzzle to my head, I freeze, my hands semi-raised as the gunman’s hand works through my trouser pockets, first one, then the other, then slides down the zipper of my jacket to reach inside before tossing my mobile to Klempner.

My heart, which had calmed to a sensible pace during my ‘escape’ through the tunnel and the walk through the woods afterward, clatters and clamours behind my ribs.

Dry mouth.

Gritty eyes.

A cold sweat down my spine…

Air…

More air…

Don’t show him you’re afraid…

…

…

I’m not going to survive this.

…

A pulse hammers at my temple sending shadows dancing behind my eyes. Bile rises in my throat and I resist the urge to vomit.

This is it then…

…

Jade…

Oh, my Jade…

I wish I could have seen you, one last time…

Held you…

And I’ll never see our baby…

Watch her grow up…

Regret wells up, bittersweet, overwhelming my fear.

Does Klempner think I’m going to grovel?

Fucked if I’ll give him the satisfaction.

I straighten up, lifting my chin, meeting the bastard square in the eye. Michael’s words run an echo through my brain.

“Hartwell… They gutted him. Slit him down the middle from crotch to chest and left him to die.”

The pulse at my temple yammers…

Hope it’s quick…

Jade…

Klempner sits, as I first saw him; casual, relaxed, not apparently threatening. “Kirch, put the gun away. You’re upsetting our guest.”

The gun is tucked into a holster. Its owner stands at a kind of attention beside me.

Klempner pulls out a mobile, taps in, then oddly, sets it to loudspeaker. “Baxter, everything okay down there?”

“Yes sir. There’s no-one in the house…”

“I could have told you that…”

“… and the hotel’s empty too. The guests and staff have gone. That fire in the kitchens was just a plant. I rang the number on the security box and told them it was a false alarm.”

“Good. But that won’t stop the police turning up now the alarm’s been raised. Bring the 4x4 up.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be a few minutes looping round the back of the woods.”

“I know. Don’t take too long but keep the lights off.”

“Yes, sir.”

Klempner nods in apparent satisfaction then turns to me. “We’ll be leaving soon. In the meantime, James, have a seat.” He gestures to a bench. “May I call you James?”

The question catches me off-guard. I’ve hardly got the upper hand.

Why would he ask?

“What makes you think you and I are on first-name terms?”

He cocks a brow. “Always the charmer aren’t you. James, sit. Take the weight off that leg of yours. You’ve exercised it enough for now.”

He’s right. I move on unwilling feet, using muscles soft with panic. I sit, then clasp my hands to hide the tremble.

“So…” Klempner laces his fingers together, thumbs rotating around each other. “We meet again, positions reversed, eh?”