Masters And Lovers 1-4
Chapter 31
James
My phone dances across the table-top, vibing and ringing; Michael again. Klempner taps it on, and then to loudspeaker again.
Michael's voice shrieks out; distraught, utterly panic-stricken. “Klempner, you fucking bastard! What have you done with them?”
Klempner blinks, jerks a look to me then back the phone. “Michael, what are you talking about?”
“If you've hurt her, I'll kill you. I swear I will. Where is she? There’s blood on her bag. She…”
My heart jolting, the nausea, which had subsided, floods up again. “Michael, calm down. Whatever it is, calm down enough to tell me. What’s happened?”
His voice snatches and breaks, gulping between sentences. “I went back to the tearoom. The waitress who served them says they left with a man. I found their bags. All three of them. James, there’s blood over Charlotte’s. And more in the parking lot, as though she was dragged… Klempner, I’ll…”
But Klempner looks baffled. But he also looks concerned. “Michael, I have not harmed the women. And I don’t know where they are. I still have men out looking for them.”
I watch him as he speaks…
Is he telling the truth?
And I think he is.
And what would he gain by pretending otherwise if he already has them?
Would we be here?
No….
“Michael…” I speak cautiously. “I think Klempner’s as confused as we are. Really. Whatever’s happened, I don’t think he’s behind it.”
Michael’s voice calms a little. Not much, but a little. “You serious? But who else…?”
“Did you get a description of the man they left with?”
“The waitress said tall with brown hair. That’s about it.”
“Not much of a description. But there was no struggle? Or signs of force? Raised voices?”
“No, not in the tearoom. Apparently, Charlotte went with him first, then Mitch and Kirstie. But in the basement, the blood…”
men you have searching? Is it possible one’s decided
his head jerking back. “How
women, could one of your men have
he’ll
phone then, jabbing a finger at mine, “Keep him on the line. Keep him listening.” He taps into his own mobile. “Marco? Where are you? And where’s Guttman?
It gives me a view of both the taxi rank and the entrance
and zooms in. He peers close, then repeats it. “That’s fine, Marco. The women haven’t been found yet, so stay
doesn’t fit either of them. So, the question is, who else?” He looks to my phone. “Michael, did you hear
is shaking. “I
mugging, sir? Three women alone at
I say. “Three of them together? And one of them is Charlotte? No random mugger is going
“Still here, yes.”
in their bags? Anything
sounds contrite. “Sorry, should have thought to look. When I saw the blood,
that. Now
in two of them, including
for her mother. A present…” Klempner stirs beside me. “…
here... The ringer’s turned off. I can’t find Kirstie’s…
I think it got left behind when she made her emergency exit from Conners’ place…” Klempner shifts again… “But
the pearl she used to
out of possibilities. What’s your brother had to say,
not heard from him for a while. I’ll call him and get back to you.” The connection
Ben…
Noooo…
Surely?
Klempner eyes me. “What?”
it?” Klempner’s stance shifts, some aggression
doesn’t
Guttman’s German and blond. Marco’s Asian. You think you know who
Do I speak?
Jade…
I was thinking
Eye-Candy’s brother?
and naturally suspicious. What do you think are the chances of a stranger luring her away and then catching her unguarded? Ben’s a familiar face, even if he doesn’t like Charlotte much. If Michael sent him to her with a perfectly believable story of her hell-raiser father coming