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Chapter 173: Her Mother's Love, Part 15, Husband
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Charlotte's Search Chapter 174: Her Mother's Love, Part 16, Family
MICHAELSlinging one towel around my hips, another in my hand, I head back into the bedroom. They're together between the sheets, naked, sheened with sweat, silent. He lies with his head pillowed on her breasts, stroking her belly. Her eyes follow me in. "Thought I was going to wash your back?"I scrub the towel into my wet hair. "From the sound of things, you were otherwise engaged."She flashes teeth, then wriggles out from under James. "Just have to do my own then." And she too heads for the shower.James sits up and I toss him a robe. "Michael," he begins, "I know I've already said it, but thank you. There aren't many men who would have done what you did. Ensuring that I would be the father of her first. I'd always assumed it would be a lottery between us." He shakes his head, rubbing a palm over the back of his skull. "I still can't believe I didn't notice what you were up to, the pair of you."My voice wry, "It's not as though there aren't other options. Mouth, as
Charlotte's Search Chapter 175: Her Mother's Love, Part 17, The Party
MICHAELJames swivels from the cut of meat he's de-boning, the knife in one hand. His voice harsh, "Ben? You invited Ben to the party?""He promised he'll behave himself.""He'd better." He scowls and returns to the slab of beef on the counter. "If he upsets Charlotte..." He twists back, the knife raised. "... or Mitch...""He won't."*****I put the handset down in its cradle. Oh, my God...What am I going to tell him?Best get it over with...I pour two stiff whiskeys then go in search of James and find him on the terrace in a sheltered sunny spot, reading.He glances up at my approach, reaching to accept the offered glass. "Thanks. A bit early isn't it? Softening me up for something?"Shuffling my feet, I take a sip from my own glass."You are softening me up for something." His eyes narrow. "What is it?""Um... about that party..."His eyes thin to slits. "Aha? What about it?""Well, I told Ben he could come so long as he was on best behaviour, whi
Charlotte's Search Chapter 176: Her Mother's Love, Part 18, Aunts
RICHARD"Who's that?" Ben aims a finger towards the thin figure propping up the bar as he chats happily with one of the Agony Aunts."Old friend of Charlotte's, I believe, Benny. He was in a fix, so James did him a favour, gave him a leg up."Ben's brows rise. "What kind of leg up?""As I understand it, Benny had a poor upbringing. He was illiterate and so effectively unemployable. James put him on a training program with the company, aiming for an apprenticeship in the maintenance section.""But he can't read? Shouldn't he clear something like that with you?""Charlotte is making the time to teach Benny to read. And James has the full authority of a director in my company."*****Elizabeth nudges me. "I think we should rescue him."I twist, scanning. "Who?""James." She tilts her glass toward a corner table.James, seated at the back and wearing the expression of a man losing the will to live, is flanked to one side by two old biddies: if memory serves from the w
Charlotte's Search Chapter 177: Her Mother's Love, Part 19, Announcement
MICHAELBen rejoins me. "She seems a lovely woman, that Mitch. A bit withdrawn, but I suppose that's understandable.""It's very soon for her. I think she'd lost a lost of confidence, with her husband being as he was."Condemnation creeps back into Ben's voice, "What was that all about? She left him?"I cut him short. "He was knocking her around, Ben. When we got her out of there, the bastard had her on the floor. He'd have beaten the shit out of her if I'd not kicked the door in to stop it."His eyes widen. "Really? You don't think of people really behaving like that, do you?"Oh, get real..."Whether you do or you don't, just bear it in mind when you're talking to her. She's had a lot to cope with over the years and it'll take her a while to readjust."Ben blinks rapidly, licks his lips. "You're right. I jump to conclusions, don't I?""Yes, you do. So make a few allowances, eh. Just try to be happy for people."Ben drops into silence, downs half his drink. "Did I
Charlotte's Search Chapter 178: Her Mother's Love, Part 20, Klempner
Hands and ankles cuffed, I wait in the yard. A grey sky spits rain on the grey tarmac, grey stonework and the dark grey uniforms of my guards.The van arrives, equally grey, pulling up close by. Paired metal doors swing open at the back, revealing the inside, stark and gloomy, a slatted bench flush to either side. Hoops and bars project from the framework for the restraint of high-risk transportees. "In you go, Larry..." Hartwell pokes me in the ribs with his baton, playfully...Think it's funny, do you..."... I don't know what idiot thinks you belong in a low-security prison but I'll not be sorry you're not my responsibility anymore."I say nothing, all obedience, stepping up to the van. My movement is awkward in my cuffs as I grab the handle to pull myself up. Sutcliffe raises a hand, supporting me at the elbow as I rise."Leave him alone, Sutcliffe," snaps Hartwell. "Larry's a big boy now. He can get himself inside.""Yes, sir." Sutcliffe follows me up, indicating a
Charlotte's Search Chapter 179: Her Mother's Love, Part 21, Emergency
JAMESI try not to be obvious about it; try to treat her completely normally, but Mitch has just had her world turned over yet again. I see her sometimes, watching me; watching me with Charlotte.What's going on in her head?She's happy she has her daughter...... but still walking on eggshells...Not convinced she's safe?How much crap can get thrown into a single life?Her brother... control freak...Klempner... psycho...Conners... wife-beater...And now she walks into this... her long-lost daughter shacked up with two men...And pregnant...Is she coping??She's stronger than she looks...Charlotte's mother...In my armchair by the fire, my bad leg stretched out to bathe the ache away with the heat, I sip a finger of brandy, losing myself in the dancing flames and the reflected amber glimmer in my glass.Mitch... Strong enough to survive but still vulnerable...Klempner... Ruthless... Vengeful... Intelligent?He headed a world-wide organisa
Charlotte's Search Chapter 180: Her Mother's Love, Part 22, Who To Trust?
I'm walking as I talk. Heading along the hall. First stop, the alarm system.I slam the panic button installed during the renovation. After Michael and Charlotte's last flight through the snow two Christmases ago, we built this house as a fortress.Everything on automatic, the house goes into lock-down. Motors whirr as metal shutters glide over windows. High-security bolts slam across doors, the sound echoing along the hall. I keep moving, heading for the basement.Mobile still pressed to my ear, "You think it's Charlotte he wants?" I say. "Or Mitch?""If Klempner had Charlotte, Mitch would follow. If she had the balls to go after Conners to rescue him, d'you think she'd hesitate with her own daughter? And yes, I think it's Mitch he's after. You think the timing's a coincidence? Charlotte has just found her mother and suddenly Klempner waltzes out of custody?""No, I don't..." My mind spins, whirling at speed... "... but it also suggests that he's stayed in jail because it su
Charlotte's Search Chapter 181: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 1, Ambush
JAMESI 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' thr
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