Share
Chapter 179: Her Mother's Love, Part 21, Emergency
Related chapters
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
Charlotte's Search Chapter 182: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 2, Race Against Time
MICHAELI'm driving like an idiot, racing to reach Charlotte, Mitch and Kirstie.Why's Charlotte not answering her phone?And I'm hoping that the answer is the happy one; that she's simply distracted, talking; enjoying herself and not paying attention. Or that she has the ringer turned off. Or...My head swirls...James said Francesca's tea rooms...Already, it's nearly dark.What time do they stay open until?Friday. Late night. Probably until 9pm.My mobile screen flashes, the vibe making the dashboard rattle as the phone dances over the vinyl. It's Ben.On loudspeaker, "Ben? Where are you?""Almost there. Just letting you know, I'm pulling into the car park now, so we might lose the signal. I'll be in touch as soon as I know anything."And I return to champing and cursing at the traffic holding me trapped.James...I check my phone. No call. No message.I check my watch. He's had plenty of time to reach the shelter.Should I call him?Is he hurt?
Charlotte's Search Chapter 183: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 3, The Search
MICHAELThe blindingly bloody obvious finally hits me between the eyes.Fuck!I bang the dashboard with a fist.Stupid. Stupid.I'm trying to drive through the City one-way system in traffic. If I go on foot...Think with your brain. Not panic and adrenalin...Spinning the steering wheel, I squeal across two lanes and a junction, cut in front of a taxi driver, then park up, two wheels on the kerb.Ignoring the screeched curses from the cabbie behind me, giving only passing thought that the car is likely to be towed, I set off at a run, abandoning car, bug and all.*****Hot, lungs heaving, heart pumping and dripping with sweat, I burst through the doors of Francesca's department store.The tearooms are on the top floor. Middle-class ladies with crimped hair and primped clothes look at me askance as I head for the elevator. One prize example makes a show of wafting the air by her face as at the last moment, I take the escalator instead, so I can scan the shop floor
Charlotte's Search Chapter 184: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 4, Race Against Time
JAMESMy 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 au
Charlotte's Search Chapter 185: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 5, Who?
JAMESKlempner scowls, his head jerking back. "How do you mean?""If he knows you value the women, could one of your men have taken them? Perhaps to ransom them to you?"Klempner stiffens. "If he has, he'll wish he'd traded places with Hartwell."He snatches up his own 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? What's going on down there?"A voice rises above a background sound of traffic. "I'm on the corner of Port Square, sir. It gives me a view of both the taxi rank and the entrance to the bus station. Guttman's working the restaurants. I think he's along Main Street somewhere."Klempner pokes at his screen, scissors something open and zooms in. He peers close, then repeats it. "That's fine, Marco. The women haven't been found yet, so stay alert." He disconnects. "Marco's exactly where he said he was and so's Guttman... And that description doesn't fit eithe
Charlotte's Search Chapter 186: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 6, Disbelief
Michael doesn't react well. "James are you kidding me? You want Klempner to have both of us prisoner?""I'm not a prisoner. And he's as interested in finding the women as we are. Where are you?"He yells over the line. "Fuck you, Klempner. If you think I'm playing along with this charade, you're crazy. You've got a gun at his head or something for him to be talking like this."And the line cuts.I slam my mobile down. "Fuck!"Klempner's voice remains bland, his eyes fixed on the road as he drives. "Any suggestions?"But before I can reply, my phone goes into overdrive, flashing and vibrating, crawling over the dash.Klempner looks askance. "That supposed to be the latest ring-tone?""No." I snatch up the phone, peering in at the display. "That's Kirstie raising the alarm. And if I'm getting this, then so's everyone else."Klempner looks alarmed. "Who's 'everyone else'?"Do I tell him?The truth but not the whole truth..."Haswell, Michael, Ryan...""Who's Ryan
Charlotte's Search Chapter 187: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 7, Traitor
CHARLOTTEIt was such a great day. I don't normally enjoy shopping, but with my mother and Kirstie for company it was completely different.Bookshops. 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 tearoom: 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. "Cha
Latest chapter
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 203: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 23, Richard's Gift
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 202: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 22, Kink
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 201: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 21, Michael
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 200: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 20, Sandwich
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 199: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 19, Redemption
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 198: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 18, The Package
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 197: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 17, Remembrance
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 196: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 16, Charlie
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 195: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 15, The Legacy
