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Chapter 182: Alphas, Part 8
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Mastering Charlotte Chapter 183: Alphas, Part 9
RichardWill sucks the top of his pen, nodding. I continue, "She came up fighting and took some very hard choices to build herself a future. Think about Blessingmoors and what we know about what went on there. Can you imagine what was going through her head when she auctioned herself? She knew what she could be letting herself in for. But that didn't stop her. She saw what she needed to do, and she carried it through. And you're right. I do admire her. She's got guts. So, I'm not going to apologise if I tried to smooth her way a little."There is a squeeze at my fingers and I realise Elizabeth has my hand. As I turn, her eyes are smiling.Will looks a little taken aback at my speech. His voice mild, "Alright, Richard. I've got the message. Let's try and take this a bit further, eh..."He returns to Charlotte, who is no longer flicking through papers. Instead, the file lying forgotten on the tabletop, she is holding a photograph. It's very small, perhaps a passport photo origina
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 184: Alphas, Part 10, Blessingmoors - Nine Years Ago
The door slams open and Jenny tumbles through, almost losing her footing but making it down the stone steps before she falls."You're lucky we don't just slit your throat and have done. For some reason, Mr Klempner wants you alive."The door closes again, and the darkness is absolute. Arms outstretched and reaching with her toes, she feels for the walls, then slides down to the floor.And she waits........ For what…?Lying in the blackness, she stares up at nothing, humming to herself....It makes no difference if her eyes are open or closed.She shivers against the chill, but it's just a reaction. She doesn't feel it. No more than she notices anymore the sweetish smell that crawls through the air.There is the sound of scratching, something scurrying. She does notice that, quickly sitting up, arms wrapped around her knees, hugging herself against the scurriers.And there in the dark, she sits, humming quietly. A tuneless, introverted melody that fills her ears with
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 185: Alphas, Part 11
JamesOnce they are out of sight, I join Richard, where he is standing by, watching Stanton directing operations.Already two men are marking out an area some twenty yards square, roping it off as they go. The geophys team are setting up their equipment...."Magnetic survey?" I ask Richard. "Ah-ha. The ground was thoroughly disturbed during the original demolition and flattening of the area. Hopefully, this way we can find the cellar before we bring in the Cats and the diggers.""Is that why you're hanging around?""They're my diggers," he huffs, but then, "No, not really. It just feels like something that.... I don't know....""Something that should be witnessed?"He nods. "That's about it, yes."Two ops with their magnetic contraptions start at opposite ends of the marked-off area, pacing in a steady, practised way. "I don't think there's much you can offer here right now," says Richard. "Perhaps you'd be better going to see if Charlotte's alright?"*****At Mi
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 186: Alphas, Part 12
James"Mr Alexanders! This is a crime scene." It's Will Stanton's voice, sharp with rebuke and anger. "Will you kindly leave immediately." His flashlight aimed directly at me, he is merely an indistinct silhouette against the glare."Yes, of course," I mutter. "My apologies. I was leaving anyway."He walks up to me, footsteps scratching on the stone. "Have you touched anything? Disturbed anything?" And now I can see him, his face etched into hard-edged shadows."No, I was just looking. I wanted to see.... Where they had her.... It's like a living death." I look back to the disturbed patches of earth and his torch beam follows. "Are those…?" I can't finish the sentence.He mellows, sounding more sympathetic. "We think so, yes. Forensics are on their way.... It's hard to imagine, isn't it? Locking up kids in a place like this."Nausea rises, my gut clenching.Jade.... what did they do to you? .... How much of this do you remember?"I'm going to see to the bastards that
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 187: Alphas, Part 13
JamesAs we step into the room, Charlotte falters and instantly, Michael is there, her hand in his again........ and I follow, staying quiet."It's mirrored glass," says Will. "They can't see you." He nods across to the uniformed officer standing by. "And there are plenty of us around for you."She nods acknowledgement then stands and looks.On the other side of the glass stand nine men, broadly similar in looks and dress, all blank-faced, staring straight ahead.She surveys them, her gaze flicking from face to face, then points "That's him.""You sure of that?" says Will. "You don't want to think about it?""No, I'm sure. That's him."Will head-points Michael to take her out. He's looking tired, strained, with dark shadows under his eyes. But he tugs gently at her hand. "Let's get something to eat, eh?""She's going to make an excellent witness," comments Will after they leave."Yes?""Yes. Very sure of herself. She pulled Lauriz straight out of that line-up.
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 188: Alphas, Part 14
Richard"James, are you quite well?"He's pale, unsettled, and his concentration isn't on the job in hand. He isn't well. That's perfectly plain, but I'm not sure exactly what is bothering him....Restless, he stands, then sits, then stands again, swiping a hand through his hair.He wants to talk....I wait...."Richard.... I was down there, in that cellar."What the fuck....?"How...?""Never mind. I was there"What is the right thing to say here…?.... Damned if I know...."Not a pleasant place I imagine, a cellar?""No, it's not. But it's more than that. Richard, it looks as though there are.... remains.... down there, buried at the far end...."For a few seconds, what he's saying to me doesn't make sense.Remains…?.... Human remains?"James, you mean…? And that's where Charlotte was imprisoned? And the other children?""Yes, I can't stop thinking about how she must have felt.... "This isn't the James I'm used to. He normally seems so.... unto
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 189: Alphas, Part 15
JamesThe following morning Richard and Beth join us for breakfast, accompanied by Ross who from God-knows-where produces enormous quantities of oatmeal, eggs and ham, orange juice and coffee. Will joins us but only knocks back cup after cup of black coffee.After half an hour's steady work which leaves the table looking rather empty, both Michael and Charlotte look much revived."I want to go home," says Charlotte."It's pretty rough and ready," says Richard. "You're welcome to stay here. You'll be a lot more comfortable.""But it's not home," she says.Michael beams.That just made his day."There's no reason you can't," says Will. "We know now what we're looking for. So long as you have an internet connection you can do it all remotely.*****Over the next day or so, I try to stay cheerful at home, not to let my grim mood show. And all the while I wonder how to give the news to Charlotte that she can't return to her university.I can expect stiff resistance the
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 190: Alphas, Part 16
JamesCharlotte hasn't noticed me yet, so silently, I wait.... Her office is tiny, as befits a student trainee. The floor is a very basic vinyl lay and the walls are a bleak institutional beige. Haswell likes her, but she has to earn her privileges..... She'll enjoy them all there more when she gets there....But for all its lowly status, I know my Green-Eyes values this office and what it stands for above pearls..... She earned the right to it and it's hers....Just now, all her attention is locked on her laptop screen. She jabs at keys, swearing in a low voice, but not so low I can't hear what she's saying......... That is not the language of a lady........ She'll have to do something about that if she wants to get anywhere....With a final muttered obscenity....Why are swear words always either sexual or religious…?.... she sits back, arms folded, glaring at the screen, then abruptly spots me, jolting in her seat before her smile unfolds, blooming bright.
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Mastering Charlotte Chapter 293: Family, Part 21
JamesMichael takes a moment before speaking, then, ".... All through your life, you've had everything thrust upon you. Even meeting James and me, you chose to enter the auction, but you did that out of necessity. I'd like to know what you want. Now that you are free to choose for yourself, what is it that you want?"And he falls silent, watching her, and waiting as she looks around at everything about us....And I wonder what she sees. With everything that life has thrown at her, the horrors of her childhood, the terrors of her adulthood, and now to be here, in this lovely place, with the home she always yearned for.And is that enough for her?She gestures around, hands trying to encompass it all. "What more could I want? We're all here, at last, together. I have you both. I have what I want."Yes!Result!Michael's eyes shift to mine....Definitely....She sees us, knows what is going on, and leans in to Michael as he kisses her. "I think I'm going to ask you to
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 292: Family, Part 20, Three Years Ago
Charlotte sits in the office facing Mr Chambers. He's middle-aged and pleasant enough, and clearly doing his best to make her feel at ease. Nonetheless, her embarrassment is excruciating and she can't look him in the face."Can I get you a cup of tea, Miss Conners? Or coffee perhaps?"Her throat tight. "No, thank you."If she tried to drink right now, she would bring it right back up again."Very well. I understand you would like to enter our auction for the sale of...." He picks up a sheet and reads.... 'The services of 'Charlotte' for the period of one week, those services to include anything required of her by her purchaser and also to include the sale of her virginity.' Is that correct?"She squeezes the word out. "Yes."He places the document on the table. "I should explain Miss Conners, that whilst you might find it easier to have a female representative to work with right now, here at the auction house we feel that a girl who cannot go through this interview with a m
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 291: Family, Part 19
RichardAt one of these interminable 'drinks dos' I am expected to attend, I do my best to put on a polite face. But I'm having trouble.I have the mayor on one side, "Since the plans were made public for the new City-Scape layout the share value has soared, Richard...."And my head of corporate law on the other. "There are still some legal obstacles to overcome...." argues Lazenby.I am unsympathetic. "That's what I pay you for."What I pay you a lot for........ So, stop whining and do your job.Listening to the mayor droning on, I nod politely, trying to appear interested but, in fact, my attention is half on the gathering at the other side of the room.As Charlotte and Elizabeth are chatting by the bar. Michael arrives, strolling across the lounge with that easy half-smile that is his habitual expression. Charlotte spots him and moves aside to make room for him."Hi, Michael." Elizabeth's eyes are bright as she looks up at him.He returns the smile. "Hi, Beth. L
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 290: Family, Part 18
Richard"But you've been running 'Life and Fitness' in the City for years.… and turning a healthy profit, surely?""Yes, but you know how it is since two thousand and seven. All the banks have tightened up the rules."Bloody bastards at the banks....Pretty perfect for me though....How to approach this…??James said he has a problem accepting help........ Carefully...."Ummm.…Take this the right way, but I'd be happy to help."Glass in hand, Michael freezes, knuckles. His voice is barely polite. "Thanks, Richard, but I'm not a charity."James' meets my eyes again with a 'Told you' look. He laughs softly. "Now, who's suffering from stiff-necked pride?" Michael gives him a look that should have dissolved him on the spot, but James simply gives him a mild look, sucking at his teeth as he tries to extract a bit of peanut.I follow Michael's lead, keeping my own tone cool. "It wasn't a charitable offer, Michael. I'm a businessman. It was a proposal."He flush
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 289: Family, Part 19
JamesAs we leave, Richard murmurs, "Keep your face straight.""You might have warned me....""What? That you were my ace-in-a-hole?" Despite his advice, Richard's mouth is twitching. "Not a chance. It worked out so much better that you were surprised when he finally realised who you are."I glance over my shoulder to see that we are safely out of range, then stop and turn to face him. "Richard, who am I? I'm an architect. A good architect granted, but...."He lays a hand on my shoulder. "You, my friend, are the architect who will have changed the face of the City. Not many can make that claim. Your immortality is going to be standing as evidence around us for generations to come."It's an interesting thought."I never expected to be famous."He rocks a hand back and forth. "Perhaps not with the Common Man, but I looked through those Get-Well cards at the hospital. Did you?""Er, no.""You should. I asked Michael to keep them for when you left the hospital; for when
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 288: Family, Part 18
JamesMy mobile rings: Richard."James, I was having a word with Charlotte earlier. She's a little upset that the university is kicking up a fuss over the way her course options are moving around. The training periods, academic time and so on. It was all supposed to be arranged, but apparently, they're giving her a hard time over it.""Yes, I thought something like this might crop up. Did you have something in mind?""Absolutely. I know where this is coming from. The Chancellor, Wilmore, is fine, but the Bursar is an interfering busybody with an inflated sense of self-worth, who pokes his nose into every aspect of university life, whether it belongs there or not. If he didn't have tenure he'd have been out years ago.""So…?""First, I like you to have a word with Charlotte...."*****The crook of my thumb and forefinger under her chin, I force her face to mine, "Charlotte, is it that you want to attend the university? Or that, in a couple of years' time, you simply want
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 287: Family, Part 17
James"So how did it go?"Michael prises the cap off a beer bottle on the edge of the table then gulps down from the neck before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "It was.... surreal."I'm up and about and able to walk now, at the level of using the bathroom without the intervention of a nurse. Nonetheless, Michael's return is an excuse for me to climb back into bed, take the weight from my aching leg and draw a surreptitious sigh, which he pretends not to notice.And I'm happy enough to be here. Back in the beach house, the environment is soothing and convinces me to sleep more than I could have done in the renovation/building site which is our mountain home, even were we able to return there.I prop myself up against the pillows and Michael reaches around, rearranging them for me. When I'm settled comfortably, "Go on. I'm listening.""Cutting a long story short, Klempner admitted to murdering Charlotte's father, seemed to have some kind of crisis over her looking
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 286: Family, Part 16, The Present
KlempnerJennifer's face....The loathing there when he says that....The idea that she might be anything to do with me........You're Conners' daughter........ Not mine…Blondie's still speaking… "And your final revenge on her was to steal the child, to force her to grow up into slavery herself.... To fit your idea of...."I claimed you........ Mine........ My due........ My redress....Blondie is still talking.... "And when you found she'd grown up to look like her mother, you became obsessed with it again, determined to have the daughter forced into a life that the mother had already told you repelled her...."And I remember the disgust in her eyes....My beautiful Mitch........ Looking at me like shit on a shoe...."Is she alive? Charlotte's mother?" Blondie asks.I can't stomach looking at him. "I've no idea. The police gave her a new identity, hid her from me. I couldn't find her, and I've not seen her for over twenty years. But if she's not s
Mastering Charlotte Chapter 285: Family, Part 15, The Present
KlempnerHer face twists...."You still don't want to believe me? She was very good at her job. Good enough that, at first, we didn't realise she was a professional. We thought she was just being.... friendly. And I'll admit, when I set eyes on her, I thought she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen...."..... Mitch's daughter....Blondie's knuckles on her shoulder whiten. ".... So did Frank. We took a room for the night and.... well, you know the script from there. You've had two guys together often enough I'm sure...."Her face sets. "So, what then?""She was fun to be with. Not just a good fuck, but actually good company. We both liked her. And she seemed to like us.... Really like us I mean, rather than just pretend to because that's part of the job description. In the morning, we took her number, and later, we called her back. It went from there. We'd meet up with her a couple of nights a week. It became regular. And then.…"Blondie breaks in, his voice low. "A
