Masters And Lovers 1-4 novel Chapter 38

I’m supporting Charlotte. Mitch stays close by Michael, who doesn’t look happy.

Klempner moves around the room, standing by each door in turn, ear pressed close. He shakes his head a little. “Can’t hear a thing.”

Laying hand on handle. “Ready everyone? Let’s see if Laughing Boy is still out there.”

There’s a tremor in Michael’s voice. “Don’t hurt him if you don’t have to.”

Klempner’s reply is cool. “Why don't you give it a rest? I’d say you've let your brother get away with far too much.” Michael’s jaw sets.

Klempner stands by the exit to the passageway, easing the door open a crack, peering out. “Stand back.” As the gap widens, a shot ricochets through the opening. Klempner jerks back. “He’s by the stairs, blocking the exit.”

Michael pushes forward. “I’ll talk to him. He only shot me by accident. He wouldn’t do it deliberately.”

Klempner arches brows, standing back from the door, gesturing out. “It’s your funeral.”

Michael opens the door wide, calling out. “Ben, it’s me. Don’t shoot. I’m coming out.”

There’s no response. He steps out.

Klempner, his eyes fixed on the door, speaks side-long. “He’s moving cautiously for a man who thinks he was only shot by accident.”

Michael stands out in the corridor, looking out towards the stairs, then revolves, looking around, up and down the passage. “Ben?” Then he turns back to us, hands spread out in a WTF? gesture.

His eyes widen to something behind me. The back of my neck prickles and I spin…

The door behind me stands open, framing Ben, Baxter’s gun aimed…

Where’s he aiming?

It wavers, shifting between me, Mitch and Charlotte. Michael charges forward, standing between us and his brother.

Ben is flushed, sweating, his eyes wild.

He has lost it…

“Give it up, Bro,” says Michael. “You can’t win this one. You think I’m going to let you do this? Murder my wife and her child, her mother and my closest friend?”

Ben’s hand is shaking wildly… “You can’t keep living like this Mike. It’s not right. It’s not natural. It’s her child, not yours…”

Beside me, Klempner mutters, “This moron’s Eye-Candy’s brother?”

“’Fraid so.”

Ben’s still in full flow. "… You’re married to a whore and I still don’t understand how you can think it’s okay… or how she talked you into it." He casts a toxic glance my way. "And him…"

I lurch forward, but Klempner reaches, planting a palm on my chest. “You’d better let him sort this one out for himself,” he murmurs, “If you want it to stick.”

When did you get an insight into the human condition?

But he’s right. If anyone can talk sanity into Ben, it’s going to have to be Michael.

“Right?” splutters Michael. “You think it’s right to push a pregnant woman down the stairs?” He holds hands to his head… “And the only unnatural thing around here, Ben, is a man who thinks he should tell the rest of the world how to live. And when they disagree with him, sets out to murder two women and an unborn baby plus a man who’s never done him any harm of any kind.”

He steps forward, hand outstretched. “C’mon, Ben. Give me the gun. Then the worst that’s happened is you’ve winged me in an accident. Just one of those stupid things that happens when brothers mess around.”

Charlotte breaks in. “What about Kirstie? She could die. And all she ever did was try to warn Ben when he was out of order.”

“Michael, she’s right,” I say. “This has already gone beyond any attempt to brush it under the carpet. And that’s before any medical check on Charlotte after her fall. If there’s any damage to the baby…”

Michael jolts…

Ben screams at him. “It’s not your baby, Mike. It’s his.”

“It’s a baby!” Mitch yells, striding forward. “It’s done nothing. Hurt no-one…”

Ben’s gun wheels on to her. “What the fuck’s it to do with you? You weren’t even in this until they went and dug you out from whatever fucking cesspit you were hiding in.”

“This has gone on long enough,” mutters Klempner. “Get behind me, the lot of you.” He eye-points Charlotte and Mitch. “I mean it. Get them back. As far back as you can. Leave this to me.”

I tug Charlotte at the wrist. “You heard him. Back.” She flashes furious eyes at me. “I am not joking,” I hiss. “I said back.” Mitch watches this, falling back with us.

Klempner moves between us and Ben. He paces up and down, Ben’s eye and hand following him. “You’re very quick to condemn, don’t you think? People just getting on with their lives. Not doing you any harm.” Klempner’s weapon hangs loosely in his right hand, by his side.

Ben’s outstretched hand wavers at Klempner who, quite calmly, stares straight down the barrel of the gun. “I know about you. You’re as bad as them.” He jerks his chin at Mitch. “She’s just a common whore, and here you are defending her. You fucked with her.”

Klempner’s head inclines. “No, Mitch was a quite extraordinary whore, and since her profession didn’t bother me, I don’t see that it should concern you. But since it does and you claim to know who I am… Of all the things I have on my sheet, you want to pick me up on my taste in women?”

Ben trembles and shakes. Sweat runs down his now scarlet face.

“Michael has it right, Ben. Give it up,” drawls Klempner. “You’re not cut out for this. You just shot your own brother. You know, the one you claim to be protecting.”

“Go to hell.”

Klempner snorts. “Probably. Save me a seat.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are to be telling me what to do? It’s nothing to do with you.”

Klempner halts in his pacing. “Excuse me? For a start, I’m her father…” He jabs his left hand towards Charlotte, “… And she’s carrying my grandchild. So, if you imagine I’m a disinterested party, you’re mistaken.”

Klempner’s gun still hangs loosely by his side, but he feels about as safe to be near as a cobra coiled low.

“You're not going to pull that trigger,” he says. “You're an amateur.” His right hand swings up, pointing at Charlotte. “You hate her guts. You want her dead.” The hand swings to me and I find myself, briefly, looking down the barrel of his gun. “Him too. But you haven't got the balls to do it. You’re just a little man, small-minded, with no imagination and thinking everyone should live in the same little world you do.”