The Chamber

Kendrick was up early the next morning, excited about the day ahead. And not having to be at the office until ten, he had enough time to get some personal business sorted out first.

Checking himself in the bathroom mirror, he noticed a small swelling on his lower lip. It was the inside of his gum that had been cut when Charles had punched him. With the tip of his tongue, he could feel it just in front of his lower teeth. Would anyone at work notice his swollen lip? Probably not, but he would just tell anyone who asked that he'd had an accident doing something or other.

When he entered the cellar corridor, he could hear Charles giving his vocal chords an early-morning tune-up, the drug-dealer in fine voice, yelling for help.

'You know,' Kendrick said as he entered the room, switching on the light, 'nobody can hear you down here, Charles. So why don't you be a good boy and pipe down, huh?' Charles squinted, his eyes taking a few seconds to adjust to the light. His right cheek was badly swollen. 'Where the hell am I?' He struggled, trying to get free.

Kendrick told him where he was and informed him that, although he hadn't spoken to his other guest, he was pretty sure that Ryan was probably getting a bit cheesed off with all the noise that he was making.

Charles was flummoxed. 'Guest! What guest? Who the hell is Ryan?' Kendrick didn't answer, just smiled. He'd wanted to bring Charles Greyson to justice for a long time and intended on making the most of it, savouring every last second.