17 #2
“I wouldn’t expect you to,” snorted Jerome as he headed back to the chair and slumped back into it.
“I’ll try and be more respectful, okay?”
Jerome nodded, then leaned forward. “So how does this work, then?”
“The investigator, you mean?”
Jerome nodded.
“Well, after we’ve had the meeting… do you want to be here when I see him?”
Jerome shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to hear the no-holds-barred conversation between Arsenio and a PI.
“Okay. Well I’ll fill him in on the details. If he’s been recommended by Paul, he’ll have all the latest equipment so he’ll track her car and phone. He could bug the house too if you want.”
Jerome shook his head. “No, Nina’s there most of the time.”
“Sure. He’ll take pictures and videos, then after a week, he’ll give me a report and we’ll go from there. I’ll need her car registration. I have her phone number and the name of the asshole.”
Jerome leaned over onto the desk, took a pen and pulled off a piece of paper from a block.
He scribbled the information down and left them on the desk.
“Thanks. Let me know how it goes.” He pushed to his feet and paused a moment.
“I really appreciate this, Seni. I’ll be honest with you; I’m finding it extremely hard to get my head round it all.
I never wanted this, or even thought… I’m still not sure what I want to do.
” He stopped himself from saying any more.
Arsenio got up from his seat, rounded the desk and pulled Jerome into a hug.
“Whatever you need, Jerome. I’ll do whatever.
I’m here.” He pulled away. “Just so you know, from experience, things get better. A year from now, you’ll be past all of this.
” He gave Jerome a reassuring smile, hoping it would appease him.
His brother had been looking very drawn these past few weeks and Arsenio hadn’t noticed it until now. “I’d better let you get back. Call me.”
“Of course.”
Arsenio sat down in his chair as he watched Jerome leave.
He could kill that bitch Liz for what she’d done to him.
He just hoped the investigator would pull up enough dirt to make Jerome feel he really had no option but to kick her to the curb.
The sooner the better. She’d single-handedly broken him down.
He used to be the life and soul of the party – he’d walk into a room and everyone was drawn to him and not only because of his good looks.
He had incredible charisma – even Arsenio could acknowledge that.
Over their late teens and early twenties, Jerome had women throwing themselves at him and Arsenio had always felt a little envious of the attention Jerome had consistently received.
But it became abundantly clear that Jerome was not the kind of man who thrived off the attention of women.
He was polite and courteous, but to the best of Arsenio’s knowledge, he’d only had a couple of girlfriends prior to Liz.
Arsenio had always been around to pick up the slack though.
He’d seen glimpses of the old Jerome when he was at La Casa, but over the years, Jerome had lost that individual magnetism that just drew you in.
Arsenio picked up his phone and punched in a number, then jammed his phone between his ear and shoulder so he could put on his shoes. “Hey Mary, is he busy? Great, tell him I’ll be there in five.”
Arsenio walked out onto the twelfth floor of Ferretti House and smiled at the pretty receptionist. “Go right through, Mr. Ferretti,” she beamed.
Arsenio winked at her and made his way to Cosimo’s end office. The door was slightly ajar and he could hear Cosimo talking to Mary, his secretary. He pushed it open and strolled in. “Hello.”
“Good afternoon, Mr Ferretti,” Mary replied as she picked up four large folders off the top of Cosimo’s desk and tucked them under her arm, then pushed her designer spectacles back up her nose.
Arsenio loved Mary – she was like the generic secretaries of the nineteen fifties; prim and proper and highly efficient.
She was in her late fifties and would’ve no doubt been described as an attractive woman when she was younger. “Can I get you anything?”
“No thank you, Mary.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” she turned to Cosimo. “Mr. Banks called while you were on the phone earlier. He’s running late. Your mobile was off so he asked me to tell you he’d be done by five thirty.”
“Thanks, Mary. If he calls again, put him straight through and let Mr Mann know he won’t be there before five thirty.
” Cosimo focused on Arsenio as Mary walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.
Cosimo pulled out his phone and turned it on, leaving it on his desk.
Arsenio lowered himself into the leather chair and leaned forward. “What’s wrong?”
“Jerome came round to see me today.”
“Oh?”
“He gave me one of Paul’s contacts. A private investigator.”
“I see.”
They both sat for a minute in silence. Then Cosimo sighed.
“How was he?”
“Not good, Cos, not good at all. You know he doesn’t open up but I get the feeling he’s hoping it’s a one off, I think. That if he makes an effort, they’ll be able to get through this. The last thing he wants is a divorce.”
Cosimo shook his head. “That’s never going to happen. She’s never been happy.”
“She’s a fucking bitch, that’s what she is and he just can’t see it. I can’t believe he got sucked in by her!”
“L’amore e cieco,” murmured Cosimo
“Love is blind, my ass!” scoffed Arsenio. “I’m going to meet up with this investigator in the next day or two. Track her car and phone.”
“He asked you to do that?”
“Yes, and then get a report back to him. We need some concrete evidence that she’s still with this guy. Maybe hack her phone?”
“It’s not legal, Seni.”
Arsenio raised an eyebrow at Cosimo and he huffed. The irony of this statement made him smirk. “It’s not for court, it’s for leverage. She won’t have a leg to stand on. And secondly, I want Jerome to hear, so that he’ll stop doubting and get rid of her.”
“He won’t be pleased and he won’t thank you for meddling,” warned Cosimo.
“Maybe. But at least he’ll know and in the end it’ll be for his own good.”
“Do you want me to be with you when you speak to the investigator? Don’t take this the wrong way, but Jerome will feel better if we’re both involved.”
“Yeah, you may be right. Sure, I’ll let you know when he’s coming.”
Their attention was drawn to Cosimo’s desk phone ringing and he picked it up to answer it.
Mary’s muffled voice announced it was Mr Banks on the line.
“Thank you, Mary… hey, sorry about earlier.” He smiled widely at something the caller said and his eyes darted to Arsenio, who was watching him with amusement.
“So, five thirty up at the Lodge. I’ve let Joseph know you’re running late…
um, sure.” Cosimo shifted nervously in his seat.
“Can we talk later? I’ve someone in my office at the moment… okay. See you then. Bye.”
“So who was that, that got you all flustered over?” teased Arsenio.
“I wasn’t flustered.” Cosimo tutted. “He’s just a client – Mr Banks. He’s a landscaper that I’ve recommended to Joseph Mann, Jerome’s college buddy,” explained Cosimo, avoiding eye contact as he nervously rearranged his immaculate desk.
“I think he doth protest too much!” laughed Arsenio.
Cosimo glared at his younger brother. “I’ve work to do before I leave, so if you don’t mind…”
“Okay, okay, I get the message.” Arsenio pushed to his feet and smirked. “A landscaper eh? So you like the outdoorsy type?”
“Seni! Just leave, will you?” Cosimo growled, clearly embarrassed that his brother had picked up on the importance of Mr Banks.
“Okay, I’m leaving. Have fun.” He winked at Cosimo and sauntered out of his office.