24 #2
Within a few minutes Arsenio was walking through Cosimo’s offices and heading towards his suite at the far end. Mary looked up from her desk.
“Good day Mr Ferretti. How are you?”
“I’m well Mary. You’re looking lovely as always. Is he free?” Mary smiled wryly. She enjoyed Arsenio’s playful banter.
“Thank you, you’re not so bad yourself.” Arsenio laughed softly. “He’s on the phone… oh, he’s just finished, let me buzz him.” She readjusted her glasses and pressed the intercom. “Mr Arsenio Ferretti is here… you can go through.”
Arsenio winked at Mary and sauntered into Cosimo’s office.
“Hi, I’m not disturbing you am I?”
Cosimo stood up and came around from his desk to hug him. “Yes, you are, but it doesn’t matter,” he joked. Arsenio huffed and sat on the large leather chair and Cosimo leaned against his desk.
“So, what’s up?”
“It’s Jerome.”
Cosimo lost his relaxed stance and instantly became focused. “What’s happened?”
“The private investigator’s reports over this last week showed nothing. It seems she’s been at home and at her agent’s, excluding the school run and few errands.”
Cosimo relaxed a little. “You said, seems. Does that mean there is something?”
“Scott also took pictures which Jerome hasn’t seen because he thinks they’ll show nothing and consequently has called off Scott.
But I did look at the pictures and I’m almost ninety-nine percent sure she’s renting a space in the office block her agent is in.
” Arsenio elaborated on the pictures and what he believed was actually happening.
“So, did you tell Jerome?”
Arsenio shook his head. “He’s so uncomfortable with the whole idea and I know if he finds out he won’t be able to hold it together.
You and I know it’s a waiting game. In situations like this you have to think objectively, stay cool and be calculating and Jerome is most definitely not any of those things. ”
“And that’s where you come in?” Cosimo arched his eyebrow interrupting him.
Arsenio smirked at him. “Yeah, something like that. I’ve asked Scott to carry on and also checkout the trainer.”
“You mean extra surveillance?”
“And phone tracking.”
Cosimo straightened and paced. “This is crossing the line, Seni. Jerome will flip out, and I wouldn’t blame him. You’re spying on a member of our family…”
“She’s not family, she never has been!” Arsenio jumped out of his seat, his arms moving rapidly. “She doesn’t know what the meaning of the word is!”
“Calm down. I know she’s not your favourite person but she is Jerome’s wife and the mother of his children, for that alone we have to show some respect.”
“Ha, respect? Like she’s shown us? Mama?
When was the last time we were invited to their home eh?
Tell me?” Cosimo furrowed his brow. “See, you can’t even remember can you?
Because it’s over eighteen months ago! When Jerome got his new car and we went round to see it, that’s how long ago!
” he paced around the office as Cosimo mulled over what he was saying.
“I have to find out for sure before I can let him know. He’s not handling it all that well.
He feels guilty when it’s her who should be feeling guilty.
She’s got herself a fuck pad and is making a fool out our brother! ”
“Alright, alright. Just calm down. Have you thought about how you’ll handle it when you have the evidence?
He’s going to be mortified and he’ll never forgive you.
You’re weaving a tangled web Seni and even if you’re right and you prove it, it means he has to make a decision and maybe he’s not ready for that.
He doesn’t want to lose his kids. That’s all that matters to him and he’s willing to try and live with her for their sake. ”
“It’s her that’s weaving the web Cosimo, a web of deceit and lies upon lies.
She’s a self-centred, egotistical… cold-hearted…
gah!” he shook his head. He felt frustrated and torn between what he should do and what needed to be done.
If he’d been advising a client he’d feel no guilt or remorse whatsoever over spying.
But putting his brother into the mix made it so much harder, firstly because he’d be hurt that he’d gone behind his back and then secondly that he’d found out the sordid truth.
“She’s like a black widow spider, laying the ground work, using him, taking whatever she can and then, pow!
” Arsenio punched his fist against his palm.
Cosimo snorted. “Very poetic, Seni.” He stifled a grin at his brother’s dramatic performance. “We’re not in court now.”
Arsenio shot Cosimo a frustrated look, then slumped back into the chair. “You think I should stop it, then?” he challenged.
“Is that why you came, to get my approval?”
Arsenio shrugged. He knew it would make him feel better if Cosimo was on his side.
“This is wrong on so many levels Seni and I’m not just talking legally. But I know your heart’s in the right place. There’s nothing harder than seeing someone you love being made a fool of and telling Jerome when I discovered what was going on, was the single hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
“Fucking bitch,” muttered Arsenio sullenly.
Cosimo lowered himself back into his chair and sighed heavily.
“Keep Scott on.” Arsenio’s eyes shot up to Cosimo.
“Let’s see exactly what’s going on and then we can go from there.
There may be a possibility that she slips up somewhere.
Especially if she thinks she’s second guessing Jerome and starts to feel a false sense of security. He may just work it out on his own.”
Arsenio shifted forward in his chair and leaned his arms onto his knees. “With the help of a nudge he will,” added Arsenio.
“We have to be careful,” Cosimo warned.
Arsenio nodded, then pushed to his feet. “I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Any information I get, I’ll send to you.”
Cosimo gave him a curt nod. “See you at La Casa at two, then?”
“THANKS DANI,” Peter mumbled as Dani pushed his coffee towards him. He was mulling over the reservations book.
“Have you got the bill from last night? I need to settle up.”
Peter looked up at her rummaging in her handbag for her purse.
“Did they have a good time?”
Dani nodded. “Yeah, they loved everything. Thanks for looking after them.”
Peter leaned away from the bar and shook his head, indicating it was nothing.
“So what do I owe you?” she asked expectantly.
“Umm, well actually Jerome’s asked me to let him deal with that.” Peter’s eyes narrowed a little and Dani’s face dropped.
“Oh? Is everything alright? I mean there isn’t a problem or anything…
” Peter cut her off with a wave of his hand.
She’d mistaken what his comment meant and he didn’t want her to worry.
The truth was, it was Peter who was worried.
For Jerome to insist that he handled this, Peter knew there was an ulterior motive.
Jerome didn’t waste his time on staff matters, they were Peter’s responsibility.
“No, no, nothing like that. He just wanted to handle it. So speak to him about the bill. He has a copy of it.”
“Oh. Okay.” Dani looked at her watch nervously, it was just past ten. She should go up now before they had their lunch. “Well I better go and sort it out, then.”
“He just left. He should be back a bit later on. It’s Friday, so he’s meeting up with his brothers as usual.”
Dani nodded and put her purse back into her bag feeling a little unsettled.
“JEEZ, THAT DANI LOOKS better every time I come in here,” Arsenio huffed as soon as Gia was out of earshot.
He blatantly stared over at the bar where Dani was putting together a drinks tray for Lucio, who was working the afternoon shift with her and Richard.
Jerome stiffened and took a sip from his coffee.
“Seni drag your eyes away from the poor girl. You’ll make her want to leave, you’ll make her uncomfortable.
” Cosimo shook his head. “And by all accounts she’s a very good employee, very talented,” he added wryly, his eyes flitting around the restaurant at the decorations.
Jerome swallowed hard and fiddled with his spoon.
Gia had been praising Dani constantly throughout their weekly family lunch.
Firstly about how she’d helped with the Christmas decorations and then that she’d been taking the time to teach her how to use a computer.
Jerome’s lack of comment or input hadn’t gone unnoticed. He was purposely feigning interest.
“Yeah pack it in Seni,” Peter hissed. He’d joined them for coffee once they’d finished their lunch and the restaurant had calmed down. Peter turned to Jerome and lowered his voice. “Actually she was asking about the bill. She wanted to settle up but you were out this morning.”
Jerome nodded. “Ask her to come to my office around five thirty,” he replied tightly, then swiftly got up.
“Sure.”
“I’m afraid I’ve got to go. I’ve some work I need to get through this afternoon.”
Cosimo eyed him knowing that the week’s events were putting a strain on him. He darted his eyes at Arsenio who frowned at him, then they all rose from the table to say their goodbyes.
JEROME SIFTED THROUGH THE pictures Scott had send him. He may have called Scott off but his curiosity was still piqued. Even though the reports showed nothing, Arsenio’s words made him edgy. He rationalised his actions. He was paying for the photos so he may as well take a look.