31 #2
Scott handed Arsenio a USB. “It arrived by courier this morning. When you see what’s on it you’ll be pleased that Sam didn’t email it to you. You can never be too careful.”
“Is it what we needed? The icing on the cake?”
Scott huffed, “It’s more like the cherry on top of the icing, with sparklers all around it.”
Arsenio’s eyebrows rose at the comment.
“I’d rather not be here when you watch it. So if there’s nothing else I’ll leave you to it.”
“That bad?”
“Let’s just say it’s more than we ever expected. I know Jerome, even if it is only through past work, and seeing what his wife’s up to doesn’t sit well with me. Just let me know what to do from now on.”
“Right. Well, I think we should keep up the surveillance. We need to have their fuck-pad confirmed. Then once we have that I think your work is done.”
“Right. They’re back tomorrow so I’ll get Gary to carry on from Friday.”
“Good. Thanks for this.” Arsenio held up the small USB.
Scott snorted, “You may not thank me once you’ve seen it.”
JEROME RUBBED HIS EYES with his finger and thumb, slumping in his office chair.
He felt exhausted. There were only so many hours in a day and he needed double.
Between checking in on Level One, organising work to start on the apartment and the speedy meeting with the event organisers of the fashion show, that by some miracle Graham had managed to arrange, he was wiped out.
He had to admit Graham had done good, efficiently setting up the impromptu meeting, as well as playing a major part in convincing the organisers to look at Sky.
Jerome knew the minute they saw the place they’d be interested.
He looked at the time on his computer. It was almost eight.
He hadn’t needed to come back to La Casa, but Joseph had called wanting to go over his parents anniversary party.
Peter and his mother were more than capable of dealing with it, but after he’d promised to oversee everything he felt he should at least be there for the first meeting.
It also meant he’d see Dani.
Jerome knew he could have avoided coming in tonight and spent a few hours relaxing at home before his meeting at Sky, but he was behaving like a lovesick adolescent, stealing any few moments to see her.
Sighing to himself he rose from his chair and headed downstairs to the ever busy restaurant dialling his home on his phone.
“Hey Nina, are they asleep?” he’d managed to cook for and bathe both of his children before coming out, but hadn’t been there to put them to bed.
“Kara crashed pretty much after you left. Alessandro is still watching a DVD.”
“Put him on will you?” there was a slight muffled sound and then Jerome heard his son’s voice.
“Dad?”
“Hey, you’re still awake?”
“Yeah, just watching the end of Ice Age,” he yawned.
“Okay. But get to bed after yeah?”
“Sure, Dad. Will you make pancakes for breakfast tomorrow?”
“You want pancakes?” Jerome smiled to himself.
Over the last five days his children had his full and undivided attention and Alessandro was making sure he got as much time as he could squeeze in before Liz was back.
Jerome tended to take a back seat when Liz was home but the last few days made him realise that needed to change.
“Uh-huh,” answered a sleepy Alessandro.
“Then pancakes it is. I’ll wake you up early so you can help.”
“Cool.”
“See you in the morning. Buonanotte.”
“Buonanotte, Dad.”
Jerome found La Casa almost full. It would be like this every night, well into the beginning of next year.
The holiday season was always busy and Jerome thrived off it.
He scanned the restaurant noting where every member of staff was and which customers he needed to speak to before Joseph’s scheduled visit at eight thirty.
Adjusting his immaculate tie he smoothly started his rounds.
Joseph took a sip of his wine looking around at the restaurant.
He’d gone through the menu for his parent’s anniversary party, choosing a buffet rather than a set meal and had selected the wines and drinks.
He was sitting with Jerome in the main part of the restaurant in a more private booth, sampling a few dishes that Jerome had suggested.
“I’ll also need to decorate the room.”
“Of course, whatever you want. Any ideas?” Jerome shuffled the menus and his notes together and placed them in a file. “My mother usually deals with that, it’s her department. I’ll get her to come over.” Jerome caught Gia’s attention and she came over to their table.
“Joseph needs some decorating ideas for the party,” Jerome explained.
“It’s their fortieth correct?” Gia confirmed.
“Yes, something elegant,” Joseph mulled, his eyes wandering around the restaurant again.
Gia slipped into the seat next to Jerome, glad to sit down for a moment.
“You did an incredible job with the Christmas decorations, Gia.”
Gia smiled. “Thank you, but it wasn’t me who did them. It was Dani.”
Joseph’s eyes zeroed in on Dani, who was working in her usual position at the rear of the restaurant, then shifted forward in his chair. Gia felt Jerome tense suddenly.
“Really? Well do you think she could be recruited for my party? I’ll pay her extra.”
“I think we can arrange something. She’s very talented. I’ll talk to her about it and then maybe we could set up a meeting one morning or in the afternoon. Whatever suits you,” suggested Gia. Jerome seemed overly interested in the file he was holding.
“How about tomorrow? Say three thirty?” Joseph answered eagerly as he scrolled quickly through his phone, checking if there was anything he needed to reschedule. There was no way he was going to miss this unexpected opportunity of sitting down for a one to one meeting with Dani.
“I won’t be able to be here,” muttered Jerome, looking up from the file. The prospect of Dani and Joseph working closely together, unchaperoned, made Jerome feel distinctly uneasy. The fact that Joseph had known exactly where Dani was in the restaurant hadn’t gone unnoticed by him either.
“That’s okay, we’ve covered everything else. Once Dani’s come up with something, then we can talk about the cost.” Joseph looked up from his phone expectantly and Jerome nodded, then reached for his espresso and drained it.
PAUL EYED JEROME AS he stepped back into his office after seeing the event organisers and Graham out to the foyer of Sky. Jerome removed his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair.
“That went well. I didn’t think they’d make a decision so fast.” It amazed Paul at how smoothly Jerome conducted his business.
He’d known Jerome for many years and worked for him for four of them, but he only saw him in the capacity of his boss and on the odd occasion as his friend.
It was rare times like tonight that he actually saw Jerome Ferretti doing what he did best; negotiating projects, skilful and commanding, taking control of meetings which ultimately led to him closing deals.
“Yes. It’s going to be a challenge getting everything ready in a month, but we have no choice.
The models, media and participants were already booked for around that date and to reschedule would’ve been near impossible within the next few months.
I think we can get ourselves organised though.
” Jerome looked expectantly at Gino who was leafing through all the information and criteria that the events team had left him, then lowered himself into his chair.
“We’ll manage. We’ve got a great team and though it’s something we’ve never done before, it’s not dissimilar to when we have guest deejays and artists.
My only concern is where we can set up the dressing rooms. There are…
” Gino’s dark eyes scanned one of the open folders on the table in front of him where the various folders were strewn.
“Yes, here, there are thirty two models. Plus, the backstage staff, dressers and stylists, make up, hair dressers and photographers. And do we know roughly how many will be attending? They were very vague.”
“From my experience, they’ll be around a hundred and fifty VIPs and then anything between two to three hundred non VIPs.”
“We’ll need more security.” Gino directed his comment to Paul.
Paul nodded. “And not just in the club. Down in the car park and out front.”
The three men spent the next hour going over every detail. Their timeframe and the run up to Christmas, along with their already full agenda, meant they’d need to set the wheels in motion, at top speed.
ALESSANDRO SWUNG IMPATIENTLY ON the chrome barrier waiting for a glimpse of his mother. He loved coming out to the airport and Jerome often brought both him and his sister to look at the planes.
“She’s taking so long,” moaned Kara. Jerome chuckled to himself. They’d just witnessed the plane land and Liz had probably not even disembarked yet.
“Shall we have a drink at the cafe?” he suggested.
“We might miss her.”
“She won’t be out for at least fifteen minutes,” Jerome explained, leading them to a nearby coffee shop.
Scott and Gary shuffled back against the back wall of the airport arrivals lounge, keeping well out of Jerome’s field of vision.
Scott was glad Jerome was distracted with his children.
Had he been alone he’d have had to let Gary carry out surveillance alone, the risk of being spotted was too high.
Luckily the airport was busy so they blended into the background and waited patiently for their subjects to immerge.
“Hi, I’ll be out in two minutes. Are you here?”
“Yes, we’re waiting outside.”
“Okay, see you soon.”
Liz hung up her phone and put it in her bag and turned to Jonathan.
“He’s outside.”