Chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
Beau was starting his second week at Giuliette’s Walton Street HQ – and now he knew how to pronounce it. Like Juliet, just with a weird Italian spelling, no doubt to look posher.
After getting buzzed in at the front door, which was always locked, he headed straight up to the workshop on the top floor. The shop and Juliet’s office were on the ground floor, the workshop was at the top and in the basement there more offices and a safe inside a strong room, where the gold and platinum ingots and precious stones were kept, with all kinds of security protocols in place for moving the raw materials and finished pieces around the building.
Juliet was officially on maternity leave now, but she still popped in every day – sometimes twice – rushing from room to room, talking very fast.
Beau felt pretty energised himself, running up the stairs two at a time, excited to get started.
‘Morning, young Bob,’ said Larry, the senior jeweller, opening the workshop door after Beau had pressed the buzzer – he wasn’t allowed to know the security code yet.
‘Morning, Larry,’ said Beau and then turned to the other jeweller, who was head down, hard at work in the corner. ‘Morning, Somchai. Did you both have a nice weekend?’
‘Very nice, thank you, young sir,’ said Larry. ‘But not so good I couldn’t happily avail myself of one of your excellent mugs of tea this morning.’
‘I can do better than that,’ said Beau, opening his messenger bag and fishing around. He held up a packet of chocolate digestives. ‘I got you something to go with it.’
‘Smart lad. You know how the world turns. I imagine you’re hoping to get your busy little fingers on some of the merchandise again today?’
‘Well, that would be amazing. I am happy to carry on making tea and sweeping the floor as well, but I did love sizing that ring last week. It was so wonderful to work with something properly good, so if there’s anything else I can do to help out, I’m at your service. But I do also enjoy just watching you two work, if it’s not too annoying.’
It was true, they were both fine jewellers of great experience – Larry had trained in Hatton Garden and Somchai in Bangkok – and they’d worked at some of the biggest names in London. Juliet had poached Somchai from Graff, which had been a big deal. Her PA, Octavia, had told Beau all about it when he’d taken her out for coffee.
Larry was right, Beau thought, as he got busy with the tea, he did know how the world turned. A packet of biscuits here, an oatmilk latte there, compliments and friendly chats all round, that was how. Something else he’d learned from his father – be nice to people, make a little extra effort, but mean it. That was the secret.
When it came to the jewellery, Beau had learned loads already leaning over Larry’s and Somchai’s shoulders, watching them, and they seemed to enjoy showing off their skills to someone who truly appreciated them.
He’d just taken off his suit jacket and was running a mental check of how they each took their brews when Octavia came running up the stairs and punched the security code to open the workshop door.
‘Bob,’ she said, sticking her head round it, ‘Juliet wants you downstairs, now. Her office.’
‘Sorry, I haven’t finished making your tea, guys,’ said Beau, wiping his hands on his trousers and shrugging his jacket on again as he headed for the door. He knew from what he’d seen of her visits to the building that when Juliet said ‘now’ she meant that very moment, if not sooner.
Beau found her sitting on the bright red modernist armchair in the corner of her office. Her pregnant belly really was quite something now, protruding out of her slim frame like a Zeppelin.
‘Hi, Bob,’ she said. ‘Apologies for the state of me. I can’t fit behind my desk any more. This is probably the last time I’ll be in for a few days and I just wanted to check in with you. Is everything okay?’
‘I’m having a fantastic time,’ he said. ‘Larry and Somchai have been so kind, letting me watch their every move like the jewellery wonk I am.’
‘Larry was very pleased with that ring you sized. And I did ask him to find some more stuff for you to do.’
‘Thank you so much. I’d be delighted to.’
‘But actually, there’s something else I would love you to help with. I’m short-handed in the shop, so I wondered if you would like to do a week’s training in there with Luiza and then if works out, you can start in there as a paid job. You fit in so well here and you’re dressed well enough to start work there now, if you would like to.’
‘Wow,’ said Beau, his brain whirring into gear. It would be working in the shop rather than being up in the hands-on action of the workshop, which was really his thing, but it would give him great insight into customers to see what people really responded to at this level. That could be invaluable for his own business And he could give up the waitering.
‘I would love that,’ he said. ‘Great,’ said Juliet. ‘Octavia will introduce you to Gwen, who does payroll and all that. She’ll be in this afternoon.’
With great difficulty, she started to lever herself out of the chair and Beau rushed over to help, offering his arm for her to pull herself up.
‘Phew,’ she said, making it to her feet. ‘I just wanted to stand up to shake your hand to welcome you to the team.’
‘I’m honoured to be part of your amazing business.’
She patted him on the shoulder and headed off towards the back office.
In the shop, Luiza, a beautiful but hard-faced Portuguese woman, appraised him from top to bottom, and Beau was glad he was wearing his best suit, a Helmut Lang his father had bought in the nineties. He always felt great in it.
Luiza seemed satisfied with what she saw and showed him how to work the till and then moved on to the more specific details of how to serve the customers.
‘Okay, Bob,’ she said, in her heavily accented but precise voice. ‘Let’s get serious.’ She ushered him out from behind the counter. ‘You are the customer and I will serve you. If any real customers come in while we are playing, look busy while watching what I do, okay?’
Beau nodded, taking his place on the customer side and looking back at her. With her shiny black bob and tight-fitting suit she really did look marvellous behind that counter of brightly coloured jewels. Softened by two huge rings and some earrings from the collection, her severe style set the pieces off perfectly.
‘Good morning, sir. Is there anything I can help you with today?’ she asked, smiling at him as though he were her long-lost son.
Beau pretended to browse the merchandise, which he already knew off by heart; he’d studied the display cases so many times since he’d been there. ‘It’s my wife’s birthday tomorrow,’ he said in a wide-boy accent. ‘The old trouble and strife.’
Luiza smiled, clearly pleased he knew how to play along.
‘I was thinking to get her a ring. Something sprauncy.
What would you suggest?’
‘Is it a special birthday?’
‘Not particularly, but I’ve been a bit of a naughty boy recently, so I think I better get her something decent.’
‘How naughty? No, don’t answer that, I am joking.’ She gave a little cough, one elegant hand resting on her chest, little finger raised, and resumed her more formal manner. ‘Well, we have these new pieces, which have just come down from the studio. No one else has seen them yet.’
Beau’s eyebrows went up.
‘You see?’ said Luiza. ‘You have to make them feel special, like it’s just for them. Then you show them the most expensive pieces, like this...’
She opened the display cabinet with a key from a set hanging on a chain at her waist and placed a navy blue velvet tray inside, where the customer would be able to see it. With delicate fingers, she lifted up a large ring with a Cubist-style woman’s head on it and placed it on the tray. Then, with a grace of movement worthy of a sacred rite, she placed the velvet tray on the countertop and gently pushed it towards Beau with both hands, her pinkie fingers exquisitely raised.
‘The push is very important. You are offering it to them.’ She gestured with her hands.
Beau wondered if she had once been a ballet dancer. He’d have to work on his hand dancing. Possibly get a manicure.
‘That’s not bad,’ he said, picking up the ring roughly and thrusting it onto his forefinger before striking a pose. He turned to look at himself in the mirror on the opposite wall.
‘At this point,’ said Luiza, ‘you don’t take your eyes off them. He has turned away from me with the piece, but I am watching him in the mirror on the wall opposite. Now, sir, do you think your wife would like this?’
‘I’m not sure,’ he said. ‘She’s a bit fat, so maybe something a bit smaller, so she feels dainty.’
Smiling sweetly, Luiza presented the tray to him, making it clear he was to put the ring back on it.
‘And so we take that piece back into safety, before we offer another. It is essential to keep track of the pieces. If you have a few out, they can do a simple sleight of hand in an instant and be out the door before you realise.’
‘But the door is always locked, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but the experienced thieves are so clever. They thank you politely, you open the door for them and you don’t realise something is missing until they’re in a car on Brompton Road on their way to the M25.’
‘Has that ever happened to you?’
‘No,’ said Luiza. ‘But I’ve seen other people get done over when I worked in Bond Street. The secret is never take your eye off the jewellery and as you can’t have your eyes in more than one place, you only ever have one piece in play.’
‘What if they say they want to compare two pieces, side by side, to choose?’
‘Good question. You let them hold one piece and you hold the other. You do it in a way that – unless they actually are a thief and are watching the hands as closely as you are – they won’t even notice, and then you swap, with you taking the piece from them, before you give them the one you are holding. You do have to pay close attention at the swap, but you’ll be fine. You have fine hands. Some people have hands like spades.’ She presented hers with a speedy flourish of fingers. ‘They can’t do this job.’
They continued with the role play, Beau enjoying himself as the tacky husband who said he wanted to buy something nice, but then tried to be cheap about how much he spent.
Luiza continued to show him rings, then earrings and a necklace – all carefully one at a time – until he made his choice.
‘Very good,’ she said. ‘Now is there anything you noticed there?’
‘Beyond how eagle-eyed and tricky-fingered I have to be?’ he asked. ‘I think you could do close-up magic.’
‘Remember the price you just paid for the earrings for your fat wife?’
‘Three thousand, seven hundred and ninety-five pounds?’
‘And can you remember how much the other things I showed you were?’
Beau thought for a moment. ‘That first ring was ten grand, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes. The first two things I showed you were the most expensive, then I showed you something quite a lot cheaper, that just wasn’t quite so special – then I showed you three things in the middle and you bought the third most expensive piece I showed you.’
‘Is that good?’ asked Beau, beginning to feel daunted by what he’d taken on. He normally priced his stuff at triple cost, then twenty per cent above that and did a deal down to the original price.
‘Yes,’ said Luiza. ‘Sometimes you will see that they can spend more, but for most people, it’s like a wine list. You buy the third cheapest – not the cheapest. It’s all psychology.’
‘Do you ever sell the cheaper stuff and the most expensive stuff?’
‘Yes, but we make our money in that sweet spot in the middle – and when I saw “we”, I mean Juliet and us. We work on commission, Bob. You sell more, you make more. You will soon learn to judge what level customers are ready to spend at and make sure you get them to the very top of it.’
‘So do you look to see if they’ve got a flash watch on or are carrying an Hermès handbag?’
‘That can be a clue, but people dress up to come to shops like this and they will bring a carrier bag from another expensive store that is clearly not new. It’s more instinctive to spot the high rollers, it’s in their manner, their mood. People who are going to spend a lot might be scruffily dressed, but they have a casual confidence.’
‘Do they ever ask for deals?’
Luiza laughed. ‘Oh, yes, all the time – and the richest ones are the worst. Everyone thinks they are supposed to bargain. We smile and say, no, I’m so sorry, and we think, fuck off, you filthy cheapskate, try Primark. But some customers, special ones, who buy often – they get a discount. I will show you who they are as they come in. If I wink at you, it means I will take that customer and you will know it’s one on my list. Memorise the face, so you don’t forget if I’m not here. Even if it’s a little spend, when it’s often, we love them.’
Beau scratched his head and sighed. ‘There’s quite a lot to it, isn’t there?’
Luiza shrugged. ‘If it was easy it would be boring. This is a high stakes game and you will love it, I can tell. You’ve got the hunger – and you’ve got the looks, which is helpful. Right, now come behind here with me and I will show you the security system.’
He had just got behind the counter when Octavia poked her head through from the door to the back of the building.
‘Hi, Bob,’ she said. ‘Gwen is available now. Come and tell her all your stuff so she can get put you on the payroll – as long as Luiza thinks you’re up to the job.’ She smiled.
‘He’s a natural,’ said Luiza. ‘And he’s young and handsome. Sign him up.’
‘Great,’ said Octavia, ‘but we will need to do a criminal-records check and all that before you start in the shop.’
Luiza mimed two fingers to her eyes and then one finger pointing at him and laughed. ‘We don’t take any risks, darling.’ Then the buzzer for the shop door rang and the welcoming smile jumped back on to her face as she turned to see who was standing there before reaching down to buzz them in.
Beau followed Octavia down the stairs, where she introduced him to Gwen. If Luiza was like a Siamese cat, thought Beau, all sinuous limbs and cold calculation, Gwen was the little brown mouse she would chase and torture.
Gwen passed him a pile of forms and a pen. ‘Can you fill these out please? And sign where I’ve marked it.’
Beau sat down, picked up the pen and looked at the top form. The first box he had to fill in stopped him: Name .
They all thought he was called Bob and to tell them now, when he’d been there a week already and had now been offered a full-time job, that he was actually called something else would make him sound like a total idiot. Or a jewel thief plant.
He cursed himself for not putting it right with Juliet the first time she’d called him ‘Bob’. It would be even worse to do it now – but if he didn’t put his real name on these forms, none of his data would match up and he wouldn’t get the paid job. He rubbed his jaw, then filled in all the questions with his real name.
He picked up the finished forms and gave them back to Gwen. ‘There’s just one thing I have to explain,’ he said, trying to sound shy and humble. ‘You see, Gwen, everyone calls me Bob, but my official first name for National Insurance and banking and criminal records and all that is really Beau. I just don’t ever use it because it’s such an embarrassing name. I was bullied about it badly at school. They used to call me Little Bo Peep –’ which was actually true, but he’d punched one of them and they’d stopped ‘– so ever since then I’ve just gone by good old simple Bob. Everybody calls me that.’
Everybody in here .
‘I see,’ said Gwen. ‘So I will submit your details as Beau –’ she looked down at the form ‘– Crommelin, but you wish to be known within the workplace as Bob?’
‘That would be amazing, Gwen,’ he said, quietly and sincerely. He wasn’t acting now. He really meant it. ‘And I would be so grateful if we could keep this between us. I would hate people here to think I’d been dishonest, but that name has been like a curse for me, I can hardly bear to say it.’ Steady on, better not overdo it.
‘That’s fine. It can be our little secret.’ She smiled at him and Beau saw that in her sweet, mousey way, she was actually very pretty.
‘Thank you,’ he said, smiling back and as he headed back to the shop to join Luiza, he made a mental note to buy Gwen a special cupcake on his lunch break.