Chapter 12
I could hear voices, as though they were far away, but it was the feeling of nausea that had me keeping my eyes closed. The memory from what had happened when I stepped into the bedroom came back to me and that awful feeling that I'd been kidnapped came over me.
"She's coming round"
I flexed the muscles in my arms and legs not finding any restraints and realized that I was laid down with the most obnoxious smell assaulting my senses. That had me shaking my head and opening my eyes quickly to see Allegro sat next to me holding a small bottle in her hand. I recognized now that the smell must have been smelling salts. My eyes flitted past her recognizing that I was still in the bedroom, laid on the bed, but there seemed to be a lot of people moving around. I needed to know what the hell had happened so started to sit up, groaning slightly at how bad my head felt. After closing my eyes to try and settle myself I was looking into the room totally shocked at the mess that seemed to cover every square inch of the floor.
"What happened?"
Allegro got up and was replaced by Enzo who tucked a curl of my hair behind my ear.
"What do you remember?"
"Coming inside the apartment. Everywhere looked the same and then when I came upstairs and opened the door, that was when someone grabbed hold of me"
"Did you manage to get a look at him?"
I shook my head and then regretted it, deciding how stupid I was for not being more proactive.
"You must have surprised a burglar when you came home"
He was probably right but for some reason I felt guilty for it having happened. Had I brought my bad luck here from Trenton? No, I sighed realizing that this area of Milan would be prime pickings for burglars to break into. Looking at the mess on the floor I recognized the empty garment bags and clothes on the floor, the case that had been in the closet and my bag tipped out. At least they hadn't destroyed anything, how sad was that for me to be thinking, but then again destruction of my things had been the usual back in Trenton.
"How are you feeling?"
Enzo really did look concerned, but I knew that I was fine, maybe a bit of a headache and my arm felt sore probably from where I'd been grabbed hold of.
"I'm okay. How did I get knocked out?"
Enzo picked up a plastic bag that had a cloth inside it making me remember the feeling of not being able to breathe, did I see who it was? I didn't think so.
"Chloroform. Whoever it was came prepared for being interrupted. When you're up to it maybe you can let me know what's missing"
Maybe the chloroform accounted for the nauseous feeling and the headache when I woke up. As soon as Enzo stood up, I slowly swung my legs over the side of the bed taking a better look around. I didn't own anything of much value but what I did own was precious to me. I picked up my bag from the floor finding it empty so looked around.
"My wallet, with my bank cards and some cash, and my phone seem to be missing, nothing else. I didn't bring anything of any value with me"
Enzo wrote that down on a piece of paper and handed it to a young woman dressed in what I assumed was a police uniform. Another man was busy dusting surfaces with a dark fine powder, so I assumed he was looking for fingerprints. That had me wondering where else the thief had been.
"Downstairs?"
I asked, but I knew that the thief would have been down there as well. Allegro could possibly have had some valuable items.
"Looks worse than this. They went through everywhere and even found and opened her safe, so Allegro lost a lot of cash and jewelry"
After Enzo left me alone, and the room emptied, I sat on the edge of the bed wondering where to start. I held my arms around myself rubbing the top of my arms as I remembered the feelings that I'd had when I came into the apartment. Should I have been more careful and raised the alarm? Would anyone have believed me? Probably not and to be honest it was too late worrying about that now.
I made a move to start picking up my clothes from the floor, pleased that there was no damage to them and then to hang the dresses back in the closet. Picking up my travel case I checked the pockets inside to discover that my dad's phone had gone as well. My passport was still there and at least I still had the photos somewhere safe. Once the place seemed tidy, drawers pushed back in and clothes folded neatly, I decided that I needed to go help Allegro with what was most likely a mess downstairs. Voices were coming from the dining area so once downstairs that was where I went to, seeing Allegro, Enzo and Mr Security sat at the table.
They stopped talking when they noticed me but undeterred, I went and sat down in an empty chair.
"As I was saying Allegro, there are no fingerprints anywhere, but I'd say that they were professional. It looks as though they gained access from the fire escape because the cameras and sensors on that side of the building had been disconnected. The concierge didn't see anything but we're canvassing other neighbors and those who live locally just in case they saw someone acting unusual"
In other words, at the moment the police had no idea who it could have been. I wasn't naïve, though, knowing what Ranger would have done next, so I was sure that a lead would be found somewhere. Thieves could be pretty stupid when it came to trying to get rid of stolen property and usually left a trail to follow and I was sure that the police would have a list of likely suspects.
"We'll go to a hotel for the night while a clean up crew come in and maybe you can arrange for some extra security"
I watched as Mr Security nodded his head while Allegro got up and headed into her bedroom. I assumed that meant me being in a hotel as well, though my area was relatively tidy, and I didn't think that the thief would come back.
Allegro drove us to the hotel in silence even though it was only a few blocks away, I suppose her car being there would be convenient for the morning. Allegro seemed pretty upset about the whole incident, which for her was understandable, me not so much. Things like this happened to me on a regular basis but I wasn't going to mention that.
We spent the next two nights at the hotel travelling to the gallery together each day. Tania and I were well organized with our role in the presentation and only needed to go through a rehearsal with Lucio and any others involved. The hall had been through a transformation with lights, display boards and display cases now arranged around the room. A small stage had been built and there were those tall tables scattered around the room for people to stand at. Tania had been at previous events and explained how the whole idea was for people to mingle and walk around and not end up sat in the same place all evening. I had a file in my bag as I left the site at the end of the second day with a resumé of anyone who had been invited that I had to read through. Deciding that I could do that better somewhere quiet I'd asked Mr Security to drive me back to the apartment.
This time he came up in the elevator with me and asked me to wait outside while he made sure there were no hidden surprises inside. That did make me feel better and as I walked into the apartment after he left, I took a good look around. The place was immaculate, looking exactly as I remembered it before someone had spilt the contents of drawers and cupboards all over the floor. As I made my way up the stairs what dawned on me was that none of the paintings on the wall had been taken. I backtracked down the stairs to check in the hallway noticing the same thing. Now I know I'm no art connoisseur but to me they looked like originals and expensive. What self respecting thief would have ignored those, or would they be more difficult to get out of the building without being seen or maybe too obvious to be able to sell?
I shrugged it off and returned to the stairs and up to my space. The room smelt fresh but was almost the same as it had been, so I settled on the bed against the headboard and brought out the file to read. I'd decided being outside in the sunshine might be too warm and possibly distracting, yeah, those lounge chairs just seemed to invite me to relax and close my eyes. Three hours later I'd read through the papers and even made my own notes in the margins on the various people who were going to be attending the launch event.
A lot were owners of small exclusive boutiques like Motivi, Solotre and OVS here in Milan but some were from larger retailers like Rinascente which had stores throughout Italy. I was even surprised that I recognized the names of some of the more common stores like Jigsaw and Primark. There were even some of the more contemporary fashion designers invited that I hadn't heard of before, no doubt there to look at the accessories that might compliment their lines. Other names were people that I assumed were the rich and famous, though again I hadn't a clue who they were until I read the information, Giovanni Ferrero, Leonardo Del Vecchio, Stefano Pessini to name but a few. Not much pressure then?
After three hours my brain was definitely feeling overloaded so placing the papers back into the file, I decided that it was way past time for some food. I was pretty sure that I'd seen some pizza in the freezer downstairs and if there wasn't then there was a small café that I knew of close by that sold them. It was as I reached the top of the stairs to go down into the kitchen area that I was aware of talking, Allegro and the voice of a man was loud enough to hear what was being said, but not clear enough to immediately recognize it. I really didn't want to interrupt anything but even as I turned to return to my room what was being said had me curious. Okay so I'm nosey, so I stopped out of sight from anyone who was downstairs. They shouldn't have been so loud if they didn't want to be overheard.
"Are you sure it's safe?"
"Yes. It's with the others"
"God damn it Allegro. We've worked too hard on this for it to go wrong now"
"It won't, everything's arranged. The sales will go ahead just as we planned"
"This break in, do you think someone knows?"
"No. They can't, we've been careful. Unless the leak is on your end"
"Shit. I can't see it. Maybe it was just a coincidence, typical that someone chose your place to break into"
Okay it seemed that whoever was there had calmed down because their voice wasn't as loud now, and I couldn't hear exactly what else they were saying though the words "buyer" "tour" and my name "Stefania" did pique my interest. Maybe it was something to do with the launch and they were worried that someone might have been looking for some of their designs. I'd heard of industrial espionage before now and being in Milan, where there were a lot of designers competing in the market, I was sure that it happened a lot. I felt guilty for eavesdropping but if I went down the stairs now then they'd think that I'd overheard them, so I waited. It wasn't long before I heard the front door open and close but instead of going back to my room, I sat down on one of the loungers on the patio.
I heard footsteps coming up the stairs so turning saw Allegro come out onto the patio, making me glad that I'd stayed up here.
"You're there. You fancy some pizza?"
I smiled at the word pizza but added what was a reasonable excuse for being sat outside.
"That sounds like just the thing that I need. I've just finished going through your guest list and it made for interesting reading"
At least Allegro didn't look as though she didn't believe me but why did I feel as though something wasn't quite right?
"I'll order the pizza while you sort out the drinks"
If there was a problem with the launch or any of the designs then Allegro never mentioned it, in fact she seemed more upbeat than she had done for a few days. I suppose now that we were running into the last full day before the launch then there was less pressure on her. Allegro had been responsible for the marketing and ensuring the hall we were using was set up as she wanted it to be and as far as I could tell it seemed to be complete.
The day of the rehearsal was here and stood to one side I could feel that nerves were high as the music began to play and a kaleidoscope of colored light lit up the stage at the front of the hall. As the music reached a crescendo the colors from the lights seemed to converge until their focus was on Lucio who was now stood at the center of the stage. I was impressed with his opening speech, giving the history of Scintillante and how successful it had been in the past with thanks to all who were there. That was my cue to step up and onto the side of the stage with my focus on Lucio and for when he turned to look at me. To be honest I had no idea what else he said because in my head I was going through the movement that Tania had choreographed for me. I was wearing a simple pale grey sheath dress that was just above my knee with the front of my hair swept back from my face. A look that could be worn by any age and to Tania and me, it represented a multitude of opportunities where it could be worn.
What made the look stand out was the beautiful blue necklace, similar to the one that I'd been given at the wedding, and the matching blue leather sandals. By the time that I'd stepped down the two steps at the center of the stage and had walked a route around the room I had to say that my nerves were down to being bearable. As I approached the entrance to the dressing room that was when the brightness of the lights had me blinking because now was the time for anyone present to give their opinion. I waited with bated breath and looked around the room seeing the usual people I knew present and a few that I didn't know. As my gaze passed Mr Security he gave me a wink, so at least I knew that he had liked what he'd seen.
I was back to looking at Lucio expecting him to express his distaste, but the only criticism that came was about the lighting. That done I was moving toward the dressing room in order to change my outfit and have different makeup applied. I had six appearances to make before the finale. Each look emphasized different accessories and ranged from very casual, yeah, jeans and a T-shirt, to the last outfit which was a beautiful formal evening dress and a last piece of jewelry, which I wouldn't be seeing until the actual night.
The last walk for me followed a very specific route, down from the stage and then through the guests who would be assembled before heading back toward the stage, because above me was a spray system that for the actual launch would have a hint of the scent from the new Ania perfume. As I reached the end of my routines, I was breathing a sigh of relief. So far, I hadn't tripped or fallen and thanks to some clever technology I had a very small ear bud and the calming voice of Tania talking me through what to me was a traumatic experience.
All I had to do now was repeat the whole thing in front of a sea of eyes that would be watching my every move.
I was on my own again that evening, as Allegro and her team were still at the gallery making last minute changes. Mr Security had once again been my chaperone though after declaring myself hungry he was quick to understand that I needed feeding. I was elated when instead of taking me back to a quiet apartment he pulled up in front of a small café. Whilst the day had gone well, it hadn't helped my nerves, so being sat in a quiet little café smelling the wonderful aromas around me certainly took my mind away from the following day.
"It went well today, so why are you still nervous?"
I looked up from where my hands were twirling the glass of water on the table.
"Nothing ever goes to plan when I'm involved. I don't want to ruin it"
I knew that what I'd said was true but that wasn't what had me feeling anxious now. I had a horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen. It had been sometime since I'd experienced my spidey senses overtake me so strongly but there was no way that someone like Mr Security could ever understand it.
"It's just nerves, once you take that first step, you'll be fine"
I could only hope that he was right, but in my heart, I knew that he was wrong.
"So, this is the best cannelloni in Milan then?"
I asked trying to move the conversation onto a different topic.
"The best of anything Italian. The place is a family business, so recipes have been passed down through the generations"
I had to admit that any Italian food that I'd eaten here was a lot different to what I'd tasted at home. The flavors were more subtle and whilst the servings weren't large there were more courses, so you got to try out different things. Of course, best of all were the desserts.
"I can't make up my mind which dessert to have"
I sounded as though I was complaining, but come on, how did you choose between tiramisu, panna cotta with cherries and affogata chocolate mousse? I heard a chuckle in front of me and looked up from the menu to see Mr Security smiling at me.
"I'll get them to give you a small quantity of them all, though how you eat as much as you do without putting on weight"
"Stop right there"
I put my hand up to stop him from saying any more.
"I have eaten all healthy food this week. Since my dad, well with him being ill, I decided that, that maybe someone I knew was right. I've cut out sugar in my coffee and have eaten salads. Even the pizza the other night with Allegro was all vegetable. This is the first time I've eaten proper food and I think that I deserve a night off"
Maybe I got carried away because Mr Security was putting up his hands in surrender.
"Sorry"
Was all that I could think to say but I was pleased when he made the order and made sure that I enjoyed all the sugary sweetness.
"You have an appointment at the spa tomorrow before going to the gallery"
"I know"
Maybe it was a way of keeping me occupied until I needed to be at the gallery, but I wasn't complaining about it. The idea of time in a sauna, a massage with a full body and hair treatment, waxing and then a manicure should be enough to relax me.
"I'll drop you off in the morning and then take you to the gallery when you're finished"
"Why, is part of your job to babysit me?"
Because I never could understand why it was always Mr Security who ran me back and forth like some chaperone.
"Yes, to start with. Allegro told me that I was to ensure that you were where you were supposed to be. In fact, I'll be with you on the tour as well, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoy doing it because I like you"
I suppose at first, I wasn't too keen on him either, the way that he seemed to ignore or even laugh at me behind my back, but over the time that I'd got to know him I'd seen him differently and for some reason I trusted him.
"You know I don't even know what I should call you"
He laughed at me saying that, so I was really hoping he wasn't going to ask me what name I'd been thinking suited him.
"Tomas, and what do I call you?"
"Steph should work fine"
I never even thought about the name that I gave him because it just came out automatically. That he didn't say anything or seem puzzled was a relief but then again Stefania could be shortened to Steph, so why was I so worried?
The time at the spa was a wonderful experience and there were times when I forgot all about the impending launch, that was until Tomas stopped the car in front of the gallery. I hadn't slept well the night before so had splurged out on a carb high lunch, including some cake. The cake wasn't as good as my mother could bake but it helped to boost my energy levels. Yeah, I felt like I was floating on a sugar high.
I think Tania was as nervous as I was, but all of the hard work paid off and as I stood to the side of the stage where Lucio was stood, I actually felt kinda proud of myself. I hadn't tripped or fallen or bumped into anyone and everyone who had spoken to me were so polite. Well more than that. I could actually have a conversation with them without feeling as though they were looking down their noses at me. Maybe the decision to stay had been a good one, life changing almost.
The last dress of the evening was another simple garment. The woman who managed all of the wardrobe was amazing with what she could design. It seemed that it wasn't the correct thing to do to use someone else's designs, so she had designed them herself. She'd had the idea when she was younger of setting up her own label, but it was a competitive market and hard to break into. Now she had the best of both worlds, a salaried paid job, the opportunity to design clothes and for anyone interested then Scintillante sold them under their brand but with her name as the designer.
My dress, well it was midnight blue with a low cowl that went down to my waist at the back and a cowl neckline that accentuated my neck. It was sleeveless and after hugging my waist and hips fell to the floor with a long slit up the side and to die for shoes poking out from underneath. My hair was piled onto the top of my head with loose curls framing my face, a face where my skin looked smooth with a hint of color and my eyes popped from the expertly applied makeup.
Hearing the last sentence that Lucio said I knew that was when I was going to be walking onto the stage to join him. I have to admit that I was confused that I had no jewelry on and was carrying a single bottle of perfume. Maybe that was the point, all eyes would be attracted to the beautiful blue bottle and the swans that adorned it. Stood next to Lucio I couldn't see a thing for the bright lights shining on me and it did feel a bit unnerving when the whole room went quiet.
I hadn't expected Lucio to stand behind me and had to admit that him placing a necklace around my neck was a complete surprise. As he fastened it at the back of my neck, I heard some muted whispers coming from in front of me and then Lucio's voice close to my ear.
"Don't look at the necklace, act as though it's not there, as though you knew I would be placing it on your neck"
I was so close to looking down, to know what it was that I was wearing so him saying that was enough to do as he'd told me. I stepped down from the stage, the bottle cradled in my hands and started to walk the route that was planned. No Tania in my ear now so I had to focus on where I was going, feeling the cool mist falling down over me and inhaling the faint smell of the perfume.
I ignored everyone around me, intent on completing this last role that I had to play, following the route that took me below the spray. It was almost a heady feeling having the smell of the perfume all around me and the subtle lighting that came on as I passed by but went out as soon as I moved forward. I let out a long breath as soon I returned to the side of the stage and listened as the applause broke out and as thousands of small blue pieces of glitter floated down through the air. My heart was beating quickly so I was so relieved that my part in the launch was mostly over. I couldn't keep the grin off my face because for once in my life it had gone exactly to plan with no embarrassing incidents.
Lucio had brought Allegro up onto the stage, and I watched as they both took a bow, as if acknowledging the success of the evening. That was when the boards came alive and began to rotate, each side with a photo of me or of the many products, including one of me in the last dress with the necklace around my neck.
That had me looking at the necklace still around my neck, so I lifted it away from my chest to take a good look at it. It was beautiful. The black of the swan's necks encircling a blue stone that sparkled under the lights. It felt heavy in my hands and the stone in the center looked large, reflecting the light from the different surfaces that been cut. It didn't feel or look like glass and a tiny flicker of apprehension went through me when I thought that it might actually be a sapphire or even a blue diamond. Shit, no wonder it hadn't been brought out until tonight.
I let the necklace fall back against my skin because I was suddenly aware that something didn't feel right.
