I wasn't sure I'd get this posted tonight. We have visitors for Balloon Fiesta, and spent part of today in El Malpais National Historic Monument, about 90 miles from here.

But we're home now, so here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 174.

By the time I arrived at the restaurant, Jess had arrangements for the party well in hand. The entire back section of the Melting Pot was decorated in black and white with occasional touches of red. I hoped that wasn't a sign of blood spatters to come.

She was in the kitchen. I'd never been back there before, but it looked like the kitchens of many restaurants, with huge refrigerators, ovens and stovetops, stainless steel counters and sinks. Three chefs sliced vegetables and meat while others mixed and heated the cheesy and chocolate fondues they'd be cooked in by patrons of the restaurant, including the party attendees.

Jess grinned when she saw me. "Nina's on the way, and so are the rest of my staff. Tina helped me decorate with some great suggestions from Julio. Things are coming together." I was glad she wasn't letting the threat from Bernini stop her from being the efficient and positive person she was.

Julio came through the swinging doors. "Oh, hi Doc. I didn't see you come in."

"I'm sneaky that way."

He chuckled. "Jess, the flowers just arrived. Did you want me and Tina to set them in the vases you picked?"

She nodded. "That'll be great. I wanted to talk to Pierre about the fondues we'll be serving." When Julio left, she approached one of the chefs who was stirring a pot of cheese. At least it looked like cheese. "Pierre, what's the whitest fondu you can make?"

"We have a white cheddar that we mix with a little camembert."

I left them to discuss the menu and returned to the front of the restaurant to talk to Bertoli. In the late the afternoon, the place wasn't as busy as it would be later, but he was at the hostess desk greeting the few customers who wanted an early bite to eat.

"Ah, Dr. House. I believe we have taken every precaution we can. Tony will be here himself, with his own entourage of bodyguards. I've already reassured Jessica that she need fear nothing." He sounded completely confident, so why was the tension in my shoulders increasing?

"Does anyone know what Giordano is up to today?" Jess' father was the wild card in all of this.

Bertoli smiled. "Bev chose today to tell him that she wouldn't agree to his request for her to act as Molino's...shall we say...companion when he arrives. It will allow her to learn what Giordano plans, and also when Signor Molino will come to New Jersey."

"So you told her about the danger tonight?"

"Only enough to encourage her to approach Giordano today." The door opened and his smile grew. "Here she is now!" He and his daughter hugged.

"I wanted to stop here on my way to get Marisa," she told us.

"What happened with Giordano?" I asked.

She shook her head. "He was very insistent, said it would be worth my while if I acted as Molino's hostess while he was here."

"Did he say when Molino would arrive?"

She grimaced. "That was the strangest part. He was scheduled to fly in early next week, but he's coming today. Giordano went to meet his plane in Newark."

I exchanged a frown with Bertoli. Obviously he hadn't taken that into the equation.

"I'll call Tony Locarno," he decided.

"What can he do?" I asked.

"He'll have an idea. He knows Molino better than I do."

I looked at Bev. "You know him, too. What do you think he'll do?"

She shrugged. "He likes making a grand entrance, gloating about any victories. I bet he'll wait until the shooting is over before appearing. And if things go the way we hope, he'll slink away to plan for the next attack." She swallowed hard. "He won't give up until he wins."

"None of us are going to let that happen." Her father gripped her arms with his hands. "Trust us, Bev."

"I do. They're going to make a move tonight, aren't they?" She looked at each of us in turn.

Bertoli glanced my way before replying to her. "Yes. But so will we."

"What are you planning?" she asked.

He shrugged. "The best defense, naturally."

Bev studied him for a minute. "Well, I'd better be off. I took Marisa home from the hospital this morning but made her promise she'd have dinner with me tonight. When I mentioned this place, her eyes lit up."

"Then I'm happy Jess changed the venue for the party." Bertoli smiled at her.

Once she was gone, I went to find Jess again. She was talking to Tina near the serving station.

"Greg, where did you go off to?"

"I was talking to Bertoli, and Bev came by for a while."

She smiled. "Nina just arrived. She's feeling much better."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I didn't see her come in."

"She came in the back. So what did Bev have to say?"

I took her hand. "She told your father she wanted nothing to do with Molino, but he insisted. And guess what? The man, himself, is arriving today."

She suddenly tensed. "Molino?"

"Relax. According to Bev, he won't show up until after the fact, and only if his side wins. Which isn't going to happen."

"I hope you're right." Jess put a hand on Tina's shoulder. "Tina's bodyguards are doubling as waiters for us."

I nodded. "Good idea."

Nina came through the kitchen doors with a list in her hand. She looked much better than she had that morning. "Oh, hi House. Jess, where's the microphone?"

"We ditched that when we changed venues. Instead, I asked Mr. Bertoli to provide an ice sculpture of a piano. They won't bring it out of the freezer until the last minute."

Nina grinned. "I like it!"

The guests began to arrive, including Marcello Locarno, with his personal bodyguards. He spotted us, smiled and strode to us, telling the two men with him to stay where they were. "My father will be here soon. He wants to inspect the arrangements to ensure you haven't missed something that would make us vulnerable."

The sisters exchanged frowns. "Mr. Bertoli assured us that he'd taken care of everything," Jess said.

"Oh, I'm sure he has, but my father has to see for himself." He smirked. "Even if his good friend Johnny Bertoli has already taken precautions."

My impression of Tony Locarno as a micromanager type was reinforced by his son. He wasn't that different from Carlo Molino in that way - they both had to be in control.

"You heard that Molino is flying in today?" I asked.

Marcello nodded. "Bertoli just told me. Perhaps we can end this right here and now."

Jess' eyes went wide. "I hope not!"

"Relax, Jess. If it happens, it'll be behind the scenes. You'll never know abut it." Marcello looked around. "Beverly isn't here yet?"

"She was, but she left to get her sister," I told him.

He looked disappointed. "My nephew's been chipper all day."

"I guess he's glad Marisa is out of the hospital."

"I'll say."

Tina came over. "Hi Uncle Marc."

"Hi, Sweetie. Are you helping Jess and Nina?"

"Yes. So's Julio. I'm glad you're here." She smiled at him.

"So am I."

Tina's brother arrived with his own bodyguards. Marcello was right. He looked happier than I'd ever seen him as he limped our way. "We all set?"

"Seems that way," his uncle replied.

Despite all the reassurances, the tension in the air was palpable. I hoped we were as prepared as we could be.

My phone played, and I took it out. "Speak to me, Edgar." I walked away from the Locarnos and Jess.

"Morgan wanted to storm the restaurant."

I wasn't surprised. "That sounds like him."

"Yeah, but Bernini shot the idea down. He's waiting for Giordano to bring Molino from the airport."

There'd been something I'd wondered about. "How much do Bernini and Giordano talk? Obviously Giodano is on board about crashing a party his daughters are catering, but do either of them realize that the party's for Beverly Fenstermaker's sister?"

"Her name never came up in my presence," Edgar replied. "Why is that important?"

"Because Bev's been working for Giordano, just as you've been driving for Bernini. Not that any of that will matter after tonight."

"I guess not. I'll call you when the big boss arrives and decisions are made."

"Thanks, Edgar." I closed the connection and told everyone, "They're waiting for Molino to arrive with Giordano so he can call the shots."

"Good. The longer they wait the readier we'll be," Ricky said. "I'll go tell Johnny."

My team arrived one at a time. Chase came over to us immediately and asked, "Where's Ellie?"

"She's taken over for me in the kitchen, coordinating the food." Jess pointed to the swinging doors.

He smiled and went to find Ellie.

Taub was scowling when he approached us. "When's the guest of honor arriving? I want to say hello and congrats, and then get the hell out of here."

"What's your problem?" Marcello pointed his thumb at the short guy and asked me, "Is he one of yours?"

"Unfortunately."

"Dr. Taub, you're acting as if something bad is going to happen." Jess smirked at him. "Instead, we're going to have a fantastic party."

"Where's your wife?" Nina asked. "I heard she was back in town with your daughter."

"Did you really think I'd expose her to something like this?" Taub eyes looked the ceiling.

"Like what?" Marcello demanded.

It was fun to watch other people harass him, much as I sort of agreed with him. I stood back and watched.

Thirteen slapped him on the back. "Go ahead, Taub. Tell 'em what your afraid of."

"What I want to know is why everyone's so calm. Do you all know something I don't?"

"Look around you," Jess replied. "There's more security here than around the President of the United States."

Jess was right, of course. We were surrounded by professional bodyguards rather than government employees. Maybe if Edgar was here I'd feel safer.

My phone rang again. "Is he here?" I asked Edgar.

"Yes. We leave in forty-five minutes. Time to set everything in motion at your end."