PROLOGUE
PROLOGUE
Gia Bonetti always made a point of stopping off in London for the fashion week. A hectic merry-go-round, true, but an event no one in her job as head purchasing officer at Madden Corporation, a top fashion and textile producer, could afford to miss.
She revelled in the glamour. A week in London was always a special pleasure. Now, she looked forward to some relaxation after a busy day.
Gia had just finished dressing and was about to leave her hotel suite when the bedside phone rang. Ah, the pickup limo, she said to herself as she pressed the button on the subset. "I'm on my way," she snapped, without waiting for the message.
"Excuse me, ma'am," the switchboard operator said, unperturbed, "I have a call for you from Munich, Germany. May I connect?"
Munich? Who the hell would be calling her from head office at this hour? Nine o'clock European time.
Myna Kohler, her personal assistant, came on."Thank God, at last," she gasped. "I've tried to get you all evening. Your phone was shut off ... I left messages but– "
"I had a string of meetings and forgot to turn the damned thing back on. So what's up?"
"Has the news reached London?"
"Anything special? This show is a beehive of chatter and gossip."
"Dolff is dead."
She laughed. "Come on, Myna. Are you screwing with me?"
"I'm serious. An accident, they say. He was in a coma by the time he arrived at the hospital ... He never came round."
"Him, gone! I don't believe it."
"Nobody did at first. But then two police officers turned up. Herr Schlosser spoke to them. Afterwards, he told me to contact you. To get you to return."
"Of course," she murmured and lowered herself onto the edge of the bed, her head full of racing thoughts.
"Ah, wait, Gia, he's just come into my office. He's signalling he'd like a word."
"Put him on, will you, please?"
Schlosser's familiar baritone voice confirmed the news and stumbled over some quick condolences.
So it was true. She suppressed the thrill she felt. Her father-in-law gone – at bloody last.
The man rambled on.
"Is Hardy informed?" she cut in.
"We've reached your husband. In Atlanta. He is now flying back in the Cessna."
"What did he have to say?"
"Nothing right away. The shock, I suppose. But I've learnt he has instructed his office to set up an extraordinary meeting of the full board for tomorrow morning at eleven. An official announcement to all senior staff will follow at noon. Thereafter, a statement will be released to the rank and file and the press."
She thanked him and asked for Myna again. "I'm returning immediately," she said to her. "Get me on the next plane back. Oh, and cancel all my engagements, beginning with the reception and dinner this evening."
"Of course ... I'll twitter your revised flight details straight away."
"Thank you," she murmured and hung up, her thoughts now in Munich.
With a broad grin on her face, she flopped back onto the bed, hugging herself.
