Juliana knocks on Giovanni’s office door. ‘I know it,’ she replies. ‘The cream house with the dark green shutters. There’s a guesthouse and private pier, right by the water’s edge?’
Bianca nods. ‘I’m staying in the guesthouse for the next couple of months while my apartment’s put up for sale. Ask Valentina to bring them up and we can …’
The two women enter Giovanni’s office and close the door behind them.
13
‘What happened with Bianca St Alban?’ Gia asks, taking my arm. ‘I can’t believe you’re still here, still in one piece.’
I’m so tired I let her lead me. ‘Still here,’ I mutter. ‘Where else would I be?’
She gives me a strange look as she turns us back towards the circular ramp that will take us back downstairs.
The nightwatchmen walk us across the mosaic-tiled foyer and into the enclosed portico that serves as the entrance to Atelier Re. Sensor lights go on and the electronic eye looks down upon us for the last time today.
As Gia and I wait for the second set of sleek glass doors to open to let us out into the street, I see that it’s snowing steadily.
It’s also very dark, and I’m reminded of the time Ryan made sure I didn’t stray out of the circle of light cast by the street lamp outside his house, so that his ex-girlfriend, Brenda, wouldn’t see the skin of my face and hands glowing in the night air. He’s still helping me navigate this life, even though he’s not here.
I feel a wave of intense pain and turn to Gia and say more gruffly than I intend, ‘Give me one of your scarves.’
She hands one across and watches me bemusedly as I pull the scarf over the top of my cloche hat and wrap it tightly about my face, then shove Irina’s hands into her black leather gloves.
‘Bag lady chic,’ Gia exclaims. ‘Now I’ve seen everything.’
The second set of glass doors finally glide open and we step out into the icy night. We pause on the footpath, surveying both ends of the narrow street. A light layer of snow lies over everything. Even covered as I am, I make sure I position myself behind Gia’s left shoulder.
She looks up at the sky in wonderment. ‘I’ve been here so many times, and I’ve never seen it snow before Christmas, ever.’
She pulls her remaining scarf up around her face, zips the collar of her leather jacket higher and turns back to me. I’m ready for her, so all she sees is the top of my covered head as she says apologetically, ‘We had to give Natasha your overcoat to wear to the decoy limo, and it’s kind of ruined anyway, the way it’s been handled today. Andreas would be livid if he knew how we’d treated his gift.’
She starts to cross the footpath cautiously and I mince after her in my killer heels, kind of sideways, like a crab.
Her voice floats back to me. ‘Natasha’s the reason the street’s so deserted. I arranged for her to flounce out of here in your overcoat, a bad wig and big sunglasses. Carlo just called to tell me that it’s crazy where they are — they’ve brought the area around La Scala to a total standstill. They’ll keep it up until I call to let him know you’re safely back at the suite.’
Two black limos slide to a stop just as we reach the icy kerb outside Atelier Re. From beneath Irina’s long lashes, I see Vladimir jump out of the first car and hold the two back doors open for Gia and me.
I shuffle past him, my head bowed inside my hastily rigged up camouflage. Gia helps me into the car and gets in after me. We take seats beside each other, placing our giant handbags down on the floor at almost exactly the same moment, sighing in unison, relieved that the day is finally over.
It’s almost 10 pm and I’m starving. Since breakfast, I’ve been offered three cups of camomile tea and two rice cakes. Being Irina sucks.
The soft interior lights are all on and I surreptitiously check the half-inch of exposed bare skin between the cuff of my sweater and the edge of my glove for any giveaway signs before unwrapping Gia’s scarf from around my face and head. I let it fall loosely about my shoulders. Then I take off the gloves and hat, laying them down beside me, and shake out Irina’s long, toffee-coloured hair.
Gia slides down in her seat and puts her wicked boots up on the empty seat opposite.
Vladimir slams both doors on us, then returns to the front of our car, which dips a little at his weight. We don’t see him get in, we don’t even see the driver, because there’s now an opaque glass window between us and the front of the car. It’s meant to be some sort of privacy screen, I guess, but for some reason it’s making me feel nervous. I’m finding it claustrophobic back here and I know it’s because I can’t get a sense of what lies ahead. And I know I’m being stupid, because all we’re doing is heading back to our hotel, but having that screen in place has effectively given me a huge blind spot.
‘Do we need that?’ I ask as our limo eases out into the road, the driver deftly navigating the parked cars, the scooters and motorbikes under tarpaulins that are parked out from the kerb at crazy angles.
Gia follows the direction of my gaze and her tone is apologetic. ‘Gianfranco blew his stack when he heard what Felipe did today. So the new policy is that someone always rides with you, and you don’t get to know who’s driving you between jobs. Window’s got to stay up. I told Vladimir to sit up front. The way he glowers at everyone makes me uncomfortable.’
She crosses one leg over the other and frowns at me. ‘What I can’t understand is why you even told me about the stunt Felipe pulled. Gianfranco had no idea you guys had hooked up before and neither did I. When Felipe first introduced himself as your driver two days ago, he played it so cool I could’ve sworn you two had never met. Why didn’t you just grab what was on offer? It would’ve been a sweet set-up for you. And for him. None of us would have found out for months, even years.’
‘I did drink it,’ I reply absently.
‘You did?’ Gia is shocked.
I add hastily, ‘But I honestly didn’t know there was anything in it besides vodka. It just never occurred to me that he’d put something else in there.’
Gia looks sceptical. ‘But I spoke to you afterwards, and you were totally coherent. More coherent than usual, in fact. Felipe said the stuff he gave you was pure. It should have knocked you out.’
‘Must’ve been a bad batch,’ I lie, looking out at the falling snow. ‘Didn’t do a thing for me.’
Except damn near kill the body I’m in. But Gia doesn’t need to know that.
Rain, hail, snow: all in one day. I wonder what tomorrow will bring; whether I’ll even be here, even be Irina, tomorrow. I can feel the crosswinds of convergence blowing, and I don’t know how to read the signs, read the skies. It’s making me jumpy as hell.
I wonder who’ll reach me first in the eternal game of tug o’ war for my soul.
There’s that sick feeling in my stomach again, of wanting to stay, but also of wanting to run and keep running.
Soon, K’el said. Be ready.
The feeling of disquiet intensifies and I hunch over in my seat, arms crossed protectively over my belly.
‘You’re quiet,’ Gia says as I stare out the window.
I know it’s rude, but I’m no good at small talk. I don’t bother to respond, or even turn away from the darkened streetscape flying by, the strangely empty streets.
‘That Ryan guy,’ Gia says casually, and this time I do respond, turning to her in surprise, feeling my skin instantly prickle at the mention of Ryan’s name.
‘How’d you meet him?’ she asks. ‘I’m with you all the time, and you’d think I’d remember someone who looks like he does — I nearly died when he picked up. But I don’t remember ever even seeing him before. Did you meet him at Mahiki? Or was it that time we hit Tao with the Elite models? Maybe he featured in some ad campaign. How do you know him? And why were you arguing with him after everything I’d done to find him for you?’
‘We always argue. That’s what we do,’ I reply tonelessly. ‘He’s just someone I met way before I knew you. Lifetimes ago. I can’t seem to leave him alone.’
