Madison Avenue Shoot by Jessica Fletcher Read Free Book Online

Antonio said, smiling benevolently at his recipients, his palms pressed together in front of his ample girth.
    I lifted the flap of the envelope carefully, reluctant to damage the paper with its beautiful writing. Across the table, Lance Sevenson’s assistant watched as he ripped the packet down one side and extracted the slim red leather case it contained. He lifted the lid, pulled out a platinum Permezzo card, and, holding it between his index and middle fingers, waved it at Antonio. I opened my package to find the same thing, as did Stella.
    Anne Tripper, who’d waited to see what our envelopes contained, left hers unopened on the table.
    “It is a little gift from Permezzo,” Antonio said, his eyes twinkling. “We have put twenty-five thousand dollars on it for each of you to buy whatever you like.” He raised his eyebrows waiting for the response.
    “I hope you don’t think that’s all the money you’re paying me to be in your commercial,” Lance said, “because if you are, you’ve got another think coming.”
    Betsy had been leaning forward to see our reactions to Antonio’s present. She frowned. “Really, Lance, this is not the time,” she said coldly.
    Antonio’s face fell. “You misunderstand,” he said sharply. “This is from the heart, a gift for you. This is not business.”
    Anne smirked.“It’s all business, Antonio, or we wouldn’t be here,” she said, sliding her unopened package into her red purse.
    Lance, who was sitting next to her, snatched up her hand and studied her large ring. “Buy yourself that black opal?”
    “What business is it of yours?”
    “Gems and stones are my business,” Lance said, grinning at her. “It’s bad luck if you buy an opal for yourself. Bet you didn’t know that.”
    Anne pulled her hand away with disgust and hid it under the table. She started to say something in return, but I raised my voice to be heard above other conversation.
    “Thank you, Signore Tedeschi,” I said. “This is very generous of you. I’m sure we all can put it to good use.”
    He smiled at me, but it was a sad smile.
    “Ah’m gonna skip on over to Tiffany’s when we leave here,” Stella said, winking at Antonio. “Would you like to come along? I always like having a handsome man on my arm when I’m buyin’ jewelry.”
    “No. No,” Antonio said, recovering his cheerful demeanor, “but you buy for yourself something very beautiful for a beautiful lady.”
    “Don’t you worry your head about that. I surely will. And I’ll show it off to you, too.”
    Anne gave out a loud sigh. “Can we get this meeting going, please? You may have time to go shopping,” she said, giving Stella a baleful look, “but I have important appointments today.”
    “Hon, there ain’t nothing more important than buying diamonds,” Stella said, putting on a show of tucking her card in her cleavage.
    Howerstein jotted down something on a piece of paper, folded it in quarters, and wrote a name on the top. From where I sat, I couldn’t see whose name it was. He gestured to Lucy, the production assistant, and handed her the note.
    Antonio cleared his throat. “Yes. We will begin now. I begin by saying that Permezzo has a celebrated history in Europe,” he said, launching into what I expected might become a long speech. “We were first to include concierge service for our marvelous customers.” He flicked his fingers as if shooing something away. “The other cards,” he said, making a face, “they have only a few things.”
    “If I may?” Betsy broke in.
    Antonio frowned at her, but she quickly added, “We are providing everyone with a history of this wonderful company so they can see how important it is. Inside your folders, ladies and gentlemen, you’ll find this elegant brochure.” She held up a colorful booklet with a picture on the cover of a smiling couple clearly delighted with Permezzo’s services.
    Antonio nodded at Betsy. “Yes, yes, this is a very good piece,” he