Killer Getaway by Amy Korman

Author:Amy Korman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

A LINE OF valet parkers, Town Cars, and the HGTV bus still idling outside the restaurant greeted us at Gianni Mare’s, which had a seriously festive air on its opening night. Beautifully dressed older ­couples were arriving, the HGTV cameraman was filming, and the ponytailed photographer from the Miami Herald was snapping away. A few glamorous-­looking models who’d been hired for the event greeted guests at the door under the hammered silver “Gianni Mare” sign.

On the patio, Sienna Blunt, looking extra sexy in a low-­cut white top and skirt and holding a wrench, was being filmed by another camera operator as she pretended to tighten the hinges of the French doors that led from the dining room. All of the Colketts’ hard work had resulted in a chic, lushly landscaped front patio space, lit by silver lanterns and banked with massive jasmine and hibiscus trees set in blue and white Chinese-­export planters.

The outdoor patio, where a jazz trio was sawing away on instruments and a vocalist was cooing “The Girl from Ipanema,” had blue inlaid mosaic tables and beautiful blue toile banquettes. It was somehow both classic and modern, and totally gorgeous. I saw Joe’s eye twitch, a sure sign he was entering a jealous funk.

“We get it,” he said dismissively. “Blue and white. Classic Florida with a twist. I mean, for me, this is Decorating 101.”

I wasn’t sure if it had been Sienna Blunt or the Colketts who’d taken the theme and run with it, but when we stepped inside the restaurant, I felt my jaw drop slightly: Decorating 101, this was not.

Lit by votive candles and already abuzz with a happy crowd, the restaurant space somehow combined sophistication and coziness: The floors had been painted a snazzy blue and white chevron pattern, giving a modern flair, and were bordered with inlaid blue-­and-­white porcelain tiles. On every available surface, colorful ginger jars of various heights were bursting with about eight thousand bright-­blue hydrangea blossoms (which must have cost a fortune to fly in), and a buffet held huge platters of oysters, olives, and Italian cheeses. The walls had been painted a gleaming deep cerulean that glowed under the massive silver chandelier, and an antique mahogany bar ran along the right wall of the restaurant, around which guests were gathered three-­deep. The banquettes that lined the interior of the restaurant were the same shade of stunning blue as the walls, and as expected, every dish in the place was classic white and blue.

“They’ve got a full restaurant ser­vice of Ralph Lauren’s Mandarin Blue china!” Joe marveled. “I’ve used it for clients, but only in their homes. It’s way too expensive for a restaurant. Every time a plate breaks, Gianni’s going to be out twenty bucks.” This seemed to cheer Joe up. “Drinks?” he asked.

“Hey!” said Tim Colkett, zooming over to greet us. His tan was even deeper than it had been the day before, and he looked tired, excited, and nervous. “How do you like the design? Because, and this isn’t to throw Sienna Blunt under the bus, we did one hundred percent of the job.

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