Chapter 6: Reviewing The Field

"Sorry to drag you away from the entertainment, boss," Rick apologised as he finished setting things up ready for his presentation. Larry, the organisation's marketing director, nodded a welcome as Freddie came into the room.

"Don't worry," Freddie responded, "business before pleasure. I was pleased with the new arrivals though. That's a good source you've found."

"Belvedere? Yes. Those two might well turn out to be the first of several." Rick finished connecting his laptop to the projector and checked the alignment of the screen.

Ellie and Harry, Freddie's director of operations, joined the party as Rick started up the presentation.

"Is the PowerPoint absolutely essential?" Freddie asked.

Rick sighed. "I've kept it to a minimum; just the main bullets."

"All right, on you go," said Freddie. He didn't want to discourage Rick but sometimes he took forever to get to the point.

"Right, three targets with information provided by your source, Freddie. It's going to be a bit of a European jaunt if we're going to synchronise the collections as you suggest. All three spend most of their time out of the UK." Rick's first slide showed a slightly built blonde woman in here early thirties. "First up, Denise Tallis; thirty two, currently residing in South-Eastern France." Rick clicked up a slide showing a group of comfortable looking villas surrounded by a high wall. "She's living in some sort of gated community which probably makes an at-home collection unfeasible, or at least harder work than we would like, but she spends time at the local country club and golf course. I think you'll find opportunities there, Harry."

Freddie's chief of operations grunted and scribbled a note on a pad.

"Next one, Rani Satvaya, twenty six." Rick's slide showed an olive skinned woman with dark, penetrating eyes, dressed in a traditional sari. "Originally from Dakha, built a reputation in Bengali movies and modelling, before she married. Put her money into a fashion business – adapting Indian and Bangladeshi fashions to a western taste, sort of fusion clothing. 'Whose Sari Now' she called it." Freddie groaned –it was the sort of joke Rick might have come out with unaided. "Now she's moved into designer shoes; based herself in Italy, not far from Milan.

Harry nodded. "OK, easier for us than some places. How about the other one."

Rick's next slide showed smooth blue sky and white washed walls, the typical architecture of the Greek islands. "Holiday snaps?" Freddie asked. Rick thought that was bit unkind; Freddie was keen enough to get off to his Aegean island hideaway at any opportunity.

"Alicia St John-Ferris. Twenty four, third wife of our friend Norman. That's her there." The next shot showed a tanned, blonde girl walking beside a harbour. "She hung on to his name after ditching the marriage. It seems to help in the business."