Jennie dressed up to go out for a night on the town with Devon
Devon, well, just looking like Devon
I am utilizing the prologue to bring the reader up to speed on Devon and Jennie Howard. Devon remains a valued member of the Pope’s gendarmerie. Due to the stringent nature of his assignments, Devon has been working out and bulking up. Thanks to his strict exercise regimen, he now cuts quite an imposing figure, with many people comparing him to Henry Cavill. I would like to add that Jennie is not complaining at all about his new look. Devon and Jennie’s impromptu honeymoon to Greece helped elevate their relationship to a whole new level. Since they came back home, their love for each other has only continued to grow stronger. So much so that they have been discussing starting a family. The only thing standing in the way is that Jennie wants to finish her law degree. Her marriage to Devon and their relocation to Rome put her career plans on hold. So now that they have settled in, she has been able to resume taking her law classes. The onus however does not fall on Jennie alone. Devon is also a little recalcitrant about starting a family, mainly because while he has been fortunate in his assignments, he never knows when his work may call him to do protracted traveling. There is one more thing that is dampening their interest in starting a family at this time, and that is that while their apartment is okay for the two of them, it is not family-friendly. The addition of their adopted dog Spot has put an even bigger strain on their living quarters.
Thankfully no financial impediments standing in their way, because Devon has been fortunate in his finances. Even though he spent over a million dollars tracking down the killers of his aunt and her family, he has still been able to continue building his wealth. His net worth has now climbed to over $60 million and continues to grow by approximately USD 100,000 a day, thanks to his very aggressive investment plan. His financial status can be traced to the death of his grandparents. When his grandmother passed away, his aunt Christine and he split their estate, which was valued at over six million USD. His wealth further increased when a death squad killed his aunt and her family. Since he was the closest living relative, he was the beneficiary of her estate. Although he would have gladly done without the money if it meant that his aunt and her family were still alive.
Needless to say, money is not an issue, nor has it been one for quite some time. It is with this in mind that Devon broached the subject of buying a house over dinner. Jennie agreed wholeheartedly, as she was also having similar thoughts. She further added that she would like it if her mother could come to live with them. “My mother has nobody and is quite lonely now that her only child, being me, has moved so far away. It would also be nice if Spot had more room to run around, and we certainly needed a bigger place if we are going to start a family.” Jennie concluded.”So, it is settled then; we need to start looking for a new place,” Devon added. “Since you are intimately aware of my likes and dislikes, you can start narrowing the search down. So why don’t you contact a real estate agent tomorrow?” No to change the subject,”Devon continued, “What do you think about us getting a playmate for Spot? I kind of have been eyeing one breed, as he showed her some photos on his cell phone.”
“Here is picture of what they look like as a puppy…”
“And here is what they look like fully grown….”
“The breed is the Caucasian Ovcharka, or as they are more commonly known, the Caucasian Shepherd….They are very friendly, loyal, and above all else, they make a great guard dog. They have been known to sacrifice themselves to protect their owners.”
Jennie oohed and awed as she first looked at the photo of the puppy, and then the photo of the adult dog. “They look amazing, but you didn’t have to put the part about them sacrificing themselves.” Devon apologetically replied. “I only brought it up because you know that I’ve been fortunate in not having to travel for work, but you know it’s only a matter of time before I do have to go abroad. Now when it happens I won’t feel so guilty because you won’t be all alone. It will be even better when your mother moves in with us. When this finally happens, I will feel a lot better about leaving you.”
After they finished their dinner, they cleaned everything up and went to bed. Neither of them felt like sleeping so they continued to make plans for their future. In the morning, after Devon had left for work, Jennie looked up a few different real estate agents on her laptop computer. Mainly because of his client’s glowing comments, she finally settled on Tom Reagan. Besides having a good rating he had a very nice smile. After making her mind up she texted him at the phone number provided on his web page. Jennie left her phone number in the message area of the contact information section, along with a brief description of what they were looking for.
Within 30 minutes, Jennie’s cell phone started ringing. She immediately recognized the number, so she answered the phone. The agent introduced himself in a friendly manner, apologizing for the wait. He explained that he wanted to conduct a quick search for properties to see if there was anything available that met their requirements. “I am so confident that I have found exactly what you are looking for, that once I found it, I stopped looking any further, and I immediately called you. Now the question is, when can we go and look at the property?”
While the agent’s confident attitude might put some people off, Jennie found it quite refreshing and immediately came to the realization that she had chosen the right agent. She had provided a pretty detailed description of what they were looking for in the message, so she figured that he had something nice picked out for them. Jennie excitedly replied, “I am available anytime for a viewing; the sooner the better…Because we have definitely outgrown our place and are in desperate need of something larger.”
Tom asked her if 1:00 PM was okay.” Jennie affirmed that it was just fine. “Great,” he finished by saying that he would text her the address once he got off the phone. Jennie thought to herself that the appointment time would give her a chance to take a shower and grab a light lunch before she left their apartment.
When Jennie pulled up to the address that the agent had provided, she was immediately impressed. In fact, she was somewhat overwhelmed; the property on which the villa sat was immense. She also secretly knew that this was the place for them. My Devon is going to love this place, she thought to herself as she parked and got out of her car. As she started walking across the street to the property, Tom, the agent, pulled up behind her car and got out, all smiles. “I told you the place is perfect.” Jennie excitedly replied. “You were spot on, the property is fantastic. There is plenty of land for our dogs to play on….The landscaping is just incredible, if the inside is anywhere near as nice, my husband Devon will love it,” Jennie effusively exclaimed. She further added, “I just want to do a quick walk-through right now to make sure that I am right about it. I don’t want to waste too much of your time because Devon will want to spend a lot of time checking this place out, himself.” As they walked through the villa, Jennie could hardly contain herself. When they finished, she told the agent that her husband would be very interested in this place. “After he gets home from work, I will give you a call to set up an appointment to see the property.”
I know that you already have my work number, but here is my business card with my personal cell number on the back,” Tom replied as he handed Jennie his business card. He further added, “Feel free to call anytime, and I can’t emphasize enough that time is of the utmost importance. This villa has just gone on the market, and I know that it will go very quickly. There isn’t anything like it this close to the center of Rome.”
When Devon arrived home, Jennie greeted him with a big shit-eating grin and a big bear hug and a luxuriantly long kiss. You know the kind, the kind that only people deeply in love can pull off. Devon asked, grinning, “What did I do to deserve this?” Jennie, bubbling over with enthusiasm, said, “I have found the perfect place for us, and I am 100% positive that you will agree with me.” “That is great, when can we go and see it?” Devon asked. “That is the problem, I didn’t want to commit to a time for the agent until I checked with you Devon, I know how unpredictable your schedule can be. When is a good time for you?” Jennie breathlessly queried. “How about now, or I can get off from work early at 2 PM tomorrow if that would be better,” Devon proffered. “I will call the agent and ask him,” replied Jennie.
Devon listened to the conversation Jennie had with the real estate agent, made all the easier because she thoughtfully put her cell phone on speaker mode. The agent answered the phone expectantly and excitedly, “How may I be of service to you, Mrs Howard?” Jennie responded hesitantly, “My husband is available now or after 3 PM tomorrow for the viewing of the villa, if that would be better.” “Since it doesn’t get dark until 8 PM and I am free this evening, how about we go see the property now?” Tom, the real estate agent, replied. “We can view the grounds first while there is still plenty of daylight, then we can take our time on the inside since the outside light will no longer be an issue, Tom further added. “That would be great,” Jennie eagerly agreed, trying not to appear too obviously anxious. “Devon and I will leave right now for the property, we are just less than 20 minutes away, ” Jennie continued. “I will see both of you there,” Tom replied as he ended the call.
When Devon and Jennie pulled up to the villa, he was totally bowled over by the grandeur of the property. “You were right, honey, this place is perfect. I am sure the inside is just as nice, let’s buy it.” Jennie nervously asked, “Can we afford it?” “Not a problem, Jen, we are making on average of $100,000 a day, just in our investments. We are currently worth around $60 million USD, so there is no problem. My income is just gravy for us. That still doesn’t mean that I want to pay too much for the place, either. So let’s wait to see how much the owners are asking, before we commit ourselves to buying it.”
Tom Reagan, the agent, arrived just as Devon and Jennie finished discussing the purchase of the villa. “Are you guys ready to be impressed?” Tom asked. Devon and Jennie both nodded eagerly. Walking around the grounds took almost twenty minutes due to its sheer size. It took a lot of strength and willpower on Devon’s part not to act too excited about the villa. Somehow, he managed to contain himself. Jennie found it easier since she had already viewed the property and knew what to expect. Devon did allow himself to comment that the grounds were exceptionally well-maintained. Tom nodded in agreement and said that the groundskeeper would be able to stay on if they so desired. “Now that we have finished on the outside, let’s go and see the inside. Be prepared to be awestruck.”
The village was particularly imposing and seemed to go on forever, or so it seemed to Devon. The tour of the inside took almost 30 minutes, with Devon asking a few questions as Tom gave the guided tour. When they had finished, Tom turned around and looked at the couple expectantly. “So what do you think, Mr and Mrs Howard?” “It is very nice,” Devon replied in a somewhat demur manner. “Is it worth what they are asking for it? By the way, what is the asking price?” The agent hesitantly replied, “6.5 million Euros.” Without a missed beat, Devon made a counteroffer of 6.2 million Euros. I can have the money by 3 PM tomorrow. To further show his grasp of international finance and currency rates, he added that he wanted to keep the purchase price to no more than USD 7 million. The real estate agent, thanks to a prior discussion with the owners, had been given some latitude in the price, and Mr. Howard’s counter-offer was well within the owner’s parameters. But he knew how the game was played, so he very slowly and hesitantly, and in what appeared to be a very pained manner, replied that the counteroffer was acceptable.
Devon offered his hand to Tom, saying, “I will bring you a certified check for the closing tomorrow afternoon, if that is okay?” Tom Reagan acknowledged with a nod and a smile that it would be okay. I will have the paperwork ready by 4 PM.” Devon added. “Then 4 o’clock it is,” Devon said. Devon and Jennie commented that it had been a long day and they were going home to let the enormity of what had just happened sink in. By that, Devon meant that they were going to open a nice bottle of Dom Pérignon to celebrate buying their first house as a couple.
The next day after leaving work early, Devon went to their bank and had a certified check drawn up for 6.2 million Euros, before going home.” When he got home, he had a light meal of cheese, cold cuts, and wine with Jennie to tide them over till they went to the real estate office. After the papers were signed and the villa was theirs, they were going to go out and celebrate properly by dining at La Pergola, a 3-star Michelin Italian restaurant.
With this self containment system, they didn’t need to put up an unsightly fence to keep Spot from wandering off their property. Seeing that Spot became acclimated to their new place so quickly, they were able to get him a companion much sooner than they had first thought. They named their Ovcharka puppy Dante. Devon and Jennie soon fell in love with the little fur ball. Spot acting like an older brother soon took him under his paw, so to speak. Within a matter of just a few days, they were fast friends. Because Dante was an expensive dog breed, they decided not to let him outdoors until he was full-grown and able to protect himself. They were not worried about anyone wanting to dog-nap Spot, because he was just a typical mutt and had no real value, except to them, that is. As soon as Dante was old enough, Devon planned on getting him trained as a guard dog. That, after all, was the main reason he had purchased him. Being a companion for Spot was only a secondary consideration. Making sure Jennie was safe was the most important thing in his life. He had suffered too much loss in his life, and he didn’t think he could handle it if anything untoward happened to Jennie. All of his money meant nothing if he didn’t have her to share it with him.
Not part of the tour because it was still under construction was the panic room/gun room that he had installed in the basement of the house. It included not only a secure place to store his guns and a monitoring station but also a secure living room with a sleeping area, a compact half bath, a small galley kitchen, and a dry goods pantry. His family could stay there for weeks if necessary. I will include photos of this portion of their house in chapter thirty-six. In case you are wondering, the basement safe/panic suite set him back another $350,000. It cost so much because they had to dig up the entire basement floor and make it several feet deeper to accommodate the four-foot-thick reinforced concrete ceiling. Even though the walls were already largely underground, he had them reinforced nonetheless. The subcontractor and designer was the Agresti Group, based out of Rome. They were established in 1949.
When they finished their tour of the villa, Devon and Jennie gave Eleonora a big hug. They couldn’t heap enough praise on her. She said it was her privilege to work for the Howards. She also had enough class to not show any disappointment when she saw the amount on the cashier’s check. Devon felt like a heel. He would make it up to her in the morning. He would call his bank from work and have a cashier check for 100,000 Euros drawn up. Jennie could pick it up and deliver it to Eleonora’s office. He was sure that she wouldn’t have a problem doing that. The check would have Jennie’s name on it so she could sign it.
One of the best restaurants in Rome, if not in Italy, La Pergola is much more than just a famous menu. Its three-Michelin stars – the only Rome restaurant to be accorded such an honor – attest to the excellence of its cuisine. A wine cellar with over 53,000 bottles, a water menu with 29 choices, olive oils and vintage balsamic vinegars from the best producers in Italy, and the finest ingredients to be sourced in the Mediterranean — all attest to the pursuit of culinary excellence. In the last decade, the major Italian gastronomic guides such as L’Espresso, Gambero Rosso, and Bibenda have consistently voted La Pergola the “Best Restaurant of Rome” and one of the best in Italy. Since November 2005, it has been a symbol of exceptional cuisine and “worth a special journey”. Furthermore, the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences has awarded La Pergola with the coveted “Five Star Diamond Award!” Each year the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, renowned worldwide, bestows its coveted International STAR DIAMOND AWARD exclusively on five star establishments that are deemed to be of pinnacle quality by its esteemed Board of Trustees. The award is the most prestigious emblem of achievement and true quality: an award many strive for, but few obtain.
Prior to going to the real estate office, they packed a king-sized air mattress, a double sleeping bag, and some snacks and drinks so that they could sleep over at their new place after eating out. They knew it was kind of corny, but they couldn’t wait to sleep in their new house.
After deciding to buy the villa, Devon asked his boss if he could leave early from work and also take the following day off as well, so that they could move into their new place., It just so happened to be a Friday, so they were going to have a long weekend to get settled in. One thing was for certain: they were going to need a lot of furniture to fill the new villa, especially since the apartment that they had been living in was fully furnished. Jennie, ever the realist, said that they would need some help. In this case, it meant an interior designer. After spending a little time searching the internet, they found a likely one, Eleonora Giacopetti Interior Designer.
Jennie contacted the designer the next day and set up an appointment to meet at their new villa. Usually, she is booked up, but when she heard what Jennie and Devon wanted her for, she canceled the rest of her appointments for the day. One thing was certain: she knew a good thing when she came upon it. Devon told Jennie that he needed to remain at home because he had to work on their finances to ensure that they had enough money available not only for the purchase of the villa but also for its furnishing. So Jennie agreed to meet the designer by herself.
When Jennie and the designer met up later that day at the villa, her face just lit up. Jennie had to give her credit; despite her excitement, she listened to everything she said and took copious notes on her tablet. When Jennie finished, Eleonora said that they were going to have fun. Jennie remarked that she had looked at her portfolio and stated that she was markedly impressed and, as a result, trusted her judgment. The only thing she insisted on was that once she came up with a budget, she stuck to it. Jennie further added that she and her husband, Devon, were not people who could be taken advantage of and would not tolerate excessive cost overruns. Eleonora replied that she was meticulous in her budgeting. She very seldom went over budget, and when it did happen it was due to unforeseen circumstances. When this did happen she always offered more economical alternatives. Eleonora further added that on account of the enormity of the project, it would take her and her team at least two weeks to come up with her prospectus, and once Mr and Mrs. Howard agreed with the plans; it would take at least two more weeks to finish the work. Jennie, though somewhat disappointed, acknowledged that she understood that furnishing such a large villa was an enormous undertaking.
The designer thanked her for her understanding. However, she hesitated a little before continuing, “I hope you understand that it is nothing against you and your husband, but I do need some earnest money before I can start my work.” Jennie asked how much of a deposit she required. The designer said that 10,000 Euros would be enough. The money will go towards the project once the contract has been signed. If they decided that they did not like her designs and did not want to continue with her, they would receive a partial refund based on how much time and expenses she had incurred in coming up with designs. Jennie agreed to those arrangements and stated that her husband would bring a cashier’s check to her office before the business day was finished.
The two weeks passed quickly enough, although Devon and Jennie were growing a little anxious by the end of the second week. Finally, Eleonora, the designer, called them to inform them that she was ready with her proposed designs and the budget. She asked Jennie if she could come by at 6 PM that day. Jennie affirmed that 6 PM was perfect, as Devon would be home from work by then. Jennie texted Devon about the 6 PM appointment with the designer. He replied that he would try to get home a little early so that they could grab a bite to eat before she arrived. Jennie texted back that she would order a pizza with some additional trimmings for their meal.
By the time Devon and Jennie had just finished their meal and cleaned up their eat-in kitchen the doorbell rang. Devon greeted the designer and escorted her in. Upon entering, she asked if their TV was Bluetooth compatible. Devon affirmed that it was, and she replied, “Perfect, this will make it so much nicer to present my designs on something bigger than my tablet. I have 3D renderings of the whole villa with each room furnished so that we can do a virtual tour of your new home.” Eleonora fussed with her tablet for a few minutes, then she asked Devon if he could turn on their smart TV. After he did, it took just a few more moments before the laptop was slaved to the TV.
When she was ready, they all sat down to watch the presentation. Devon and Jennie were amazed at how realistic the renderings looked. They both had to admit they were very impressed with everything she had shown them. When she was finished, she asked them if they had any questions. Devon said, “No, everything looks great, we just need to know what the price is going to be.” Without missing a beat, Eleonora said, “1.2 Million Euros, minus the 10,000 Euro deposit.” Devon was slightly taken aback at the price, even though he knew it was going to be high; he hadn’t thought it would be quite that high. He looked at Jennie, and he said, “Okay, it is a deal. I assume you want half down upon signing the contract.” Eleonora nodded., That was correct. “I will have the contract drawn up by noon tomorrow, so whenever you have the money, we can finalize the deal.” Devon replied, “I will have the cashier’s check ready at 5 PM, if that is alright.” “That is perfect,” Eleonora affirmed.
The next day on the way home from work, Devon made a run over to the interior designer’s office with the certified check for half the amount stipulated by Eleonora. Devon had already planned on giving a tip if her work warranted it.
Eleonora was away on another job so her assistant gave Devon a receipt for the certified check.
The next two weeks seemed to drag for Devon and Jennie. They tried to make the time go by quicker by staying occupied. They went on sightseeing road trips each of the two weekends. Meanwhile during the weekdays his work and Jennie’s classes helped the time pass by fairly quickly. Finally, the day for the unveiling came, and as promised Eleonora contacted right on schedule. Previously when Devon had picked up the down payment, he also had a check cut for the rest of the payment. This way he didn’t have to go back to the bank again. Eleonora being aware of Devon’s work schedule, made the appointment for the walk-through at 6 PM.
When Devon and Jennie arrived at their new fully furnished villa, it was with a great deal of anticipation. Even though they had seen a 3-D computer rendering of what everything would look like, it still couldn’t match the real thing. There was no substitute for walking in each room. Nothing could compare to being able to touch the fabric of the furniture and sitting in the chairs or couches or lying on the beds. When they entered the front entrance, they were overwhelmed. Everything just popped. As they walked through the house, each room was more amazing than the last one. Eleonora and her team of designers were artists in their own right. By the time they were done touring their villa, Devon felt like a cheap bastard with only giving a 10,000 Euro bonus. There was even food in the pantry and the refrigerator. The house was move-in ready, down to new toothbrushes and toothpaste, toilet paper. You name it Eleonora had thought of it. All they had to do was bring their clothes and their cherished items, such as albums and the like.
By the time Eleonora left the couple, Devon and Jennie were too tired to go back to their apartment for their clothes and personal items. So they decided to spend one more night at the old apartment. They figured a good night’s sleep would help to make the move less odious. After he finished up at work and Jennie finished her classes for the day, they packed up their clothes and personal items and Spot’s food, bowls, and toys, and of course Spot over to their new place. To make the move less traumatic for Spot, Devon, and Jennie decided to give him some time to get used to his new house before they introduced him to his new companion, the Ovcharka puppy.
The next day Jennie picked up the cashier’s check from their bank and delivered it to Eleonora’s office on the way to her law school. Eleonora was speechless when she saw the amount the check was for. She thanked Jennie profusely.
Jennie only had a couple of one-hour classes today, so she was going to stop by a U-Haul store to get some boxes for their move after she was finished.
When she arrived home, Jennie grabbed a quick bite to eat and then started packing her clothes and stuff. Jennie and Devon had both kept their items to a minimum because they knew their stay at the apartment wouldn’t be long-term. Once they got a house, they could start accumulating more personal stuff. Since their apartment was fully furnished and they had accumulated few personal items during their stay in Rome, they didn’t need any help moving. Besides, all their stuff would most likely fit in their SUV. When Devon arrived home from work, he immediately started packing up his belongings. Like Jennie, it only took him a short amount of time to pack up his stuff. Once he was finished boxing everything up, he sat down and grabbed a quick sandwich while Jennie sat with him and kept him company. She was so excited about their new place, she never stopped chattering. When Devon finished his sandwich, Jennie packed up the rest of the kitchen items and food, while Devon loaded their SUV with all their boxes. After the boxes were placed in the back of the SUV, he laid their hanging clothes on top of them, so that they wouldn’t get wrinkled. After the boxes and hanging clothes had been placed in the SUV, there was no more room, so the kitchen items and leftover food had to be loaded into their car. When everything was packed into their vehicles, they both made a walk-through to see if there was anything that they had missed. It turned out the only thing they had missed was their alarm clock.
The Vatican had told them to leave the keys on the kitchen table when they had finished, as they had spare keys at their housing office. Jennie had finished packing well before Devon had arrived home, so she took the opportunity to vacuum and clean up the apartment a bit. The housing manager had said that it was unnecessary to clean up their apartment, and Jennie felt self-conscious about leaving a mess behind. She didn’t want Devon’s co-workers to think that his wife was a slob. The unpacking went very quickly, and soon they were all settled in. Spot adapted to their new place much quicker than they thought he would. He was soon running all over the place. While he seemed to like having more room to get around in the villa, he enjoyed being in the outdoors even more. They purchased a HaloCollar 4-GPS Dog fence with two collars, one for Spot and the second one for their new dog, which they would soon be getting.
They say time flies when you are happy. This must be the case for Devon and Jennie, because time sure was passing by at what seemed like an accelerated rate. It was soon time to start Dante’s training. Devon had been doing some research on the dog training academies in and around Rome. Life Bound K9 Dog Training Academy seemed to be just the place that he was looking for. They came highly rated and, better yet, they weren’t exorbitantly expensive. While he had never quibbled about spending money for a quality product, it didn’t make sense to spend money unnecessarily either. Although the academy recommended that the training start as a puppy, Jennie couldn’t stand the thought of being separated from their little fur ball, and Devon hated to admit he felt the same way. Devon figured that the puppy’s first few months were important for bonding. The closer he became to Jennie, the more fiercely he would protect her if she were ever put in danger by an intruder or assailant. Therefore, it was agreed to wait till he was six months old before he started his training.
Well, that brings you, the reader, up to date with Devon and Jennie Howard’s lives.