The Secrets of Ice Cream Success Read Online Free Page A

his position
slumped over the desk.
    ‘ Because that
would be too boring for the lawyers. Now, here’s the crunch...’
Randy said, sliding the document back in front of Carlo and handing
him a pen, but at that moment the office door slammed open behind
him and a dripping wet umbrella entered the office followed by a
large man in a long black waxed coat and a rather battered top
hat.
    ‘ Ah, Randolph.
How good to see you.’ wheezed the man with a sound like there was
lump of phlegm rattling in his throat. Carlo looked on in surprise
as the uninvited guest shook his umbrella on the floor and removed
is hat, all the while a suspicion that he had seen this man before
arose, but he just couldn’t remember where.
    ‘ Haverton?’
Replied Randy, somewhat in shock. ‘How did… err… why… err… what are
you doing here?’
    ‘ No need to be
so flustered my dear boy, I come with good news… but, who is this?’
the gentleman said, looking beyond Randy to Carlo still slumped in
his father’s chair. Carlo looked the man up and down, noticing how
old-fashioned his clothes were and feeling slightly nauseated by
the gurgling sound every time he spoke.
    ‘ My, my… this
can’t be young Carlo can it?’ Randy nodded an affirmative but still
looked a little disconcerted. ‘Well, well. What a nice surprise.’ A
queasy grin spread across the man’s face.
    ‘ Excuse me.
Who are you and what do you want?’ Carlo asked, jumping into the
question gap that was currently being left by Randy.
    ‘ I, young man,
am Haverton Hill, owner of Hill’s Confections. You will have heard
of us, of course.’ he intoned with obvious delight at his own
grandeur.
    ‘ Err… no.’
Carlo lied, finally recognising the old man and immediately
disliking him. ‘What do you do?’
    Haverton Hill’s grin slipped a
little as he stared at Carlo for a second weighing up his answer
before seeming to think better of it and turning to address Randy.
‘Randolph. As I understand it Leodoni’s is now yours. I wish to
make you an offer.’
    ‘ Well, err…
not quite Haverton, the papers haven’t been signed yet. In fact we
were just about to sign them.’
    ‘ Ah, good,
good.’ beamed Mr Hill, looking not in the least surprised that he
had been incorrect about the current ownership. ‘You know, boy.’ he
continued, grin back in place and addressing Carlo once more, ‘This
is a very shrewd move. More shrewd than ever your father
was.’
    ‘ Excuse me?’
Carlo asked, sitting up a little straighter in the
chair.
    ‘ Well, your
father was, how shall I put it, a very good ice cream maker, but a
terrible ice cream seller. He lacked the business acumen. So, of
course, if you are anything like him, as I imagine you are, you do
the right thing to refuse ownership. I imagine you would only make
matters worse.’
    ‘ What matters
worse? What are you talking about?’ Carlo asked feeling both
patronised and angry at this man’s disrespect to his
father.
    ‘ You wouldn’t
understand, my boy. It’s a grown up matter. Perhaps you would like
to continue? I believe you were about to sign the
papers?’
    ‘ What’s he
talking about Uncle Randy?’ Carlo said, ignoring Mr
Hill.
    ‘ Erm, I’m not
sure,’ Randy said looking between them. ‘Haverton, you mentioned an
offer? I’m confused. Did you mean… for Leodoni’s?’
    ‘ Of course, of
course… I was under the impression that the documents had all been
finalised but I suppose I can wait a few more minutes.’
    ‘ Why don’t you
just make the offer to me?’ Carlo asked standing up to stare at the
much larger man.
    Haverton looked at the boy once
more but this time the smile had vanished completely. ‘Because,’ he
said with a bite in his words, ‘I would rather do business with
someone whom I am able to discuss matters as an equal; or at the
very least with Randolph here. I do not mean to squander my time
talking business with a child and certainly not the child of Luigi
Leodoni. Now I