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Camellia Room after he and Jared left to go hunt for Heifer .
    â€œAnyway, I’ve got that painting insured,” Mrs. Potts told Walt. “As long as I’m covered once I took it off Sanderson property. I probably shoulda checked that.”
    â€œI’m going to call George Fogle, my friend who works at Sotheby’s!” Holly announced. “He knows everything about art. He also knows tons about art thieves! George will probably be able to solve this crime with, like, three text messages and an Instagram post.”
    â€œOkay,” said Mrs. Potts. “But don’t cancel the party on my account.”
    Just then, a tall man with a gleaming bald head appeared in the doorway, a wooden crate full of feathered dead ducks in his muscly arms.
    He wore a tight white T-­shirt, skinny black leather pants, and gold earrings. His biceps were bedecked with depictions of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Roman Forum, and additional tattooed landmarks of his native land.
    â€œThe party is guaranteed to be amazing!” shouted the new arrival in a heavily accented voice. “Because I, Chef Gianni Brunello, star of my own Food Network show, am gonna cater your Tomato Party!”

 
    Chapter 3
    C HEF G IANNI WAS followed by small group of white-­clad cooks and staff members, who he directed toward the club’s kitchen. Walt, sensing he’d lost control of the situation, took off with Jared and Ronnie to do another search for Heifer in the rambling building, while Gianni held court, giving effusive greetings and hand kisses to Holly and Sophie.
    He’d flown in to surprise Holly, he explained, since he’d suddenly found himself with a week off from his new restaurant venture and Food Network gig.
    â€œGianni, this is the club’s chef, Skipper Parnell,” Holly said politely as she introduced the two men. Skipper, a compact, onetime high school soccer star, is friendly with Bootsie’s brothers from years of prep school competitions. Skipper went to culinary school ten years back, and after working in several high-­end Philly restaurants, joined the club’s staff the previous year. He’d quickly become a favorite for his deft hand with things like just the right amount of tarragon in the chicken salad, and fun theme nights featuring fondue and burger bars.
    Skipper, who’s pretty cute if you’re into sporty, muscly guys who can cook, gave Gianni a friendly hello and handshake.
    â€œSkipper, this is so last minute and I hope you won’t hate me, but I’d forgotten that Gianni offered to do the food for the Tomato Show. That was months ago, before he got his own TV series!” Holly explained.
    I remembered Holly telling me that Gianni had sat down at dinner with her and Howard one night at his Bryn Mawr restaurant before he began his California Food Network gig, and that the chef had bragged that he’d show the country club crowd what real Italian food was at her party. Naturally, she’d figured this was bullshit and that Gianni would never show up—­but here he was, ready to cook.
    Actually, the timing seemed a little strange.
    â€œI not gonna let you down, Holly Jones, you gorgeous girl!” Gianni told her. “Although, to be honest, I’m too famous to be doing this party, but Gianni gets bored if he’s not busy!”
    â€œSo, and this will obviously be the newest trend in party planning, we can have you both catering the event,” Holly told Skipper and Gianni.
    â€œHey, man, welcome,” Skipper said politely to Gianni. “Of course, we’d love to have you help out Saturday night in the kitchen.”
    â€œGianni is celebrity chef with tons of awards,” said the Italian chef. “Gianni don’t ‘help.’ ”
    Skipper’s too polite to complain, but he looked upset as he disappeared through the kitchen’s swinging double doors. It had to be a bitter blow to have been