33. Antonio

Lucas, Cristiano, and Tavares, the head guard who is in charge of day-to-day security, are waiting for me in the vineyard behind my house. We’re going to walk the property and go over the security details for the upcoming events.

While security is always tight here, these kinds of events pose enormous risks because delivery people are in and out, not to mention the caterers and musicians, and all sorts of guests, some less savory than others.

Plus, Nikitin is still out there somewhere, with a boatload of cash that can buy a lot of things. He’s been staying one step ahead of Mikhail, and our efforts to track him from here have fallen flat.

“Let’s go, gentlemen. We have a lot of ground to cover.”

“I don’t know how much time you have, but the plan has a lot of detail. Would you prefer just the highlights?” Tavares asks.

I stop and turn to him. “No, I would not prefer just the highlights,” I say pointedly. “I want to know how you’re going to protect my family, our guests, and everyone who works here. Every detail.” And I want Cristiano and Lucas to hear it too, so we can be certain that everything possible is being done to avoid a problem.

“What’s the process for entering the premises?” I ask. Might as well start at the beginning.

“While security will be heightened, the process for visitors is similar to what we normally use,” Tavares explains. “It’s sound, and everyone’s familiar with it, which is a plus. I’ll be given a running list of names of anyone needing access.”

“Who is permitted to add to the list?” Cristiano asks.

“The three of you, of course. Senhora Daniela, and her staff.”

“Which staff, specifically?”

He nods and checks his notes. “Victor, Paula, and Lara.

“Menina Valentina,” he adds, “must go through Santi or Mia to add anyone to the list, as usual.”

“What about my mother?” I ask.

“That’s up to you, senhor.”

I’m not crazy about giving my mother carte blanche to have a bunch of old biddies in and out, but she’s going to want to visit with her friends while she’s in Porto, and it’s better if they do it here.

“She can add visitors. But every one of them has to abide by the rules. No one gets a pass. Regardless of who they claim to be.”

“I assure you there are no passes. We’ve done background checks on every supplier, as well as their employees. Any individuals we had concerns about were taken off the list and the company notified. Everyone will need to show identification at the gate.”

That’s all fine and good, but this is the same damn thing we do every day.

“I realize there’s an upside to staying close to our normal protocols, but there will be thousands more people coming through during the week. The last I heard, we’ll have over seven hundred and fifty guests here the night of the gala. That’s besides all the help. You better tell me you have something more, Tavares.”

He’s seems taken aback by my brusque manner, but the stakes are higher than usual this year. If he’s looking for someone to stroke his ego and tell him he’s beautiful, he should talk to his wife. Those are not my strengths.

“We have many more security measures that will be in place once the harvest activities begin. The number of guards will be quadrupled—at least. We’ll pull some from other locations, and everyone knows that if they call in sick, they better be on their deathbed. Along with uniformed personnel, we’ll have guards in plain clothes circulating through the individual events, and with Lucas’s help, we’re planning to install cameras in and around the tents.”

I glance at Lucas.

“My people will assist in monitoring the feeds,” he says. “And they’ll check the equipment throughout the day and evening to make sure it’s all working properly.”

Lucas’s people are well-trained and disciplined, as are Tavares’s guards, but they have better technological skills.

“Everyone will walk through a metal detector upon entering,” Tavares continues. “In addition, suppliers, like the catering staff, will be patted down, trucks gone over with metal-detecting devices, and we’ll have a couple of bomb-sniffing dogs for the week.”

“There will be a children’s event,” I say. “What’s the plan for that?”

Tavares nods. “Much the same. Although the parents all work for Huntsman, in some form or other, so I’m not overly concerned.”

I glare at him. “You get paid to be overly concerned.”

“That’s not what I—”

I hold up my hand to shut him up. “Figure out a way to keep security tight without scaring the kids half to death. It’s supposed to be fun for them.”

“We want it to be fun for everyone,” Tavares assures me. “And we’ve been working long hours to make that happen in a secure environment. My goal is that once people enter through the main gate, no one will notice the enhanced measures.”

Public events are always a huge security clusterfuck for everyone, but especially for Tavares, who bears the brunt of the responsibility. He’s a pro, and I’ve probably been harder on him than need be.

“I appreciate all the time and effort that’s gone into this. I’m sure you’ve had some sleepless nights.”

He chuckles. “Not yet. But they’re coming.”

I glance from Cristiano to Lucas. “Anything else?”

Lucas shakes his head.

“No,” Cristiano replies, “but we should meet again the day before the first event, to touch base.”

“I agree. You’re satisfied, Tavares?”

“Never,” he says. “But I’m pleased with what we’ve put together.”

“I am, too. But the truth is that no matter what we do, there are no guarantees.” It’s what keeps me awake at night.

“Indeed,” he says, soberly. “We’re minimizing the risk. We’ll get it low, but it’s impossible to get it to zero. The only way to do that is to cancel the events and lock down the place.”

Don’t tempt me.