Funny Business - Chapret 8, Setting the Trap

by

Samantha Michelle Davies (SamanthaMD)

As promised, a few days later, the Dean called Charlie to let him know the decision.

“Great news”, said Charlie when he closed his phone.

“They agreed then?” replied Liz slightly disinterested.

“Just as we predicted”

“Great. Now all we need is a student to go along with this”

“The Dean says he has someone in mind”

“Did he say why they were dropping out?”

“Yeah. Money or the lack thereof plus the lack of jobs for the graduates”

“Sounds good to me”

“He is going to email the details later today”

*

The following Monday, they met the student.

2>

“Yaroslav Chiles?”

“That’s me,” said the student sitting in the Pub not far from the college.

“Hi. I’m Liz and this is Charlie”

“Pleased to meet you” he said offering his hand.

“Can we get you another pint?”

“Sure. Stella please”

Charlie went to get their drinks while Liz slid into the booth.

“Did the Dean outline our proposal”?

“Yeah. I think I get it. Some guy is ripping off students design as his own. Neat if you can get away with it”

“Yes. Got it in one”

“Did you want my designs? They really aren’t all that good. I’m more into textiles I’m afraid. Bit of a bummer that. I chose the wrong options and can’t afford to come back next year to do the right things”

“What if we were able to make that possible? The money side of things I mean?”

“Sounds Cool”

Just then Charlie returned with three pints. Two of ‘Pride’, one of ‘Stella’.

As he sat down, Liz said.

“I’ve been outlining the deal. Yaroslav here seems agreeable in principle”

“That is great news”

“Hey, you are an American. How are you in on this?”

Liz smiled but it was Charlie who answered.

“We work for an American Magazine. I’m one of their lawyers and Liz here is on the Fashion side”

“I don’t trust Lawyers. They are the only people to gain from other’s dispair.”

Charlie smiled.

“I’m not that sort of Lawyer. I’m a corporate lawyer. Contracts and that sort of stuff. Which is why we are prepared to back the offer with a contract so that everything is clear on both sides”

“What do I really have to do here?”

Liz took a large gulp of the beer.

“What you have to do is not drop out of the year. Then you have to use a set of designs that we’ll provide as your own work in the hope that they get ripped off. In return, you will get your tuition fees for next year paid plus a sum of money to be agreed upon”

“But I’m ripping off someone else’s work as well?”

“Not if the designer gives you written permission”

“What about the college? What if they find out? They’ll kick me out in not time flat.” He said forgetting that the Dean was in on the deal.

“The Dean will be a signatory to the contract. If they know what’s going on then they can hardly object can they? Besides, there is no monetary risk to them”

“What if the designs I’m given to use are crap? Then there is little chance of them being ripped off”

“As you put it so eloquently, there is a chance that they could be crap. Why don’t you take a peek at one of two and make up your mind”

“Fair enough”, said Yaroslav wiping some beer foam from his top lip.

Liz opened her briefcase and pulled out three folded pieces of paper.

“Please take a look and let us know what you think”, said Liz as she pushed the papers over the table.

Yaroslav spent almost five minutes going over them before he said another word.

“Well, they aren’t crap. Pretty good actually but a little dated for here & now”

Liz’s heart dropped.

“Can they be updated?”

“With a bit of work yes. I’d need to work with the designer though”

Charlie smiled.

He finished the rest of his pint and stood up.

“I’d best leave you two to it then. I think I’ll head for the gym”

Then he was gone.

“I don’t quite follow?”

“I’m the designer. I was a student at the college a number of years ago. I didn’t finish my course”

“Fuck. You could have told me before I said what I did”

Liz smiled.

“Don’t worry about that. You are perfectly correct in your observations. That is why I spent most of the weekend updating them”

Yaroslav looked relieved.

“Why don’t you finish your beer and we can go back to where we are staying and we can get to work. Unless of course you have something else you would rather be doing?”

“We have to agree the contract. Shouldn’t that be done first?”

“Charlie will be joining us in a couple of hours. I’m sure you two can sit down then and sort out the money. Then the two of you can take it to the Dean tomorrow. If he agrees it then we are all set. How does that sound?”

“Fair enough”

Half an hour later, Liz was showing Yaroslav her updated designs.

“These are much more relevant. They are actually quite good”

“Thanks. Do you think you can pull of the stunt?”

“What about lying about my failure and all that?”

“Yes”

He smiled.

“It’s not really a lie anymore but yes. Everyone on the course knows I’m about to quit. All the really talented people already have jobs lined up. There are a few of us who are in the same boat as me”

“Would changing to textile design offer a better chance of a job?”

“Certainly. It is what my parents hoped for. They run a small mill in Croatia but I rebelled and wanted to be a designer. That did not work out very well”

“Your English is very good”

“I was born here. My parents left Croatia before I was born and went back a few years ago to take over the family business. They always need a designer to work with the customers. That is the ‘get out of jail free card’.”

“What would you do if you dropped out?”

“I work in a bar part time. Maybe I could do that”

Liz laughed.

When she had recovered, Yaroslav asked.

“What is so funny about that?”

Liz replied grinning.

“Been there. Done that. Got the ‘T’ shirt. It is a dead end. It took a lot of luck for me to get out of that”

“I get the message. Thanks for the warning”

There was a moments pause as they both prepared to get down to business.

“Now that you’ve seen my designs, do you think you can make these up for the show? I can let you have about half of the ‘collection’ that could be updated”

He smiled when he heard the last part.

“I think so.”

He sat for a few minutes thumbing through the designs.

“There is quite a lot here. But how will you prove that they are yours? In the end this is what it is all about?”

“They will be photographed and then secured out of harms way. All this will be witnesses and verified by some people with impeccable credentials. Then they will be notarised along with a copy of the contract. Don’t worry; Charlie has been very thorough in making that part of the plan solid. It really depends upon the agent of the rip off merchant. They might not take the bait. That is the risk we are taking.”

“But I’ll still get paid even if they don’t?”

“Oh yes. It will be in the contract. If you play your part then that is all we can ask of you”

“Great.”

He continued thumbing through the designs.

“I’m going to need some help”

He pulled one design to the top.

“This one for instance. I am not very good with Leather. It is not my favourite material.”

“Would I do as an assistant?”

Yaroslav laughed.

“Why didn’t I think of that?”

Charlie appeared on the scene a while later clutching the draft contract in his hand.

“Take this and read it through. It is pretty simple. Let us know tomorrow if everything is ok?” said Charlie handing him a document.

“How will I let you know?”

“The last page contains all the contact information you will need”

Yaroslav looked at the last page.

“It’s got the Dean’s name on here. You weren’t kidding”

“Yes. As we have said all along, he has bought into this thing and has other contacts he can use if needed.”

Then Liz spoke up.

“I’m going to be helping Yaroslav make up some of the clothes”

Charlie looked disappointed.

“While we can stay here, it is hardly fair to turn Bills London Pad into a garment factory” said Liz in a matter of fact way.

“So you’d like me to find somewhere for you guys to work for a couple of months?”

Charlie smiled and replied very tongue in cheek.

“And to think I spent all those hours studying law to become a realtor. Oh the comedown” he feigned.

Liz added.

“I’m sorry Yaroslav. Charlie here does over play the melodrama a bit at times”

“It’s ok. My sister is at Drama School. That was nothing compared to some of her antics as a teenager.”

Then he added,

“The flat next to mine is empty. Why not see if that is suitable and available?”

“Where is it?”

“Over the River. Not far from the Elephant”

Liz laughed.

“That’s where I lived when I was a student”

“What’s this Elephant you keep mentioning?” asked Charlie.

“The Elephant & Castle.” Came the reply from both Liz & Yaroslav.

*

[Two months later]

“Well, that’s it Liz. Everything is finished” said a very tired buy happy Yaroslav.

“And with a week to spare”

“Yes. I’m glad that’s over”

“I think we deserve a break”

“Don’t you want to go back to New York to see Charlie? I know you miss him”

“He’s off with his family for a week. How about a trip to the country?”

“Whereabouts?”

“Leicestershire. Not that far away really”

“What’s up there?”

“Two very good friends of mine. One of which has an interest in this project”

“Who?”

“The Vice Chancellor of your College”

“Isn’t that Lord Hardcastle?”

“Yes. He’s a good friend of mine. I’m sure he’d like to meet you”

Yaroslav looked a bit disappointed.

“I think I might have to say no. I’d like to go and see my parents”

“That’s fine. Families come first”

“Sorry about that”

“No. I should probably have mentioned it earlier. Billy is keen to meet you. And Kat, his wife wants to see the clothes but I told her that she will have to come to the show”

[A month later]

Liz was still up in Leicestershire. Charlie had been over for a flying visit but was back in New York for a week when Liz’s phone rang.

“Hi Yaroslav. What’s up”?

She listened intently.

“That’s great news. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Then she dialled Jake.

“Hi Jake. I think we have liftoff!”

[Continued in part 9]