T he Grand Hyatt Hotel on New Yorks storied 42nd Street had always been good luck to 34-year-old Jed Ardito. It was the logical place to book a room on April 28, 1993, for what he hoped would be a very special afternoon with the love of his life, Marie Daniele.
Despite all the troubles theyd had over their stormy four-year relationship, Jed wanted to bury the past and start anew. He now knew for sure what he wanted most in lifeMarie. Actually, he had known it for a long time. But he had blown it before, when she was so ready and willing to become his wife.
He had to convince her that this time he would not disappoint her. That this time they really would get married, have kids, and share a great life together.
But Marie would now need a lot of convincing. Before, when they were engaged, it was Jed himself who had his doubts. It was Jed who walked out on her. It was Jed who suddenly ran off and married someone else. It was Jed who left Marie alone to face her stunned parents and friends.
Now the tables had turned.
Now Marie, his precious Marie, who had always needed him and wanted him and loved him like no onebefore or since, was slipping away from him. And he couldnt let that happen. Despite what his friends advised him, and what Maries friends and family had advised her, Jed knew that they could be happy together. They didnt know Marie the way he did. They didnt know the very special relationship they shared; the things they did together; the special magic of their lovemaking. He wouldnt let her go. He couldnt.
But 24-year-old Marie Daniele had reached a turning point in her long, mercurial love affair with Jed.
I want to get on with my life, shed told Cara Levinson, her best friend, just a few days before. She had known Cara for only a few years, but they had become friends right from the start, and were now best friends. In Caras words, as soon as they met, they just clicked.
It was easy to see why. Both women were attractive, confident, and well on their way to becoming successful. And they both attracted men easily.
They had gone to a nail salon to have their nails done together. And, of course, to talk. And they talked about a lot of things, not just Jed, the way it had been so often before.
Cara felt good about Marie finally coming to her senses. As her closest friend, Cara knew that there was something destructive and dangerous about that relationship. It was so good to hear Marie talk of other things, and other people besides Jed.
Theres someone new I met, Marie confided to Cara. A really nice guy. Named Michael.
Finally, Cara thought. Is he someone who respects you, and treats you like you should be treated?
Marie flashed a big smile, and Cara smiled too. She felt relieved and happy for her friend. Cara had never made any secret of her dislike of Jed. He had hurt herdearest friend and the quicker Marie was rid of him the better.
But everyone who knew Jed and Marie also knew that their relationship would not die easily, or peacefully. There was lots of love thereperhaps too much. But there was also plenty of hurt and anger and resentment.
In a way, they were lovers who had been married for many stormy years, and were now going through a bitter and vindictive divorcewhich both were afraid of. They feared the peace and boredom that might result.
But Marie had passed the point of no return with Jed. She was not quite ready to stop seeing him completely, but she was determined to one day be free of him.
Marie had made her feelings known to Jed, by both actions and words. After all, hadnt she returned from a solo trip to Florida, to get an early start on her summer tan? A tan that wouldnt be for Jeds benefit.
Jed did not take kindly to Maries wanting to break up. He had discussed Marie often with a woman friend of his, Denise Marshall, whom hed met through business six years earlier. Denise had known Marie a long time, too, and knew how destructive their relationship had been. She also knew that Marie had reached a decision about Jed.
She wanted to break up, but he didnt want it to happen, Denise would later say. He told me that three or four times that month. He said she had called him many times to say she wanted to break up. But he did not want to stop seeing her.
As she had done in the past, Denise urged him to forget about Marie.
But Jed refused to go quietly into the night. The more Marie talked breakup, the more he talked marriage. After all, earlier in their relationship, wasnt marriage whatshed always wanted? As far as Jed was concerned, Marie was now just calling his bluff. What he didnt seem able to grasp was that things had changed. Marie didnt want him on any terms anymore.
Only a few Sundays before that fateful Wednesday afternoon of April 28, 1993, Jed had spent the afternoon with the Goldsteins in their house up in Westchester. Eric Goldstein was Jeds boss, and perhaps his closest friend. Eric had even named his son after Jed, despite the fact that it went against Goldsteins religion to name a child after someone who was still living.
As Jed and Eric talked that Sunday, the subject of Marie came up again, as it inevitably did. Im determined to marry her, Jed said.
Eric sighed. Hed had a ringside seat to their torturous romance right from the beginning. At times, when the hopelessness of the relationship was apparent to everyone but Jed and Marie, Eric had done what he could to break them up. He had encouraged Jed to marry Petra, and once he did, he thought that would be the end of Marie. He had fired Marie from the business that he and Jed then ran together; Eric didnt want her around to tempt Jed after he had married Petra. Eric had heard it all before.
But she doesnt want to marry you, Jed, does she? Come on, let it go, he urged him.
But Jed ignored Eric too. He ignored everyone when it came to Marie. No one knew Mariereally knew herthe way Jed did. He knew that in her heart of hearts she loved him the way she could love no one else. They were addicted to one anotherand he would do whatever was necessary to see that they would always be in one anothers lives.
The Grand Hyatt held good memories for both Jed and Marie. In happier moments, they used to have lunch there, at the Sun Garden Grill, stealing time from their busy schedules.
Few couples would find anything romantic about the Grand Hyatt. Its a 1,200-room, behemoth of a hotel, which throbs with business travelers, conventioneers wearing plastic name tags, and tour groups clustered over their luggage like bees around a hive.
Under its four-story atrium, the length and width of a football field, are groves of potted plants and an incongruous two-story waterfall that barely manages to drown out the cacophony of street noise that leaks in from the street. Everywhere there is glass and brass and shiny marble surfaces. The scene looks more like an Atlantic City casino than a hotel; co-owner Donald Trump had left his indelible mark. It is hard and glitzy and impersonal, a place to rush through.
But Jed loved the Grand Hyatt. For one thing, it was handy. His businesssuppling temporary office workers to companies with the occasional need for additional secretarial and computer helpmeant that he had to be near Grand Central Station, which is right under the Hyatt. Many temporary-help agencies are clustered in the areaGrand Central is easy to reach for the thousands of secretaries, clerks, typists, and computer operators who are forced to, or who chose to, work as temps. Most subway lines connect here. And the Metro North lines from Westchester and Connecticut terminate here. Grand Central, and the Hyatt, were ground zero for Jed Ardito. It was where the action was.
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