Royal Heist (14 page)

“Only the business of buying the stuff. I have no other investments. Daddy was a Russian Jew. He arrived in the States with a couple of rubles to his name and opened a hardware store. When Wall Street crashed, he made his fortune because he had hard cash. Lesson in life, that. He was always paranoid that he would lose his fortune, so he invested in things like this.” She lifted her thin, freckled hand with its red-painted nails and withdrew a fine platinum chain from beneath her gown. Attached to it was a pendant with a single, stunning diamond. “Liz Taylor owns one just like it. What do you think?”

“I’m awestruck,” he said softly. “Aren’t you taking a risk wearing it?”

“Nope, I’ve got my protection.” She turned and pointed to a small square-chested man in an ill-fitting evening suit. “He’s never far from me. He’d spring into action if you tried to rip it from my neck.” She opened her top to let the stone drop back between her silicone-enhanced breasts and laughed. “I had them lifted so they could carry the weight of it.” She picked up her tumbler and sipped. “I can spot a fake. Vibekka’s is Moissanite. It might glitter like the real McCoy, but it wouldn’t pass a double refractive test.”

“What’s that?” De Jersey asked.

“Well, honey, when you look at a diamond, tilt it. Look for the light that’s refracted through it, and if it’s a real diamond it’ll shine in one straight line. Now, with a fake or a Moissanite you tilt it and it’s got two lines. It’s something every gem dealer does without thinking. Vibekka is saying to me that this necklace she’s wearing is worth a fortune, so she hands it to me in the ladies’ room!” She laughed. “The bracelet she’s wearing is a nice piece, and real stones—but I’ve never been an emerald woman.” Norma downed her drink and stood up. “She’s working the room trying to sell her husband’s wares. She took that necklace off faster than a whippet the minute I showed some interest, but I won’t be buying it.”

Her bodyguard swayed in her direction.

“Nice talking to you, Edgar,” she said and strolled away, her minder dogging her heels.

De Jersey didn’t care that she had forgotten his name. What she said was swirling around in his brain. Could Dulay still be replacing diamonds with fakes?

De Jersey surprised Christina by insisting they stay to dance, although he didn’t spend much time on the floor with her. He chose instead to partner Norma, listening intently to her as they danced. She was delighted that she amused the handsome man and leaned closer to him. When she started to discuss Paul Dulay, de Jersey listened even more intently.

“Dulay’s the darling of society out here, but I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. My sister, God rest her soul, was at his Paris store. He tried to sell her a diamond and black pearl ring. That black pearl wasn’t out of any oyster. But he does do beautiful settings, and that wife of his is a pretty little thing. Costs a lot to keep but not as much as that floating gin palace she talked him into buying. Believe you me that thing costs!” Norma didn’t stop to draw breath, and de Jersey didn’t try to halt the flow.

“You got on well with that awful American woman,” Christina said as she cleansed her face.

“She was delightfully crude,” de Jersey said.

“What on earth did you two have so much to talk about?”

“Horses,” he said flippantly.

“She looked like one,” Christina replied testily.

De Jersey washed his face.

“I had to listen to Vibekka for hours. I’d forgotten how self-centered she is. Her guest hardly said a word. Then you danced more than I’ve ever known you to dance before with that raddled old woman.”

“She’s not that old, sweetheart. She’s probably my age.”

“She’s seventy-two!” Christina exclaimed. “What are you laughing at?” she snapped.

“That she’s seventy-two, and if I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were jealous!”

“No, darling, I am not jealous. But I hate to be left sitting like a fool.”

“You wanted to go, not me.”

“Maybe I’m just fed up because you had such a good time and I didn’t. I didn’t win anything, and I paid a fortune for those tickets. I noticed Vibekka and Julian never opened their wallets. I just don’t understand her. They’re obviously not short of cash. I don’t like people taking advantage.”

“What’s a few raffle tickets?” he said.

“It’s more. When we went shopping Vibekka said she’d lost her card and I ended up putting all the things she bought on my credit card.”

“Christ, not that sable coat?”

“No, that belongs to a friend, but she bought the dress, shoes, and some other things, and tonight when I asked her if she’d found her card, she changed the subject. Even though I told her we’re leaving in the morning.”

“You think they’re in financial difficulty?”

“It seems like it.”

He drew her close. “I can drop by the shop in the morning and sort it out. How would that be?”

“I’m sorry. It was nice to see her, but she did get a lot of money out of me. I don’t like feeling a fool.” She nuzzled his neck. “And with you chatting up a seventy-two-year-old crone with a plastic face and her dreadful prince checking out all the waiters, it’s no wonder I’m in a bad mood.”

Her foot stroked his; he turned to face her. “I’m exhausted. The last tango did me in.”

De Jersey felt her warmth as she slid down his body and started to kiss his thighs. He abandoned thoughts of Moissanite diamonds and Paul Dulay’s scams as he concentrated on making love to his wife.

Dulay was having a heated conversation on the phone with Vibekka, who had returned late after the ball. He had left for work the next morning before she was awake, so she had called him at the shop about repaying Christina. He had been happy to do so until she told him the amount owing.

“You’re kidding! After we just discussed cutting back?”

“I wanted to make an impression.”

“Well, forget it. You said they were loaded.”

“But they might be good customers. I’ll go to the bank and get some cash out. Which account should I use?”

“The mortgage one. I’ll sort it out later. But this has got to stop, sweetheart. Vibekka? Hello?”

She’d already hung up. He slammed down the phone just as the door buzzer sounded. He pressed the entry release without looking up.

“Trouble?” de Jersey inquired.

Dulay recognized his visitor and, paling, tried to avoid de Jersey’s eyes, busying himself with selections for the window display. “Is there anything you wanted to see?”

“Cut the bullshit,” de Jersey said softly.

Dulay’s lips tightened. “You won’t get me to change my mind.” He switched on the low lights for both displays, then locked the window. As he turned back, de Jersey flicked the switch to lock the front entrance.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dulay stuttered.

“Ensuring some privacy.” De Jersey strolled past the counter to the door of the small showroom. Dulay followed him in.

“Listen, if you’re worried about me opening my mouth to anyone, then you must know you can trust me one hundred percent. I mean, I wouldn’t be so foolish as to drop you in it, not after all you’ve done for me in the past.” Dulay was nervous now.

De Jersey sat down. “I’m interested in a bracelet for my girlfriend. She likes emeralds.”

Dulay began to relax. “I’ve got a beauty. It’s expensive, but high-quality stones, matching diamonds, beautiful emerald links. I designed it myself. Or there’s a ruby link with sapphires and pearls.”

“Can I see the first?”

Dulay left the room, returning soon with a large, flat leather case, which he laid on the desk.

De Jersey opened it and lifted out the bracelet. Dulay passed him a jeweler’s eyeglass and turned on a high-beam spotlight. De Jersey studied it. “Very nice.” He glanced at the necklace and earrings also in the leather case.

“What about the necklace?”

“That’s not for sale. It belongs to an Italian couple, ditto the earrings. The pieces are in for an evaluation. Only the bracelet’s for sale.”

“They’re fakes, aren’t they? Unlike this piece,” said de Jersey.

“You are mistaken!”

De Jersey sat down. “I met someone last night who is on to you. I know you’re switching stones. I wanted to tip you off to be careful.”

Dulay rubbed his head.

“You don’t need to be doing that kind of shit. Why are you getting so greedy? I’ve got to look out for myself here too. I mean, they pick you up on one thing and they might dig backwards.”

Dulay opened a pack of Gauloises cigarettes. “It was just a couple of times. Some of these rich bitches don’t know what they’ve got on. But you’re right, it’s stupid to take that kind of risk.”

“Must be easy pickings,” de Jersey said. “Come on, though, it’s not just the odd one, is it, Paul? Is that how you work your business? You value the piece and replace a stone or two. Then, because of your reputation, the owner is unlikely to have it revalued and is therefore none the wiser. Correct?”

“Listen to me,” Dulay said. “I run a legitimate business. Like I said, it’s just the odd stone here and there.”

“You must have built up a lot of trust to be so popular. But that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Trust.”

Dulay remained silent as de Jersey continued. “I won’t meddle in your private deals, but I could cause you a lot of trouble.”

“And I could do the same for you,” Dulay said angrily. He had found the courage to stand up to the man he still knew only as Philip Simmons.

De Jersey sighed. “How?” he said coolly.

“You know damned well, so stop this bullshit. I will not be drawn into this robbery by your threats because, although you may have something on me, I’ve got just as much on you. The gold bullion is only the beginning.”

De Jersey sat back in the swivel chair. “Are you threatening me?”

“No more than you are me.”

“Don’t take me on. You’ll lose. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Try it and see,” Dulay said, blustering now.

“No, but you have to straighten out, Paul. I’m not pressuring you to do anything. All I am doing is making sure I feel one hundred percent certain you’ll keep your mouth shut. Stop what you’re doing with these fake jewels, because I can’t afford any worries where you’re concerned.”

“My financial difficulties are not going to make me blab about your criminal activities.”

“Oh, so it’s money problems, not just greed?”

“Things are a bit tight,” Dulay said, “and I don’t want to lose this buyer I’ve got, a billionaire Japanese gem dealer. He’s too big and lucrative a fish not to provide the goods for.”

“Asks no questions, huh?”

“Precisely.” Dulay sucked on his cigarette. “Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m still not interested in your proposal. I’ve just got into a bit of difficulty, that’s all. It’s called divorce, and my new wife, the one I’m crazy about, spends money like it grows on trees. She also talked me into buying that fucking boat with that French twat Julian. It’s the size of Versailles, and it took every franc I had to refurbish it. Now we can’t sell it because we still owe the shipbuilders, and nobody wants to charter it.” He sighed, then shrugged his wide shoulders and stood up. “Maybe things will pick up in the summer. I hope to God they do.” He was pacing up and down.

“Sit down, Paul.”

Flushed with anger, Dulay reminded himself that he was not going to be cajoled into something as risky as Simmons was proposing. He remained silent as his old partner in crime toyed with a gold Cartier pen that was lying on the desk. Then he twirled the bracelet on his index finger and slipped it into his top pocket. “I’ll take this in lieu of all the worry you’ve caused me,” he said. “No hard feelings. And don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. Like you said, we’re bound to each other in many ways. Love me or hate me, we’re shackled together for life.”

Dulay didn’t say anything about the bracelet. “Why are you attempting this robbery? It’s insane.”

“Because, like you, I’m hurting for cash, and after years of legitimate work I’m not prepared to go under. It goes without saying that I won’t take any foolish risks. And since I do not intend to be caught, I will take every precaution to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”

Dulay interlocked his fingers. “You always did take great care. You using the same team again?”

“Yes. No one will take any undue risks, and everyone will be paid handsomely. After all, the Colonel has always been fair.”

“I know all that,” Dulay said, flushing. “I didn’t mean some of the stuff I just said. You know I’d never put you or Driscoll—” Dulay stopped.

De Jersey leaned forward, so close that Dulay flinched. “You had better forget that name, Paul, but you can give me one. Who’s this Japanese buyer? Tell me more about him.”

“No way.”

“If he’s buying anything you throw his way, he may be interested in what I might have to offer.”

“I don’t want to risk getting on the wrong side of him. I don’t ask him too many questions, and he isn’t interested in the finer details of what I sell. If I start passing his name around, he’s not gonna like it, and I don’t want to end up in the river with my hands cut off.”

De Jersey raised an eyebrow.

“I mean it,” Dulay said. “He comes to Paris a couple of times a year, that’s it.”

“What about London?”

“I don’t know.” Dulay closed his eyes, and his voice dropped to a low, hoarse whisper. “Don’t do this to me. Please don’t draw me in.” Beads of sweat were forming at the edge of his receding hairline. Then he licked his lips. “Look, I can’t promise, but when I see him next—”

“Not good enough,” de Jersey said. “I need his name and a contact number.”

Dulay sighed. He opened his desk drawer and took out a crocodile leather box edged in gold. He pulled out a card and passed it over. “He’s a computer giant. His company’s worth billions.”

“He buy any of your gold items?” de Jersey asked softly.

Dulay flushed, then nodded. “That’s his box number and e-mail address. I don’t have a direct phone number.”

De Jersey glanced at the card. He slipped it into his wallet and took out one of his own before he stood up. “Good. Now I know I can trust you. And I’m sure you don’t have to worry about Mr. Kitamo. You’ve been dealing with him for long enough. Did he approach you, or the other way round?”