Against the Tide (27 page)

This amused Caroline. ‘On the rare occasions we eat together, we hardly speak as it only leads to arguments. Last night was an exception.'

‘What happened?' Saul asked.

‘I'll tell you later. You finish your story first.'

‘Anyway, my parents are obsessed with diamonds. They want me to join one of my uncles in London when I've finished school, learn the trade properly.'

‘Will you? I thought you were like Jack, obsessed with stuffy old Shakespeare.'

‘And so I am but that subject is
verboten
in front of you.'

‘Saul,
du gehst mir auf den Sack
.'

‘
Ich fresse einen Bessen –
'

‘Hey! Stop it, you two.'

She poked her tongue out. ‘He started it.'

‘Did I fuck. She called me something rude.'

‘Calm down. I didn't realise you both spoke German.' That explained a lot about Rudi.

‘You speak French, we don't, so have a conversation with yourself if you want.' Saul spun a diamond on the table. ‘Do you want to hear the rest?'

We nodded.

‘All I do know is that our family has been in gems and diamonds for a couple of generations and we can't afford to upset De Beers.'

‘Why? It's just business, isn't it?' I asked.

‘With that much money involved it goes way beyond business. De Beers are very defensive.' He paused. ‘Even with your limited cadet force training, you can tell us the best method of defence is…'

‘Attack.'

‘Exactly. And that's what they do. They don't just guard their assets, they seek out their enemies and… deal with them.'

‘How?'

‘They don't usually leave evidence. Let's just say they neutralise them.'

‘As in murder them?'

‘Impossible to prove but no one in the diamond trade would be foolish enough to enquire. Now, are you going to tell me about your dinner party and what all this is about?'

Before she could start, I had some questions for him. ‘Do the initials SGB and the name Forminiére mean anything to you?'

‘Ah, the Belgian connection you mentioned. SGB is the Société Générale Belgique and I believe Forminiére is one of their larger mines. De Beers has a majority stake and controls production through the Diamond Trading Company. It's even got a registered office in Jersey. Next time you're in Hill Street, check those brass plates outside the lawyers' offices.'

‘What about these, Saul?' Caroline didn't like being upstaged. She dug into her pocket and scattered the diamonds onto the table.

Saul gasped, picked up a couple then hurried out of the room.

‘What are we going to do about this?' I whispered.

‘I don't know. Let's see what he says about them.'

He returned with an eyepiece. ‘This is a jeweller's loupe, twenty times magnification. I'm no expert but I think I can tell the quality of these. My uncle could tell you the origin as well.' He examined a few at random.

‘Excellent. These are the best. Top of the hardness scale. You can tell by how the crystals are aligned. How many did you say there were?'

I answered. ‘We didn't but I reckoned each crate weighed over half a hundred-weight. Deduct the weight of the crate and packing, that leaves about fifty pounds of diamonds.'

He whistled. ‘If they are all of this quality then it's quite a horde. Four crates you say, that's 200 pounds. Must be over 400,000 carats. Enough to keep the Nazi's in production for a few –'

Caroline interrupted. ‘No one mentioned Germans.'

‘I may be Jewish but I'm not stupid. Germany is desperate for industrials. That's where the money is. No one dares sell directly to the Nazis so the market is open for chancers like your father and his friends.'

She considered for a moment. ‘Okay, so he's dealing with Germans. These are only a sample though. If I'm right, they were discussing shipping a whole lot more.'

‘It's a long way from the Congo. It's on the west coast of Africa, only a small frontage onto the Atlantic. Probably steamer to Lisbon, they're leaning towards the Nazis so no questions asked there. Onward to Belgium or straight to Germany.' He paused in his musing. ‘That's the catch. Can't use the direct route. Too obvious and not enough profit. Some middlemen needed. A trading company registered here with proxy shareholders would be ideal. No tax or awkward questions. Not a De Beers subsidiary like DTC though. It would have to be something more opaque, probably a holding company. Perhaps not the one you mentioned, SGB, they're legit. That's your father's role I suppose, putting together some sort of deal –'

‘So what are they worth?' She sounded impatient.

‘Keep your wig on and I'll try to work it out. Let's see. This sort of quality purchased at source with cheap labour, probably less than two shillings a carat. Times 400,000 works out at about 40,000 pounds sterling. Germans would pay a minimum of three pounds per carat that's £1.2 million and a profit of £1,196,000 on this sample alone. Take away your shipping and handling costs, bribes, wastage, hired help, etc, and, whoever has stumped up the cash, is looking at a net profit of well over a million. Enough to kill for.'

We considered that in silence.

Suddenly the enormity of the transaction hit me.

‘Never mind the bloody profit, we can't let these get to Germany!' I shouted.

‘Don't be daft, Jack. My father's a bastard but we can't steal his diamonds.'

Was she dreaming of a better piano, a faster car, or had she just realised how big this was as well?

‘I don't mean steal them. We have to inform the authorities.'

Saul chortled. ‘Perhaps the authorities already know, perhaps there's a slice for them?'

‘You're right. It's none of our business though I would have thought, you in particular, would have wanted to stop Hitler getting hold of them,' I said.

‘Don't be naïve. If this deal fails, there are plenty of others willing to take the risk. Look at the rewards. Short of bombing the mines and blowing up the stockpiles, you're not going to stop Germany getting diamonds.'

‘Perhaps not, but I might be able to stop them getting
these
diamonds. Uncle Fred will know what to do. Even if he won't, I will –'

‘Stop. That's enough. This is our secret, remember. No one else must know.' Caroline grabbed my face, forced me to look at her. ‘Promise me, Jack.'

Her voice was calm but her eyes were full of worry.

‘I'm sorry but we have to stop this. We can't just let them get away with it.'

Her eyes moistened. She blinked furiously. ‘I trusted you. You can't betray me.'

Even though I'd had plenty of practise in the last few days, she was right. I couldn't. Then I thought of someone else who'd been betrayed and what had been done to her by the merciless bastards who would benefit from these diamonds. Caroline was right. It had to remain a secret, but only from her. Whatever I did, whoever I told, I must ensure she was protected from the truth.

I tried to look reassuring. ‘Don't worry. It will remain between us.'

She pulled me to her, clasped her arms around my neck and pressed her body tightly into mine. She stood on tiptoe, pressed her mouth to my ear. Her breath was cool.

‘Thank you.'

That familiar body promised so much again, shaped itself to mine. I couldn't stop my reaction but, as soon as she sensed it, she shifted her hips away and removed her arms.

‘I need time to think this through. Saul, be a dear and order me a taxi.' She bent down, scooped up her diamonds and thrust them back into her pocket.

‘Ask the driver to meet me at the Dicq. I need a walk.'

‘But, I can run you home. It's no –'

‘Thank you for the offer, Jack, but I can't think straight while I'm clinging on to you,' she said, ‘and you can't either.'

She followed Saul into the corridor where the phone was kept. She paused at the door. ‘I know this is difficult but you have to think it through as well.' She looked down as though she was engaged in an internal argument.

Apart from Saul's distant voice on the telephone, the apartment was silent. She was only feet away yet that enormous gulf was between us again.

Finally she looked up and directed her gaze at a point above my head. ‘Please don't read too much into what's happened between us today. Remember how easily you betrayed Rachel. Think about that before you break any more promises.'

Message so clearly delivered, it pinned me to the floor. She twisted away and hurried into the hall.

When Saul returned, I was still rooted to the spot.

He refilled his glass and offered me the bottle.

‘No thanks.'

‘“Well, here's another nice kettle of fish you've pickled me in!”
'
He raised his glass. ‘How are you going to get us out of this one?'

Like Caroline, I needed time to think. ‘I don't know but this isn't a film, we're not Laurel and Hardy, and I can't see a happy ending.'

‘You're going to tell your uncle, aren't you?'

‘I might. Don't worry, I'll keep you out of it.'

He tilted his head and emptied the glass. ‘Oh no you won't. Whatever you're plotting, count me in. It's as much my fight as yours.' He refilled my glass and thrust it at me.

This time, I accepted and waited until his was full.

‘
Le'chaim!'
I said.

‘Very good.
Prost!
Coupled with
Bumsen Sie Hitler
.' He sat down. ‘Now what are you thinking?'

‘What's the safest way to sabotage a boat's engines without leaving any trace?'

26

Tuesday

‘On the balcony – there.' I indicated behind me while trying to remain camouflaged in the dappled shade under a chestnut tree.

Malita glanced over my shoulder. ‘Yes, I see many men, standing. Who are they?'

‘The tall one on the far left, that's Kohler's uncle,' I whispered. I didn't want our interest noticed.

‘Who are the others?' Rachel hissed.

I'd arranged to meet Malita in the Royal Square during her lunch break from de Gruchys to report progress. To my surprise and discomfort, Rachel had appeared with her. My heart had almost stopped with embarrassment. I hadn't had the courage to face her since the evening of the dance. She looked tired and a trifle sad but didn't seem to be angry with me. I wondered why Malita had brought her. What had Rachel told her? Was she hoping to get us together again?

Rachel avoided more than the briefest eye contact but declared how pleased she was to escape from the steaming sweatshop of their workroom.

The group I had been following most of the morning had now been joined by some members of the States Assembly during their lunch break and were drinking outside on the shaded balcony of the United Club.

I didn't turn round. ‘The elderly one, in the navy pinstriped suit, is Jurat Hurel, vice president of the Finance Committee.'

‘Didn't you tell me that one of your relations was president of finance?' Rachel asked.

‘That's right, Mum's cousin, Ralph, though I've always called him Uncle. But he's not there. I wonder if he knows about Hurel.'

‘I recognise Hayden-Brown.' Rachel's tone implied she would rather spit on Caroline's father than merely spot him.

‘I've been following them since ten o'clock. I'm going to have some explaining to do tomorrow. I was supposed to be taking a swimming lesson for Martlew at the Palace.'

Earlier, I'd been called to the bursar's office and handed an envelope. The handwriting was Caroline's and my heart had jumped. I'd hurried into the corridor and ripped it open. Inside was a single sheet. “States Chamber. 10:00 today. That's all the help you get. Do not contact me again”. What had I expected?

I'd sent a message to the Latin master offering my apologies, changed into cream slacks and a plain white cotton shirt then borrowed a panama hat from Saul's locker. Slipping into town, I'd tried my best to look like a tourist as I headed for the square.

‘They're moving,' Rachel murmured. ‘It looks as though a waiter is calling them to their seats.' She ducked her head. ‘Don't turn around. One of them is standing at the balcony looking our way.' She dropped down, tugging Malita with her, and pretended to be looking for something on the granite flagstones.

‘Is all right. He has gone.' Malita stood and smiled at me. ‘You have done well. Fred will be pleased.'

‘Yes, but how do I get the photographs of the two new ones from the bank? I can't waltz in and start taking snaps while they're eating, now can I?'

‘Malita and I could go up there and have a drink, admire the view and take some shots with them in the background.'

‘Unfortunately, Rachel, the United Club is men only and wouldn't let you in even if you were someone's guest.'

Malita snorted. ‘How very British.' Then her face split with a broad smile. ‘That is the weakness.'

‘What do you mean, weakness?' Rachel asked.

‘The British don't see the servants, no?'

‘No, I mean yes. You're right, Malita. But how does that help.'

She tapped her nose. ‘Give me small camera.' She reached out as I removed it from my trouser pocket. She stood up, patted down her dress and walked towards the side entrance of the United Club.

Rachel and I watched as she rang the bell and waited outside. A short man in brown overalls answered and listened to her. He seemed to be shaking his head but then shrugged and disappeared inside.

Minutes later a man wearing a short white coat appeared and greeted Malita with a hug and kisses on both cheeks. There was much gesticulating and more kisses before he went back into the club. Malita returned with an even broader smile on her face.