Foregone Conclusion E-Book

Larry Darter

• Herausgeber: Fedora Press
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Foregone Conclusion is the fourth novel in the thrilling Malone Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers. If you like breathtaking action, laugh-out-loud humor, and a hint of romance, then you’ll love this edge-of-your-seat detective story. Over 15 years after the biggest diamond heist in U.S. history, the whereabouts of $68 million worth of the stolen gemstones remains a mystery. Are they hidden beneath the floorboards of an abandoned building somewhere? Were they sold to Arab princes on the down low? Or are the diamonds in some jewelry store's window the same ones stolen in 2003, laundered through middlemen until they were clean enough for a legitimate dealer to buy them? Los Angeles PI Ben Malone is good at finding things. Whether it be a missing person, a runaway child, a deadbeat ex-spouse, or hidden assets. When one of the stolen diamonds surfaces, the insurance company that swallowed the loss wants to hire Malone to answer those questions. Along with the case, they offer him the promise of a $500,000 bonus if he recovers the diamonds. But, even for Malone, recovering the loot from a 15-year-old diamond heist is no foregone conclusion. Kyle Murray, one of three men responsible for the heist, and the only suspect arrested for the crime did his time telling no one what happened to the missing diamonds. Fifteen years later, Murray has been paroled and promptly disappears, his whereabouts unknown. Malone, lured by the chance at a half-million dollar payday, takes the job. But once Malone and his Kiwi sidekick T. J. O’Sullivan get to work, it becomes clear that the case is far more challenging, not to mention treacherous than they’d assumed. Not only do they find themselves following a convoluted trail of clues halfway across the globe, but they also discover they aren't the only ones on the trail of Murray and the stolen gems. Along the way, they encounter an evil shyster ex-lawyer, and his cold-blooded female partner, who quickly reveal they will stop at nothing, including murder, to eliminate any competition in the search for the fortune in diamonds.

Leseprobe

Larry Darter

Foregone Conclusion

First published by Fedora Press in 2018

Copyright © Larry Darter, 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Larry Darter asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

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First edition

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy Find out more at reedsy.com

This book is gratefully dedicated to my cherished friend Jessica, without whose encouragement, good advice, and good cheer, none of the Malone books would have been written. Her friendship makes this world a much better place. Thanks Jess.

Prologue

It was 4:45 on a Friday afternoon in 2003. A black Ford cargo van stopped out front of the Los Angeles Diamond Exchange on South Hill Street. Three men wearing expensive business suits got out of the vehicle. After glancing around, they walked into the showroom. Concealed under the suits, their automatic weapons aroused no suspicion. The diamond wholesaler was due to close for the day in 15 minutes. The expensive suits helped deflect any suspicion about that too. Each member of the trio carried two spare magazines for their weapons. They planned to do a lot of shooting during the next few minutes.

Once inside the lobby, two of the men took up the positions planned in advance. Both stood near the armed guard stationed at one end of the showroom. The men pretended to examine the loose diamonds displayed in long glass and metal cases. The third man walked up to an employee standing behind one of the display counters near the front. He asked to speak to the manager on duty. The employee nodded and left the counter to get the manager. The man at the counter gave a small cough. That was the prearranged signal for the three to don the black ski masks they had brought with them.

The security guard was eyeing the man at the front counter. After slipping on his ski mask, the man closest to the security guard pulled a small sap from his hip pocket. Without warning, he whirled around and struck the guard on the side of the head. The guard dropped unconscious to the floor. At the same moment, the other two men whipped out their Heckler & Koch MP5 sub-machine guns. Both turned to face the few remaining customers and the exchange employees. They fired long uninterrupted bursts over their heads.

The men fired weapons having a cyclical rate of fire of eight hundred rounds per minute. It required only about 2 seconds for the men to empty the 30-round magazines. The noise of the two sub-machine guns firing inside the enclosed space was deafening. Spent brass cartridge cases skittered along the marble floor. One of the men shouted for everyone to get on the floor. Most of those in the showroom had already done that when the shooting had started. The rest followed suit in a hurry. The two shooters reloaded their sub-machine guns with fresh magazines. The third man menaced the customers and employees on the floor, waving his MP5 at them.

One of the men disarmed the unconscious security guard. He tucked the guard’s service revolver into his waistband. Then he bound the guard’s hands behind his back with a plastic zip tie. Another of the men strode to the glass front doors. He locked the doors, and then closed the mini blinds installed on them. In less than a minute, he had closed all the blinds over the plate glass windows at the front of the showroom too. Afterward, there was no risk of passersby seeing inside the showroom. No one would alert the police to three armed men wearing ski masks inside the diamond exchange.

The man who had asked to speak with the manager announced the trio did not intend to harm anyone. That was as long as everyone stayed on the floor and kept quiet. He was the one who seemed to be in charge witnesses told the police later. He then walked over to the manager and demanded the woman’s keys. She removed a blue plastic wrist coil wristband that held a ring full of keys and handed it to the man.

Two of the men focused their attention and weapons on the employees and customers. The third man unlocked the display cases one by one. He started dumping the trays of loose diamonds into a gray nylon bag that he had pulled from one of his pockets. The man palmed the contents of one small tray and put the gemstones into the front pocket of his pants. He then finished emptying the rest of the cases. It took less than three minutes for him to empty all the display cases. Once all the diamonds in the showroom were in the nylon bag, he announced that the trio was leaving. He warned everyone to remain on the floor. He warned them he would shoot anyone who tried to be a hero by following them out of the building.

The crew then unlocked the front doors and left the showroom with the diamonds. After exiting the building, all three men took off the ski masks and put on sunglasses. They strode to the van, got in, and the vehicle drove away.

The driver drove the van to a parking lot six blocks from the diamond wholesaler. He parked the van, and the men got out. One of the men placed a firebomb in the rear of the van. The trio exited the parking lot in three different cars moments before the timer triggered the bomb. They had staged the vehicles in the lot before the robbery. The explosion and fire destroyed the van, weapons, and any evidence left behind. The men had agreed to meet up at a prearranged location in San Diego three days later to divide the diamonds.

Chapter 1

Waldo’s restaurant is on North Canyon Drive, a street that runs north from Wilshire Boulevard. It’s just down from the Golden Triangle. It is Beverly Hills in the way that Rodeo Drive and the Greystone Mansion is Beverly Hills. The decor is modernistic. It’s California Chic with a sleek black-and-white dining room and glassed-in patio. The waitstaff wear uniforms that look like tuxedos, minus the jacket. Sans jacket is a nod to the typical warm and balmy Southern California climate.

Locals regard Waldo’s as one of the best spots in town not only for celebrity sightings but also for luxury dining. It’s a shrine to the excesses of Beverly Hills and a tribute to how exhilarating those excesses can be. I’d never dined at Waldo’s before. The scuttlebutt was it wasn’t uncommon for the check for lunch and drinks for two to run to several hundred bucks. I wondered if they took American Express. Or was the restaurant one of those supercilious establishments that only accepted Visa.

It didn’t matter. I didn’t need American Express or Visa. I wasn’t paying. Stewart Wilkins was paying. He probably didn’t need a credit card either because he was paying with his company’s money. I ordered the grilled prime rib-eye steak with roasted carrots, grilled haricots vert, and sauce bordelaise. Wilkins ordered the Cod.

Wilkins’ company was Great Western Marine and Casualty, a commercial insurance company. They made twenty-five billion bucks a year insuring very valuable, but risky property. They insured things like ocean-going oil tankers and very expensive gems like diamonds.

“And two more drinks, if you please,” Wilkins said.

“Certainly, sir,” The server said, before taking our menus and scurrying away.

Wilkins finished his scotch and soda. “Do you only drink beer, Mr. Malone?”

“Not always. I’ll have a cocktail or wine sometimes, but not at lunch. Drinking spirits or wine in the middle of the day tends to make me sleepy. Besides I like beer.”

The server returned with another bottle of Steigl for me and another Chivas and soda for Wilkins.

“I see,” Wilkins said. “So you’re the kind of man who only does what he likes?”

“For the most part, except when I can’t.”

Wilkins sipped some more Chivas. I wondered whether that was his usual manner when drinking liquor or whether he didn’t wish me to think him a lush.

“Except when you can’t?”

“In my profession, you can’t always do what you like. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do things that are necessary.”

Wilkins smiled. “Ah, I see,” he said. I doubted seriously that he did.

While it seemed he was making small talk, I knew he was sizing me up. I expected that. Most people didn’t have a clue about hiring a private detective. A new prospective client always avoided coming to the point immediately. They delayed getting to the reason why they felt the need to hire someone like me. They avoided that until they decided whether they could trust me to solve their problem.

“Do you carry a firearm?”

“Yes,” I said.

The server brought a salad for me and wild mushroom soup for Wilkins.

“How tall are you?” he said.

“Six-three.”

“How much do you weigh?”

“Two-twenty, this morning when I weighed at the gym after my workout.”

“You seem quite fit. How often do you work out?”

“I run most days and hit the weights a few times a week,” I said.

“I suppose staying fit is important for a man in your line of work.”

“Indispensable,” I said.

Wilkins swallowed a spoonful of soup and then washed it down with the rest of his scotch.

“You were with the Los Angeles Police Department for a time?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Why did you leave law enforcement?”

“My supervisors thought me incorrigible,” I said.

“Were you?”

“I prefer to think of it like this,” I said. “I wasn’t afraid to bend the rules when they needed bending to get the job done. My supervisors found that unsettling.”

“Were you dismissed from the force?”

“No, I resigned,” I said. “But to be fair, the movers and shakers at LAPD weren’t sad to see me go.”

The server brought our entrees.

“I’m told you’re a very tough man.”

“You betcha, tough as old boots, meaner than a junkyard dog.”

“I was also told that you were—and I’m quoting here—a sarcastic son-of-a-bitch who can be a real pain in the ass,” Wilkins said. “Though my source did add you could be relied upon to get the job done when hired to solve a problem that required your unique set of skills.”

“Whew,” I said. “For a moment I thought you had been speaking with my ex-wife.”

Wilkins ate a couple of bites of Cod. He appeared to be mid-fifties and fit for his age. A swimmer perhaps, or maybe a cyclist. I tried to visualize him wearing tights and one of those silly helmets. He wore designer steel-gray metal half-rim glasses, the style you see a lot of in Europe. He had a square-jawed face and a salt-and-pepper buzz cut like Brad Pitt sported a few years ago. Even with his not-quite-British, not-quite-American accent, that affected Faux-British elocution taught in east coast finishing schools or learned for use in the theater, it was clear Wilkins was no softy.

“Is Great Western Marine and Casualty planning to commission my biography, or did you want to hire me to rough someone up?” I said.

Wilkins smiled again, but not like he planned to invite me over for Thanksgiving dinner. “Actually there is this insurance regulator that works for the State of California that I find annoying. I’m kidding. To answer your question, no I didn’t ask you to lunch for either of those reasons.” He ate a couple of bites of lotus root from his plate. “Do you know much about diamonds?”

“Not much,” I said. “My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen. My crown is called content, a crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.”

“King Henry the Sixth?” Wilkins said.

“Yep. I have an intellectual friend, a psychiatrist, and she reads to me sometimes.”

“Wilkins frowned for a moment. He seemed unable to quite work out whether my remark had been frank or sardonic. “Well, no doubt you are aware that they are very valuable.”

“Yes,” I said. “I guess that’s why Mark Twain said, let us not be too particular; it is better to have old secondhand diamonds than none at all.”

“Yes, anyway, among other things, my company insures diamonds. That is to say, we insure jewelry stores and diamond dealers against losses from theft, that sort of thing. The reason I asked you here is this. I wish to discuss the possibility of you undertaking an investigation into the theft of some very rare and valuable diamonds. My company had insured them. When a band of armed robbers stole them, we absorbed a very significant loss.”

“A recent robbery?”I said.

“Actually, no,” Wilkins said. “Have you ever heard about the Los Angeles Diamond Exchange robbery that occurred in 2003?”

“Actually, I have,” I said. “It was a little before my time on the cops given that it happened more than 15 years ago. I must have been about sixteen when it happened. But, I recall the news stories on television from back then. The robbery got a lot of coverage. After all, wasn’t it the biggest jewel heist in the history of Los Angeles?”

“Indeed, it was,” Wilkins said. “It still holds that dubious distinction. At any rate, that is what I wished to talk with you about. My company paid out a small fortune to cover the loss from that robbery.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” I said, “but I seem to recall that the police got the crew that pulled that robbery. I thought the cops recovered those stolen diamonds. You mean to say that your company has paid a recent claim connected to that heist?”

“Oh, heavens no,” Wilkins said. “You have a good memory recalling what you saw on television over 15 years ago. But, the authorities did not release to the media all the information about the theft, or robbery rather. The case was thoroughly investigated back then by the LAPD, and by our own internal fraud investigators. The FBI even got involved at one point. The three perpetrators were swiftly identified. Two of them subsequently died in a shootout during a confrontation with the California Highway Patrol on the I-5 north of San Diego. The police arrested the third man, a Mr. Kyle Murray, a short time after that. Murray was tried, convicted, and sentenced to prison.”

“Ah-ha,” I said.

“Excuse me?”

“The reason behind your invitation to lunch is beginning to take shape,” I said. “The robbery suspects were all accounted for, but not all the diamonds were recovered. Hence, the loss your company absorbed and the reason you’re looking to employ me. A search for the missing diamonds and an attempt to recover them.”

I sipped a little beer. I couldn’t have Wilkins thinking I was a lush either.

“Yes, exactly,” Wilkins said.

“But, I guess I still don’t understand something,” I said. “I assume the authorities and your company must have done a thorough search for the diamonds back then. What I don’t understand is why you’re thinking of mounting a new search now, 15 years after the fact.”

“Actually, here is what happened, the part that was not fully reported in the press,” Wilkins said. “Yes, the authorities recovered the bulk of the stolen diamonds. They recovered most of them from the vehicle driven by the two suspects killed by the state police. But, in spite of the very thorough investigation and search 15 years ago, an even dozen diamonds taken in the robbery were never recovered. Those are the gems my company paid out the large claim on, and the ones we wish to employ you to search for.”

“But if you didn’t have any luck finding them back then what makes you believe you can find them now? Why pay someone like me to look for the diamonds after more than 15 years has passed?”

“A recent development makes us believe there is a reasonable chance to recover those diamonds,” Wilkins said. After all the years that have passed, there has been a break in the case. Someone with your skills might be able to recover those missing diamonds.”

“What development?” I said.

“Let me explain,” Wilkins said. “Mr. Kyle Murray, the third suspect that the police captured alive, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the robbery. When the police questioned him, he insisted that he was the junior member of the robbery crew. He claimed his accomplices had possession of all the diamonds from the time of the robbery until they were killed. Murray told the police the three of them were meant to meet up in San Diego to divide the diamonds the day his accomplices were killed. Afterward, Murray did his time, always denying any knowledge of what happened to the diamonds that remained missing. During those years Murray was in prison, none of the missing diamonds ever surfaced.”

“So, based on that, that the missing diamonds never surfaced while Murray was in prison, you’re assuming Murray lied to the cops. You believe he had the diamonds all along and stashed them somewhere before his arrest.”

“Actually, it’s far more than only that,” Wilkins said. “Murray’s sentence is up. He was paroled three weeks ago. Coincidentally, ten days after Murray’s parole, one of the missing diamonds surfaced.”

“Where?” I said.

“Toronto, Canada,” Wilkins said. “The stone came into the possession of a Toronto man. The Toronto authorities charitably describe him as an unscrupulous dealer in jewelry, gemstones, and precious metals.”

“A fence, a thiefspawn?” I said.

“Yes, exactly,” Wilkins said. “In fact, the man was already under surveillance by the Toronto police. He was a suspect in other nefarious activities unrelated to the diamonds we’ve been discussing. Based on the intelligence collected they executed a search warrant on the man’s establishment in the unrelated matters. During the inventory of the seized property, they found a rare blue diamond. They came to the conclusion it was one of the gems stolen in the 2003 robbery in Los Angeles. They then contacted my company.”

“How did they figure out it was one of the diamonds from the robbery?” I said.

“There is a database maintained by the diamond industry that lists stolen diamonds,” Wilkins said. “The database includes all identifying information. The cut, the measurements of the stone, the carat weight, color, clarity, and so forth are recorded. The database also includes the crown angle, crown height, pavilion angle, and pavilion depth. It includes the star length, the girdle, and culet. It’s common today for law enforcement agencies to have any loose diamonds they seize examined by a qualified gemologist. A gemologist can identify any stolen gem if it is listed in the database.”

“You mean to say that is how the Toronto cops identified the diamond they seized as one from the Los Angeles Diamond Exchange robbery?” I said.

“Indeed, a qualified gemologist identified it,” Wilkins said. “But, there was something else that helped us know for certain it was one of the diamonds we paid the claim on. When it was graded by the Gemological Institute of America, they engraved a serial number on its girdle. That’s the small rim around the perimeter of the stone. We had only to check the serial number provided by the Toronto gemologist against the certified diamond certificate to identify it.”

“It’s always been my experience that when something seems like a coincidence, it isn’t,” I said. “But do you have more than a suspicion that the fence in Toronto obtained the diamond from Murray? In other words, can you put him in Toronto sometime after his release from prison?”

“That’s where things become a bit murky,” Wilkins said. “After his parole, Murray promptly disappeared. His whereabouts since the first few days after his release from prison are unknown. Murray could be anywhere in the world by now.”

“So, to even start searching for the diamonds, a person would have to find Murray first?” I said.

“That’s about the size of it,” Wilkins said. “So, assuming we can strike a deal, what would your fees be to take on the case?”

“Three-hundred-fifty dollars a day, plus expenses,” I said.

“Plus expenses?”

“Yes, you know. Tracking dogs, rappel gear, extra ammo if I run out, that sort of thing. Expenses.”

“I’m sure I could find someone to hire for a lot less,” Wilkins said.

“Yes, no doubt you could,” I said.

The server came over, cleared the lunch dishes, and poured coffee.

“I’m not authorized to pay that much,” Wilkins said.

I took a sip of my coffee, which I found excellent.

“I can offer you two-hundred-seventy-five a day, plus reasonable expenses.”

I shook my head. “I told you, I don’t do things I don’t like doing when I can avoid it.”

“And you don’t like working for two-hundred-seventy-five dollars a day?”

“Nope. Not for the kind of job you are offering me. The length of time that has passed since the robbery is a problem. And, as you noted Murray could be anywhere in the world right now. The entire world is a rather large haystack to sift for a needle. In my experience, it is pretty difficult in general to find someone intent on not being found.”

“But, can you find him?” Wilkins said. “Is it possible?”

“Ay, there’s the rub,” I said. “It depends on how much effort Murray puts into not being found. I probably can’t find Murray if he chooses to drop completely off the grid. If he avoids using credit cards or a passport to cross borders, doesn’t travel by common carriers, that sort of thing. I can try, and if he makes a mistake, I might find him. But if he doesn’t care about living anything close to a normal life, I can’t guarantee that I’ll find him no matter how hard I try.”

“Yes, I can understand that,” Wilkins said. He didn’t seem ecstatic about understanding it though.

“What about the police?” I said.

“We do plan to ask for law enforcement assistance,” he said. “But also, we feel we need someone with your knowledge and skills too if we are to have any real chance at recovering the diamonds.”

“I see. But there is something else you need to understand. Even if I find Murray, he isn’t going to simply say “okay, you got me copper,” and hand the diamonds over. He didn’t play ball with the cops all those years ago when he probably could have gotten a lighter sentence if he had cooperated. If I find him, I could follow him around, harass him a little, and annoy the hell out of him. But, it’s not like I can threaten him with jail. I’m not for example, willing to waterboard him or attempt to beat a confession out of him. I simply won’t have any leverage to use. If in fact, he has the diamonds, he isn’t going to have any reason to even talk to me, much less tell me anything.”

“Yes, we’ve considered all that,” Wilkins said. We spoke to our corporate loss prevention head about it. Frankly, he didn’t feel very confident hiring a private investigator would result in a successful recovery effort. Nevertheless, the head of the board of directors wants an effort made. He is also willing to spend some money making it.”

“I can tell you this,” I said. “If I take the case and reach a point where I feel there is no real chance of finding Murray or of recovering the diamonds, I won’t keep taking your company’s money. I’ll tell you we’ve reached that point of diminishing returns if and when I decide we’ve reached it.”

“That sounds fair,” Wilkins said. “Look, Mr.Malone, I want to hire you for this case. You seem ideal in most respects for this assignment. Notwithstanding the personality issues and quirks, I was told about, you came highly recommended by someone whose judgment I trust unequivocally. But, let me be candid. The daily fee you quoted is simply far beyond what the board has authorized me to offer. I could go back to the board and ask them to authorize more money, but I expect that they would simply tell me to find someone else for the case.”

The server came over and poured more coffee for Wilkins and me from a small sterling silver pot. Lunch had gone long. All the tables around us had long since become vacant. Our leisurely lunch didn’t seem to bother the server. She was likely banking on a substantial tip.

“I understand that,” I said. “But, you must understand that a case like this would absorb all my time. I wouldn’t be able to work on other cases because yours would require my complete attention. Bottom line, if your company wants me to take on the case, they will just have to be willing to pay what it’s going to cost.”

Wilkins nodded. He seemed to understand my point.

I leaned back in my chair and offered what I hoped was an encouraging smile. “You might also point out to your board of directors that they probably shouldn’t expect too much help from the cops,” I said. “They have limited manpower and resources. Having been a cop, I can safely say they aren’t going to be very interested in spending man-hours and resources on a crime that happened more than 15 years ago. Especially a crime that they are going to view as one they already solved. The more I’ve learned about this case, the more certain I am that you would be getting a bargain at three-fifty a day,” I said.

Wilkins said. “You seem to be a confident man, and you’re physically imposing. People I’ve talked with, who should know, say that you are as tough as you look. They say you are honest and dependable. Mr.Malone, I want to hire you. I think you’re the best man for this job. While I fully understand everything you’ve explained, I’m simply unable to meet the rate you’ve quoted.”

“What you want Mr. Wilkins, is someone persistent enough to find a man that will try very hard not to be found, and someone capable enough to be successful at it. And after finding Murray, you expect that someone to be able to convince Murray to reveal where the diamonds are stashed. That even though Murray will have not a single, solitary reason to even talk to him, much less tell him where the diamonds are. Give me one good reason why I should consider taking this case for less than my usual fee. Sure, you can find someone willing to take the case for you’ve offered, but I don’t like your chances of ever finding Murray or getting the diamonds back if you do.”

Wilkins was silent for a moment. We were the only patrons left in the restaurant. All the other lunchtime diners had left. We were alone except for several servers, standing together near the door and chatting in whispers.

“I think I can give you a good reason, actually,” Wilkins said, “a good reason for taking this on for what I’m offering to pay.”

“I’d love to hear it,” I said.

“Back when my company paid the claim more than 15 years ago, we offered a reward for information leading to the recovery of the missing diamonds. At the moment, that reward is still on offer. The offer is $500,000. If you manage to recover the diamonds, you will get more than the quoted rate plus reasonable expenses. You would be entitled to that rather substantial reward.”

“That’s an attractive thought,” I said. “I’ve seen that much money a time or two. But, I will admit I’ve never had that much money, or even anywhere close to it all at once.”

“Then, would you be willing to take the case at the rate I’ve offered, with the chance to get the half million dollar reward?”

“The potential reward is tantalizing,” I said. “But, I’d have to have some time to consider your offer, before giving you my answer. Based on what you’ve told me this afternoon, I’m leaning towards the belief that my chances of winning the lottery might be greater than my chances of earning that reward. And, while working for you for two-hundred-seventy-five a day, I could miss out on as many as a half-dozen cases or more, cases where I’d be paid my usual rate.”

“I do understand, Mr. Malone,” Wilkins said. “This assignment is not without its challenges. I could give you a few days to decide, but no more than that. There is a board meeting scheduled for next week, and I’m expected to inform the board that I’ve hired someone for the job. Not only that, but the reward offer expires in less than a month. The board has already told me there are no plans to renew the reward offer. Every day of delay makes it less certain you would have the chance at claiming the reward.”

I drained the last of the beer from the bottle. “What the hell, Wilkins,” I said. “A dollar has always looked as big as a bed sheet to me. I’ll take the case for two-hundred-seventy-five dollars a day, plus expenses.”

“Reasonable expenses,” Wilkins said.

“I’m certain we can come to an equitable agreement on the definition of reasonable,” I said.

“There is only one more question I need to ask,” Wilkins said. “The board will want to know the answer to it.”

“What’s that?” I said. “If you’re going to ask how long it is going to take, I can’t answer that. Until I start, there is no way for me to even fully know what I’m up against.”

“It isn’t that,” Wilkins said. “I expect it will simply take the time it takes. But, here is my question. If you begin this case, but haven’t found Murray and haven’t recovered the diamonds by the time the reward offer expires, can you be counted on to continue or will you quit?”

“It not in my nature to quit once I’ve taken on a case,” I said. “If things get tough, I tend to become more persistent. If things go that way, even if the reward is forfeit, I’d continue the case. But, only as long as there was some rational reason to believe I could get your diamonds back. As I said earlier, if I reach a point where I feel there is no real chance of finding Murray or of recovering the diamonds, I won’t keep taking your company’s money. That’s the point where I’d throw in the towel, because it wouldn’t make sense to continue, no matter what you were paying me.”

“That’s acceptable,” Wilkins said, “you may consider yourself hired.”

“Thanks,” I said, “but to satisfy my curiosity, I have one last question.”

“Yes?”

“You said that an even dozen diamonds weren’t recovered from the robbery. And now, you’ve apparently recovered one of them, leaving only eleven outstanding. Why over 15 years later, is Great Western Marine and Casualty willing to spend money to recover them. You said your company paid out a large claim, but even so, I’m sure a profitable, international insurer like your company has long since overcome the loss. What makes these stones so special?”

“The inherent value,” Wilkins said. “These are blue diamonds, Type IIb diamonds, which are extremely rare and of very high value. All blue diamonds are rare. But, blue diamonds with the very high color intensity these gems possess are the rarest. They are the most valuable. They are also all of significant size and carat weight making them even more valuable.”

“Then why would someone even bother stealing diamonds like that, much less trading a 15-year prison sentence for them?” I said. “Besides being so unique, you said that a microscopic serial number was etched on them. How could you ever hope to sell diamonds like that?”

“It would not be possible to sell gems like these diamonds to any reputable, legitimate diamond dealer,” Wilkins said. “Assuming that Kyle Murray did indeed sell the diamond in Toronto, undoubtedly he received in payment only a tiny fraction of what the stone is worth. Perhaps Murray only received a few hundred thousand dollars for the stone or less. And, yes, these diamonds do have serial numbers etched into them. But, anything that can be put on a diamond can be removed by someone who knows how to do it. There are unscrupulous diamond dealers around the world, in places like Dubai as one example. Dealers willing to pay a fair price for diamonds like we’re discussing stolen or not.”

“But, how would they get their money back out of them? It seems even if the serial numbers were removed, the information in the database you mentioned would reveal that they were stolen diamonds.”

“Only if a dealer attempted to sell them on the open market in their original condition. They wouldn’t do that, however. These diamonds are all of substantial size. An unscrupulous buyer could have them re-cut, altered in some way. They could then obtain new certificates of authenticity for them. Then they could resell them with ease. Even if the altered stones didn’t bring quite as much, the loss in value could be quite minimal.”

“What are these eleven diamonds worth then?” I said.

“I can tell you this much, Mr. Malone,” Wilkins said. “Great Western Marine and Casualty paid $67.5 million on the claim in 2003. Today those diamonds are worth far more than they were over 15 years ago.”

“Whew!” I said. “Now I’m already regretting I let you haggle my fee down to two-hundred-seventy-five dollars a day. If I do recover the diamonds, in spite of the reward it seems Great Western Marine and Casualty will realize a windfall profit.”

“True, if you recover them we will recuperate the cost of the claim and then some,” Wilkins said. “But, of course, there is no iron-clad guarantee that we will get the rest of the diamonds back.”

“I’ll need a letter from your company stating that I’m acting as your representative in the attempt to recover the diamonds. I’ll need to visit the Toronto police to see what their investigation yielded. Without the letter, I doubt they would feel inclined to give me the time of day. I also need a $3,000 retainer to get started. Once the retainer has been earned, my secretary will send over a bill monthly until I conclude the case.”

“That’s satisfactory,” Wilkins said. “I’ll have my secretary draft the letter and have our accounting department issue a check for the retainer. I’ll have them both couriered over to your office tomorrow morning.”

“Let her buck,” I said.

“Pardon?” Wilkins said.

“It’s a technical investigative term,” I said. “It means I’m on the case.”