Diamonds & Hearts

by Rosetta Bloom

  My gaze still traced the edges of him, the aura of him. He needed a life raft. He needed someone to hold his hand. And Lily would have been that person. But Lily was dead. A trip I suggested, a freak accident in the street, and she was no more. She couldn’t hold his hand and tell him it would be alright. She couldn’t be the life raft that kept him afloat. Did that mean I had to do it? Logically speaking, there was only one answer.

  I reached out and put my hand on top of his. “I’ll do the job for Pauly,” I said, regretting the words the second they left my mouth. But knowing that Lily would want me to do this. This was a job for siblings. His and mine.

  “Really?” he said, a hopeful smile forming.

  “Really,” I said. “But you have to promise me that whatever you did to get this indebted to Pauly will stop.”

  He nodded, way too quickly. The nod of the addict who promises to quit if you just give him a hit today. I wasn’t going to put too much faith in this promise. In fact, none at all, but it’s an 18-hour flight to Surat, so I’d have time to really talk to him in the near future, to get a promise worth something.

  Chapter 7 – An Ambush in Sleek Dining

  Of course, it had been Pauly’s table. I should have realized it when I sat down there. It wasn’t just a table like one Pauly would get. It wa0s the one he always got when he wanted to talk somewhat privately. Once I’d agreed to the deal, Ryan got up to find Pauly, who was having dinner in the lounge. Pauly liked to be seen, so he tended to eat among the people, unless privacy was necessary.

  When I saw Pauly and Ryan headed this way, I stood up and met them a few paces away. Ryan seemed surprised by the move. While you could talk a few details here, you couldn’t talk real business out in the open. “Is there a room in the back available?” I asked Pauly.

  He nodded. “Stacie told me the princess room is clear. Do you remember the way?”

  Of course, I did, but I shook my head. I didn’t want Pauly to think that everything was coming back so easy to me. I almost regretted knowing Hindi. And I certainly regretted ever letting on to him that I knew it. Pauly started off, and Ryan gave me a “ladies first,” flourish with his hand, so I followed second and Ryan pulled up the rear. We walked toward the back wall, then turned to follow the length of the bar until it ended and a narrow hallway appeared. A sign reading “Authorized personnel Only” was affixed to a black door in white lettering. Pauly pushed open the door and started down the corridor, turned into another and then he stopped at a door with a picture of a princess cut diamond on it. This was generally one of the smaller private rooms.

  I’d been here before with Pauly and my father, when I was younger. After the divorce, but before dad went to prison. Back when I wasn’t sure which of my parents were right. They were both strong forces and I’d taken my father’s word that what my mother didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. But what people don’t know does hurt them. My father got caught and went to prison. He didn’t know he had pancreatic cancer and finding out so late killed him.

  I sighed. This kind of life, ever alluring, always ended badly. I wanted normal.

  We entered the room, which was about 10 feet square, with a low glass table in the center, surrounded by four thin, high-backed chairs. It was the kind of set you’d see in a Modern Homes magazine. Sleek, elegant, expensive. Pauly shuffled in and pulled out a chair for me. I sat, as I watched Ryan push the door shut, then walk over to join Pauly and I at the table.

  Pauly smiled. I folded my arms across my chest and said, “Talk.”

  “Alright, alright. Hold your horses,” he said, his tone a bit gruff, and then turned to Ryan. “What do you know about the diamond trade?”

  Ryan looked as if he was surprised Pauly was talking to him. He forced a smile and shook his head. “Nothing, really.”

  Pauly sighed, breathed out. “That’s fine. I don’t need you for the bulk of the job. You’re just eye candy and insurance.”

  I raised a brow. So, did Ryan. “What is it exactly that we’re trying to do?” I asked leaning forward. “Besides trying not to die.”

  Pauly chuckled. “You were always so dramatic, kid. I remember Raj told me about that time when you were 10 and tried to dye your hair red using marker, after your mother said you couldn’t do it.”

  Ryan smirked. I shot him a nasty look. “We’re not reminiscing, Pauly. I’m sure there are other people who’d like a room. Let’s move this along.”

  He nodded. Instead of looking to me, he looked at Ryan again. “Surat is the diamond cutting capital of the world. Roughly 90 percent of the world’s rough diamonds get sent there to get cut. If you want diamonds, that’s the place to get them.”

  Ryan’s lips parted ever so slightly, as if this fact impressed him.

  “Because it’s the diamond-cutting capital of the world, security is incredibly tight there,” I chime in, because I want Ryan to know exactly what he’s getting himself into. Maybe if he backs out, I won’t be stuck doing this. “Trying to rob these people is, frankly, insane.”

  Pauly turned his gaze to me. “We’re not really robbing them, Onyx,” he said. “I might be a fool in love, but I’m not crazy. We’re doing a deal involving some rough stuff, the discards.”

  Oh, good heavens. I blew out in exasperation. “There are no discards in diamond cutting,” I retorted. “Nothing useable, at least.”

  Pauly shrugged. “On some level, you’re right, but you and I know, some are easier to cut than others. The ones that are easy, get cut first. The discards, the ones that will take more time and finesse are set aside.”

  “We’re taking rough ones?” I ask. “You know a cutter here?”

  Pauly shook his head. “I know a cutter there. That’s why I need you. He’s going to get you in to look at the rough pile and I need you to pick out some good ones for me. I need someone who, once she has access, can go quickly through the roughs and get me a specific dollar amount. It will be quick, but requires someone who knows their stuff and speaks the language. I’ll arrange everything, but you need to go in, make the selections, and then my guys will spend the next day getting them cut properly.”

  I stared at him, not really sure what the endgame was. He needed someone who knew diamonds and could be quick. But he knew other people beside me. “Why not get someone else to do this?”

  He looked down at the glass table, then at his thick, manicured fingers. Pauly always liked to take care of himself. “Obviously, you’re good at selection. You’re trained for this.”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “And, it’s a foreign country and most people don’t know the language. To make sure this goes off without a hitch, I need someone who can fit in and roll with the punches.”

  I shook my head, as his real reason hit me. “You don’t trust the people you’re working with, so you want me to watch them for you. If they happen to double cross you, and therefore me, are you going to hang me out to dry like you did my father?”

  His lip gave a bitter twist and he said, “Raj understood the risks and accepted them. I did everything I could to help him.”

  I stood up. “I want double,” I said.

  He leaned back in his chair and laughed. “You’re Akilah’s daughter,” he said. “Raj was good, but it was your mother who knew how to make a deal.”

  I wanted to tell him to take my mother’s name out of his mouth, but that seemed inappropriate for the negotiating table. “I need an answer or I walk.”

  “Fine, double,” he said.

  I sat back down.

  “So, I make sure you’re not double crossed. Fine. And the rest? What else?”

  He waved his hand. “It’s very simple,” he said.

  My stomach tightened. Very simple didn’t require paying me $300k.

  “I just need you to bring them through customs.”

  “Without being seen. Without paying the tariffs?”

  “That’s where your cut comes from.”

  I sighed. It seemed easy enough, but it was ris
ky. I inclined my head toward Ryan. “You said he’s cover?”

  “Yep,” Pauly said. “He’s a rich American playboy and you’re his Indian girlfriend. The two of you will be in town sightseeing. If things go south, I don’t think daddy Warbucks is going to let his boy stay detained over there.”

  “What about me?” I asked.

  Pauly smiled and pointed to Ryan. “He seems to like you well enough. I’m pretty sure Ryan can get daddy to bail you both out.”

  I looked at Ryan, who right now seemed like a deer caught in headlights. Counting on him was going to be a huge mistake.

  Chapter 8 – Second Thoughts

  I hoped I wasn’t sweating. I could feel a light sheen on my hairline, but prayed it wouldn’t build and drip. I tried to look neutral as Onyx eyed me skeptically, but I didn’t think it was working. It was like she could smell my fear. And shit, I WAS scared.

  How the hell had a gambling debt turned into an international theft and smuggling operation? I still wasn’t sure how the hell he wanted us to do it, but he was concerned enough that we might get caught that he thought my dad might need to bail us out. I wanted to tell this man, no. I mean, I should have just groveled to my dad instead of getting involved in this shit. But now I was in deep. He’d just told me his plan. He’d just given me details. Even if I groveled to my father, told him everything, and he gave me the money, what would Pauly do? Would he kill me for knowing too much? I mean, sure he wore fancy suits and showed up in establishments like this. But I can’t kid myself. Pauly is a criminal. Would he believe that I wouldn’t talk when I no longer had skin in the game?

  If I went along with his plan, I had incentive not to talk. I had my own ass on the line, and therefore he’d assume I’d keep my mouth shut and let me be. But if I didn’t do it, would he still trust that I wasn’t going to talk?

  Fuck.

  “You alright kid,” Pauly said, slapping my forearm. “You look like you’re gonna puke.”

  “He’s fine,” Onyx said before I could even process the question. “He gets all quiet and pensive when there’s a lot on his mind.”

  Pauly raised an eyebrow, and I couldn’t help but look at Onyx too. How the hell did she know that about me.

  “How long you two known each other?” Pauly asked her.

  Onyx chuckled and shook her head. “Not long,” she said. “But I knew his sister. Sometimes when I was deep in thought, Lily would tell me, ‘You’re just like my brother.’”

  Her smile faded as the words she’d spoken seemed to settle on her, as if she hadn’t really thought about them before she’d said them and now that she had, she didn’t quite like the taste they left.

  Pauly looked between us and smiled. “This is gonna work out better than I thought. The cover will be perfect. It’s Friday. My guy in the state department will hustle your visas through. You’ll be able to leave Tuesday. Does that work for you?”

  I swallowed and nodded. “My passport’s up to date,” I said.

  “I know,” Pauly said, with a hint of disdain, as if he thought I was questioning his skills.

  Onyx nodded, too. “Yeah, I’m on spring break next week, so it’ll be fine for me.”

  “You know,” Pauly said to Onyx, whose face still looked as if she’d just swallowed a bitter pill, “You can bring Lynx, too, if you want. My gift to you. A vacation for him, a chance to relax, visit some relatives. Doesn’t Raj’s aunt still live there?”

  She shook her head. “No. Lynx is good staying here.” With that she stood up. “If that’s all, Pauly.”

  He shook his head, then turned to me. “You, get out. She and I need to discuss a few things. Things that you don’t need to know. Culpable deniability, as folks like your father enjoy saying.”

  I swallowed and stood. I was being dismissed and part of me feared it, but most of me was glad. I didn’t want to know any more about this. I stepped toward the door and was opening it when Onyx said, “Don’t go anywhere. We may need you again.”

  I turned to her, smiled, nodded, and then left. I sat down at the bar and ordered myself a scotch, neat. A girl with big bosoms, blonde hair and a big smile brought it to me. Her name tag read Stacie. Part of me was tempted to flirt. I needed the arms of a pretty girl to make me feel better right about now.

  “Pretty name,” I said.

  “Thanks,” she said, as she placed the drink on a napkin and turned to leave.

  “You know Onyx, right?” I asked.

  She turned back, shrugged. “Seems like you do, too,” she said.

  Not giving me much to work with, but I didn’t want to be alone. “Yeah, she was friends with my sister.” I took a swig of the scotch. It burned going down. Fire on the insides seemed a stupid way to quell the anxiety already burning. But I wasn’t sure what else to do.

  “Onyx is a good person,” Stacie said.

  “So was my sister. She died.” I took another swig, finishing the drink. It was like lava, this scotch. A lava encased inside ice. I lifted my glass. “I’ll have another one.”

  She frowned as she watched me, then placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “Sure, hon, but it might take a minute.”

  She walked away and I admired the view. I hoped she’d come back. My attempt at chatting had failed and I wanted another chance. Or maybe I just wanted more liquor. She was right about it taking a minute. When she didn’t come back soon enough, I flagged the bartender and ordered three more scotches, gulping them down almost as quickly as he brought them. Finally, it seemed the liquor was starting to work. Some of the fear that had consumed me during the meeting had given way to numbness. Another shot turned up in front of me. I swallowed it down. Bitter. Like I’d been feeling earlier. But that was going away. Liquid mood improvement. I realized I was worrying too much. The worst that could happen would be me backing out, Pauly deciding he didn’t trust me, and then killing me. And I’d be dead, like Lily. Mom and dad would have two dead kids, but I’d have nothing left to worry about. This was all starting to make sense.

  I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Ryan,” Onyx said.

  I turned on my stool and smiled up at her. “You really are beautiful,” I said, meaning it. I don’t know why I’d never told her that before. The first time Lily introduced us, I’d thought she was beautiful. However, that was Lily’s rule number one. I was not to hit on her friends. Never. It had stuck with me, and I never questioned it after she’d told me that her first year of college. Not to mention, the one time I had hit on her friend—that was before she instituted the rule; perhaps it was even why she had instituted the rule—it was a total disaster. I remember the girl stifling a laugh. So, I didn’t hit on Lily’s friends. I just didn’t think of Lily’s friends as dating prospects. At least, if the thought crossed my mind, I’d banish it quickly.

  “I thought Stacie cut you off,” she said, pursing her lips.

  “Went straight to the bar slender,” I admitted proudly. Damn. Did I slur that word? I really hadn’t had that much to drink. Five I think, or maybe six.

  “You took a cab, I presume?”

  I shook my head. “I drove the jag,” I told her. I knew I wouldn’t be able to pay the insurance and parking once my parents cut me off, so I wanted a few last moments of joy with my baby.

  She blew out. “I’ll drive you home,” she said.

  I smiled. “That’s a good idea,” I had to admit. “But how will you get home?”

  “Uber,” she said and inclined her head toward the door.

  I stood, and my head swooned for a moment, but I regained my equilibrium. This place certainly didn’t water down the drinks. I walked beside her as we exited the club and rode the elevator downstairs. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the valet card. She took it and we walked to the front, where she handed it to one of the two valet parking attendants. It was a nice night for March. Warm. Had to be 70 degrees.

  “Global warming isn’t so bad,” I told her. “See how nice the weather is.”

  She rolled her e
yes at me, but said nothing.

  I leaned in close and whispered. “So, how’d you get involved with these criminals?”

  Her eyes widened for a moment and then she just laughed, loud and boisterously, leaning into me and patting my shoulder. “You are so, so drunk. You say the craziest things.” She giggled and shook her head as if I was ridiculous. She made eye contact with the valet who hadn’t gone to get the car, and he nodded disapprovingly at me.

  Finally, my car returned, and the first valet handed Onyx the key. Valet two held the door open for me and valet one ran back around to get the door for Onyx. Slow night if they were both tending to us, or they both thought Onyx was hot as hell in her little black dress and wanted to look for as long as possible. I could totally respect that.

  Once the doors were closed, the onboard GPS system alighted, and Onyx pressed a few buttons, deftly figuring out how to pull up my home address the memory. She pulled out into traffic and we began our drive. New York is always crowded, but it was 10 o’clock at night, so it was more like mid-day rush for a normal city. She drove pretty well. “You have a license?” I asked, though a bit late, because if she didn’t, it was moot by now.

  “Yes,” she said. “I had an internship in California and it was pretty important to get a license. Here, not so much, but I still like having one, in case I have to travel.”

  The GPS spoke a direction and she stopped talking to listen.

  “You never told me,” I said after the computerized voice stopped. “How did you get involved with Pauly?”

  “My father,” she said, her voice tight.

  “Your father was in the mob?”

  She laughed. “My father was a thief. He specialized in jewels. Diamonds were his favorite, but he’d steal emeralds, sapphires, rubies, anything sparkly and worth money. He worked for Pauly.”

  “Lily never mentioned it.”

  “Because Lily had more sense drunk than you do sober,” she said.

  Ouch. That hurt.

  She seemed to realize she’d offended me and continued in a less harsh tone. “Lily didn’t know a lot about it, though. It’s not something you go around telling people.”