Blood Stones by Evelyn Anthony Read Free Book Online

unsaid because he had seen the sick expression on Arthur’s face.
    â€˜Karakov can market them,’ Julius Heyderman said. ‘And my information is that he’s about to sign an agreement with Moscow which makes him their sole outlet onto the world markets. By-passing us and breaking the cartel that’s held the industry together since my grandfather bought out Barnato. We have a monopoly on distribution, gentlemen, and that monopoly is vital if diamonds are to keep their value. The trade doesn’t like us, but without us they wouldn’t have survived. The bottom would have fallen out of the market for industrials and gems when the world went into recession in the Thirties. We are diamonds. If our grip on prices is broken by Karakov or any other bastard, we go down and the whole industry falls with us.’
    There was a silence then.
    Finally David Wasserman said, ‘He could try it and he’d enjoy the risk. He’s an egomaniac.’ He said it again, ‘He just could try it—’
    â€˜And succeed,’ Heyderman said harshly. ‘He is to the jewellery trade what we are to the rough trade. He cuts, sets and sells everything he buys. He’s the only real heavyweight since Harry Winston, and Christ knows, he gave trouble enough … Reece, you have the figures for Karakov’s turnover for the year?’
    Reece got up, taking a sheaf of papers from his briefcase. ‘I have them here, Mr Julius.’ He always addressed his employer in the terminology of a past generation, before the false chumminess of Christian names became common usage. He cleared his throat slightly. ‘The house in Paris and the secondary establishments in London, New York and Hong Kong sold nearly a billion dollars’ worth of goods last year. The big Middle East clients, like Prince Abdullah now like to buy direct from Paris. I haven’t got the exact figures but I expect to get them in the next few weeks, and I’ll let you have them immediately.’
    God knows, Hastings thought, how he managed to get copies of Karakov’s company accounts.
    Industrial espionage was widely practised in all the major industries throughout the world. Morally indefensible, but one of the hard facts of business life. That was Reece’s sphere of operations. He produced the results, and nobody asked him how he got his information. Someone in Karakov’s organization, in a senior position in the accounts department, had passed on those figures, and only Reece would ever know who it was.
    â€˜We’ll stop Karakov, of course,’ Arthur Harris said. ‘The thing I propose is to fly to Paris this evening and see Ivan myself. Talk to him face to face. I’m sure I can make him see reason. He can’t be unaware of the long-term consequences of this deal with Russia.’
    â€˜He’s Russian born,’ Kruger remarked. ‘He’d like to be back in the fold now capitalism is the new creed. I think David’s right; he’s all ego.’
    He was trying to warn Arthur Harris not to take on something that would fatally damage him if it failed. Harris understood the warning, but he had to do something to regain the initiative. So far Julius Heyderman had completely dominated the meeting. He said, ‘I think he’ll talk to me. We’ve always had a friendly relationship.’
    For a moment, Hastings saw Heyderman glance at his brother-in-law, and then, with a slight shrug, turn to Reece.
    â€˜Have you got a copy of that confidential letter Karakov sent to Mirkovitch in July?’
    Again the briefcase opened and the photocopy was in his hand; it was like watching a magician doing card tricks.
    â€˜Read it,’ Heyderman said flatly. ‘Just the relevant paragraphs.’
    Reece slipped on his glasses; they gave him a sinister aspect, thick rimmed with wide black side pieces.
    He scanned down the page. ‘It’s here,’ he said, not looking up at