hesitated. He didnât want to sit with them, to listen to enemies like Kruger and yesterdayâs men like Andrews and Wasserman, picking over the bones of the meeting. He wanted to go to his office, order a sandwich sent up from the canteen, and think things through. Arthur Harris didnât want to eat lunch anyway, but he knew he was among friends and he could speak his mind. But not with Hastings listening. He paused and said pleasantly, âAre you joining us, James, or are you busy?â
James was glad to take the hint. âI am,â he said. âIâve got a heap on my plate at the moment ⦠If youâll excuse me Iâll grab something and work through till the afternoon. Interesting development, I must say.â
âVery interesting,â Arthur Harris agreed. âBut itâs just another problem. Weâll solve it.â He gave James his sad smile and went through into the private dining-room.
âSee you at quarter to two,â Ray Andrews said, following him. He was good natured, and he wasnât jealous of Hastings. Dick Kruger went after him without saying anything. He couldnât hide his feelings, and with James he didnât even try.
They had a drink before lunch. âWhoâs Julius going to suggest takes on Karakov?â Ray Andrews asked. He answered his own question. âYouâre the obvious choice, David. If youâd be prepared to do it. Youâve known him for years, youâre a diamond man from way back.â
Arthur Harris sipped his gin and tonic. âI donât think he has David in mind,â he said slowly. âOr you, Dick. He wouldnât give you the chance to make a success of something so important. Youâre too loyal to me.â
âIâd kick Karakovâs fat arse,â Kruger said violently. âThatâs what he needs, a good hard kick where it hurts. Iâd ban him from all âsightsâ, as a start.â
Ray shook his head. Krugerâs Afrikaans temper had been a handicap all through his business career. Cutting off Ivan Karakovâs supply of gemstones by refusing him the right to buy at the monthly âsightsâ in London was not just too drastic, but ineffective. Karakov had a huge stockpile of fine gems. He might welcome exclusion from the obligation to pay big prices to Diamond Enterprises.
âLetâs eat, shall we?â Arthur suggested. âWe havenât that long before the meeting. The Game Pie is good â I had it yesterday. I think Julius is going to spring a surprise on us.â
He said to the waitress, âIâll have the claret. I think,â he went on, âheâs going to suggest young Hastings. No potatoes, thank you.â
Andrews stared at him. Kruger went red with rage. David Wasserman gave nothing away.
âThatâs what I think,â he continued. âIt will be the opening shot in the war heâs decided to declare. Not just on Ivan Karakov, but on the whole top management structure in London. Starting with me.â
James let his coffee get cold, and ate half his sandwiches without even tasting them. Who would get the Paris assignment? He went over the probable candidates, even including some of the up-and-coming men at management level, only to discard them, along with Kruger, old Wasserman and Arthur Harris whose attempt to take control had been so brutally thwarted in public by Reece and that damned letter. Devious, short-sighted Reece could never be trusted. Christ, he muttered, Heyderman doesnât play by the rules when heâs out to get someone. Thatâs why heâs at the top of the heap and Arthur Harris is on the way down ⦠It always came back to himself. He must be the one marked out for stardom. If he succeeded. Failure would mean heâd have to resign before an excuse was found to fire him. He wouldnât think about that. He wouldnât fail, why should he? He never had from the
Bret Witter, Luis Carlos Montalván