Blood Stones by Evelyn Anthony Read Free Book Online Page B

hesitated. He didn’t want to sit with them, to listen to enemies like Kruger and yesterday’s 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 didn’t 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, ‘Are you joining us, James, or are you busy?’
    James was glad to take the hint. ‘I am,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a heap on my plate at the moment … If you’ll excuse me I’ll grab something and work through till the afternoon. Interesting development, I must say.’
    â€˜Very interesting,’ Arthur Harris agreed. ‘But it’s just another problem. We’ll solve it.’ He gave James his sad smile and went through into the private dining-room.
    â€˜See you at quarter to two,’ Ray Andrews said, following him. He was good natured, and he wasn’t jealous of Hastings. Dick Kruger went after him without saying anything. He couldn’t hide his feelings, and with James he didn’t even try.
    They had a drink before lunch. ‘Who’s Julius going to suggest takes on Karakov?’ Ray Andrews asked. He answered his own question. ‘You’re the obvious choice, David. If you’d be prepared to do it. You’ve known him for years, you’re a diamond man from way back.’
    Arthur Harris sipped his gin and tonic. ‘I don’t think he has David in mind,’ he said slowly. ‘Or you, Dick. He wouldn’t give you the chance to make a success of something so important. You’re too loyal to me.’
    â€˜I’d kick Karakov’s fat arse,’ Kruger said violently. ‘That’s what he needs, a good hard kick where it hurts. I’d ban him from all “sights”, as a start.’
    Ray shook his head. Kruger’s Afrikaans temper had been a handicap all through his business career. Cutting off Ivan Karakov’s supply of gemstones by refusing him the right to buy at the monthly ‘sights’ 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.
    â€˜Let’s eat, shall we?’ Arthur suggested. ‘We haven’t that long before the meeting. The Game Pie is good – I had it yesterday. I think Julius is going to spring a surprise on us.’
    He said to the waitress, ‘I’ll have the claret. I think,’ he went on, ‘he’s going to suggest young Hastings. No potatoes, thank you.’
    Andrews stared at him. Kruger went red with rage. David Wasserman gave nothing away.
    â€˜That’s what I think,’ he continued. ‘It will be the opening shot in the war he’s decided to declare. Not just on Ivan Karakov, but on the whole top management structure in London. Starting with me.’
    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 doesn’t play by the rules when he’s out to get someone. That’s why he’s 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 he’d have to resign before an excuse was found to fire him. He wouldn’t think about that. He wouldn’t fail, why should he? He never had from the