by Albert Able
Several weeks later, I met two of the investors again. “Ah Marcus” the one I knew as Jim approached me smiling. “Remember Killip Obshina, the American diamond dealer we introduced you to?”
“The diamond dealer? Yes I do, how did it all go?” I asked with genuine interest.
“So far so good, we’re meeting him again to day.”
“Hopefully for a share-out” Andrew the other man chipped in sounding a little more sceptical than his colleague “in fact we’re meeting him for a bit of lunch in a few minutes, would you like to join us?”
Out of curiosity, I accepted their invitation.
Andrew moved close up to me and in a cautious tone “To be honest I don’t feel quite as comfortable as Jim here, truthfully I wish I had taken your lead and stayed away from the whole bloody thing.”
“Andrew’s a natural worrier” Jim interjected. “It’ll be alright you’ll see; Ah here come the others!”
The other four ‘investors’ accompanied by the big American approached.
“Hi, that looks like everybody.” Jim greeted them. “I suggest we go straight into the restaurant, I know some of you are on a strict timetable.”
“Oh and Marcus has agreed to join us for lunch.” Andrew told the others and we all trooped into the restaurant.
We ordered our food and Jim immediately took the lead. “Okay Killip so let’s get right down to it; just what is the state of play?”
Killip Obshina looked around at the group and sporting his best ‘Trust Me Boys’ smile started. “That’s fine by me” he relaxed and sat back into his chair “because it is mostly good news and then after that, I’ll give you the very good news,” he looked around the table observing the effect of his attempted humour on the expectant faces “if that’s in order with you boys?”.
I had to admire how he had so blatantly taken centre stage for what I expected would be yet another Oscar performance.
I wasn’t to be disappointed as Jim cocked his head right on 'q' and winked. “You know best Killip.”
“Right then; I only got back from the trip on Friday; the stones are safely deposited with my dealer in Hatton Garden. There are not quite as many as I planned because I had one hell of a difficult time. In fact at one stage, I really thought my time was up but I managed to bribe a guy to get me out.” Killip Obshina’s expression tense and frowning at his audience. “I don’t think there is any way for me to make you understand just how dangerous and hostile some of the people are in that region.” He paused looked around at his audience. “The fact that I’m as black as the locals is about the only reason that I survived this time.”
No one spoke.
“Fortunately, and this is the very good news.” Killip Obshina completely changed his mood. “As a result of the new route out of the country I was obliged to use on the last run; I am now confident, that I will be able to go back on a regular basis,” he paused again and still no one interrupted “so what I have done is to organise the next trip in advance.” Killip engaged his ‘Trust Me Smile’ again “For obvious reasons, I was not able to discuss this with you because I had to make the decision whilst I was out there with our new Angolan partners but what it has done is to give them the extra time they needed, to tap into a much bigger batch of stones, from a totally new source.”
The waiters brought the first course and the conversation stopped abruptly but as soon as they had gone, Jim, finding it hard to suppress his excitement asked. “How many more stones?”
Killip Obshina leaned forward. “It may sound like a gross exaggeration but I’m talking over two million bucks worth of stones and what’s more, that is only the beginning!”
Once again I had to admire this man’s skill in handling his audience. After all, he was not talking to some green school kids, these men were mostly street-wise hard-nosed commercial businessmen and yet he had them feeding out of the palm of his hand.
“So now gentlemen its decision time; you have all made a good profit from your investment. The question is what do you want to do next?”
“So what exactly are you proposing?” One of the others spoke for the first time.
“Very simple really; we all, me included, roll all the money currently in the pot into the next trip. That will allow us to buy at least two to two and a half million dollars worth of stones. After that, we draw down fifty percent of the cash and roll the balance again into another trip. I think I can do one trip every ten days for about two months. After that it, will get impossibly risky. Nevertheless, think of it guys, even if I can do three more trips, which will give us all a vast amount of money. At that point, I suggest, it will be clever to stop. Being too greedy could be fatal, at least for me!” Killip Obshina laughed, as the main course was placed in front of them.
The others laughed with him and then talked together as they devoured their food.
Killip Obshina wiped his mouth with his napkin and then looked across at me and raising his eyebrows asked. “So Marcus, will we be able to persuade you to invest this time?”
“If only I could make those kinds of profits, I wouldn’t need to be a humble hotel manager eh?” I smiled back at him “but I’m afraid that kind of speculation is way above my range of risk. Tell me a couple things though.” I asked innocently. “I assume that you will have to pay in cash for the stones?”
“Absolutely right, good old fashioned American ‘Green Backs’ there’s no other way out there.”
“Of course, it’s just that I wondered how you were going to carry all that cash around.”
“Western Union!” Killip Obshina replied instantly. “They’ll ship any amount of cash anywhere, no questions asked!” He smiled thinly.
I detected he was becoming less enamoured with my presence. “The other thing was, just who is going to buy all these illegally imported diamonds and how are they going to pay?” I looked directly at him.
The others fell silent and waited for Killip to reply.
“You have to understand that because they are all still uncut diamonds, they are untraceable. It is impossible to tell whether they are conflict stones or any other.” Killip raised his hands. “That is why I have been able to arrange for all the stones, to be traded through my contacts in Hatton Garden. Furthermore, they can, in fact prefer to pay in cash, American Dollars but do not worry, I have some people who will happily convert the cash into sterling for you guys and then bank it through various offshore accounts. This way you will get your money in the form of a clean untraceable bank transfer and to an offshore territory of your choice!” he smiled. “It’s so simple and above all it’s tax free!” Killip Obshina put his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. “So gentlemen what do we want to do?”
“I’m in” A voice piped up.
“Me too.” Another.
Andrew leaned forward and asked Killip cautiously. “What about the ones, who are not here today, we’ll have to ask them surely?”
“The thing is I’m going to have to notify my contacts this evening, otherwise I’ll miss the next transport” Killip shook his head disapprovingly then asked with concern “how long will it take to contact the others?”
“I can try and contact them this afternoon but I know for a fact that one is overseas somewhere.” Andrew replied.
“Well, I know it’s difficult but I think you’ll just have to decide for them.” Killip insisted.
“Well I’m in.” Jim nudged Andrew. “Come on, they knew what the risks were and now they are about to make a whole load more money!”
“Well I have to say I’m not so confident.” Andrew stood his ground shaking his head doubtfully. “To be honest, I had to borrow the money for my investment from my mother-in-law and she wants it back, now, so I’m going to have to bail out of this one.”
“Well I’m sorry guys” Killip replied firmly “it’s all or nothing, so either Andrew stays in or it’s all off.”
“Or someone buys his share?” one of the others suggested.
> “Well I suppose so, that would certainly be okay by me.” Killip raised his hands. “How about the others?”
“Fine by me” Jim confirmed, adding “you’re gonna regret it Andrew.”
“I hope so,” he replied “in the meantime who wants my share?”
“I’ll take it” the one who had made the suggestion replied withdrawing his chequebook.
“So how much is it worth?” The man looked at Killip for advice.
“I know it may seem hard Andrew but I think the original stake plus say ten percent?” Killip looked at the buyer and winked.
Andrew however, readily agreed and accepted the proffered cheque as he stood up from the table. “All I know is that I’ll be able to sleep tonight, for the first time in days. I wish you all good fortune gentlemen.”
I am sure Andrew was disappointed by the modest profit but I guessed at the time, it was probably going to be the only surplus anyone achieved from the deal.
I stood up to leave with Andrew. “Thank you gentlemen for lunch and I also look forward to hearing the exciting conclusion of your adventure”
Killip Obshina was already earnestly addressing the others and carefully avoided me but I heard what he was saying to his ‘partners’.
“Now don’t forget boys this is a partnership. I am quite happy to take all the physical risks and put my life on the line by facing the problems and dangers over there but in turn, you must guarantee to give me full backing or my ass will be in a sling!”
“You’ve got it from me” Jim vigorously shook his hand.
The others followed suit without hesitation.
“One thing more boys, I must have one person as my contact. I can’t be calling all of you in an emergency! So who’s it gonna be?”
I moved out of earshot and never saw the diamond dealer alive again. However, Jim, Andrew and several of the other hopeful investors were regular clients at the hotel so I was able to keep up with the saga.
Over the next few months Jim, who had been appointed ‘contact man’ regularly reported to his fellow investors. The news was always the same; Killip was in some desperate situation and urgently need more cash wired through Western Union.
To start with, it was to pay for access to better quality diamonds, sometimes for bribing officials. The list was imaginative and endless as Jim and his fellow dreamers were systematically bled dry.
In desperation to find more cash to keep their hopes alive, Jim approached the owner of the nightclub.
I do not think Jim was aware at that time that Max Harris was the local ‘Crime Lord’ but Max had apparently listened to the story and told Jim that he would not invest directly into the deal but was happy to make short term joint and several personal loans to the ‘syndicate’ the interest rate however, would have to be giant thirty percent per month.
The next time Killip was in contact Jim told him about the scandalous conditions of the loan. Killip apparently said. “Don’t worry, take the cash; we’re going to be swimming in money within the next two weeks.”
Unbelievably, Jim and his ‘partners’ agreed and took out the loan.
Within days, Killip Obshina was back in contact, stating that there had been a terrible battle between some of the diamond producers and Government military forces, he had almost been killed; all the diamonds had been confiscated and he was being deported back to the UK.
Jim and the others were desolate; between them, they had pumped almost one hundred and fifty thousand pounds onto Killip Obshina’s diamond deal; since most of the cash had been borrowed they each had to face the reality, that they had been professionally and systematically swindled.
Jim and one of the others called on Max Harris who listened in silence, as they detailed the current facts and how they were now unable to meet the repayment of his loan.
Max was a greedy man but he was also a practical man. “Tell me this man’s name again?” he asked sitting like a Buddha with his two smartly dressed minders standing behind him.
“Killip Obshina.” Jim replied.
“Killip Obshina?” Max repeated and looked towards one of his minders. “Do we know him?”
The minders looked at each other “Don’t think so boss; would you like us to check him out?”
“I think we better had.” Max waved one of the minders away.
“Okay Jim I hear you and now you know why I wouldn’t have touched the deal with a barge pole,” Max rubbed his hands together for a moment “so here’s what we’re going to do.” Max looked around at the nervous faces. “First you find enough cash to repay the capital sum without interest; that is Twenty-five thousand pounds, say over three months, yes?”
Jim nodded understanding.
“Then once I’ve found out about the Killip Obshina bloke, we talk again ‘cos if I can extract the interest you owe from him, we’ll be able to call it quits; agreed?”
Jim looked at his companion for support. “Thank you Max that will be most helpful.”
The companion confirmed with a nervous nod adding “Just one thing Max if you do find him, is there any chance we could get any of our cash back?”
“One thing at a time gentlemen; first we catch the bastard and then we see just how much we can squeeze out of him but I think you’d better leave that to me eh?” Max gave one of his rare smiles.
I never heard much more about it, until one day when I was having one of my regular meetings with Max, he mentioned the diamond dealer and the ‘silly syndicate’ as he had named them. “I suppose you heard all about it?”
I told him about my brief involvement. “They tried to get me in on it but it seemed to me like a quick way to loose my hard earned cash.”
Max explained his part in the deal. “Did you know I found the bastard?” He concluded.
It seems that Killip Obshina’s real name was Killip Slack and he had been living in a bed-sit somewhere in Fulham, where he worked in a betting shop. It seems he went around the West End hotels and clubs looking for suckers to invest in his fictional diamond deals and then spent all the money on the horses.
“I managed to squeeze quite a bit out of him” Max gave one of his knowing winks “enough anyway to repay the ‘silly syndicate’ and leave a touch of interest for me.” I smiled, I had heard about Max’s interest rates and about his squeezing techniques. I therefore believed that it really was, all that could ever be squeezed out of Mr Killip Obshina, alias Slack.
It was about one week after my conversation with Max, just as I was finishing my second cup of breakfast coffee that the duty porter rushed up to me. I knew it must be important; it was well known that my breakfast hour was sacred.
“We’ve got a stiff in 309.” He advised me quietly without expression.
It is not that people are dying in hotels on a regular basis but we certainly do have the occasional death and we have to address the situation without causing any awkwardness for relatives or our own residents.
I followed the porter. ‘That’s just what we need today I thought; thinking about the meeting of the board of directors scheduled for noon which always gave them adequate time to clear away the routine business before lunch.
“What do we know about it, I mean are we sure he’s dead for instance?” I asked the porter.
“Just that the chambermaid found him a few minutes ago, said he was a stiff as a board so she reckons he is brown bread alright and so the housekeeper sent me for you.”
The man, dressed only in what looked like a pair of boxer shorts, was laid out on the bed, on his back with his eyes closed. I really thought he looked as if he were dozing, except that when I placed my hand on his shoulder, I pulled my hand away as if I had received an electric shock but the surprise of touching that cold dead was nothing compared to the second shock which jolted in my chest as I looked more closely at the dead man’s face and realised that the large black skinned man before me was none other than Killip Obshina.
For a moment as my pulse quickened when the implications of th
e situation flashed before me, I felt completely helpless; I think if I could have, I would have run away and pretended that it was all a bad dream and nothing to do with me but somehow the awesome responsibility of managing all situations in the hotel overcame my fears.
I took a deep breath picked up the telephone “Mr Marcus here, give me a line please.” I dialled 999 “Riverside Hotel, the Manager speaking; we need an ambulance.”
“I’ll put you through direct to the Ambulance Service.” A voice answered efficiently.
“Riverside Hotel here, the manager speaking. We have a guest who has apparently collapsed and is probably dead. He is in room 309 and I’d appreciate it if you could come to the rear fire escape entrance, someone will be waiting there for you.” I replaced the phone and turned to the porter. “Tom, I’d like you to wait down there and then lead them, as discreetly as possible up here. Okay?”
“You got it.” The porter went to meet the ambulance.
I went down to reception to check on how Killip Obshina came to be in room 309.
It appeared that the night porter checked him in at around one thirty in the morning. The man I knew as Killip Obshina had registered as Louis Gatesby, nationality American, travelling on business and gave a UK address in Walthamstow.
As I was making a note of the details, the receptionist interrupted my thoughts. “There is a Mr Harris on the line for you.”
“Thanks, I’ll take it in my office.” I called back, already halfway there.
“What on earth got you out of bed at this time of day?” I greeted him.
“I think you already know the answer to that.” Max replied.
My suspicions already aroused by the unusual hour of his call. I asked “So how did you know?”
“Don’t worry yourself about that” Max Harris did not wait for a reply “but there’s something vital you must do. I have learned that he had a small case with him and he may have a list of the ‘silly syndicate’ in it. It is imperative that you find that list and anything else, which refers to them and destroy it. Do you understand?”
