He picked it up, drove it into the material until he had a small hole, then worked it back and forth until the opening was large enough to insert part of his hand. A grin spread on his face. A hidden partition; he wasn’t about to stop now. He yanked at the fabric with renewed energy. It gave way with a ripping sound, leaving Dariel holding it in one hand, while his eyes were riveted on a blue velvet bag, nestled comfortably on the bottom of the case.
Curiosity tugged at his gut. He grabbed the bag and held it in his hand. Whatever was inside had hard, uneven edges. A bag of rocks? A tight double knot held it shut. Impatiently, he tugged and pulled. Finally the bag fell open, and he nearly jumped back at the sight. A pile of glistening stones rested against the soft fabric. Dumbfounded, he sat transfixed. While he was no expert in gems, he was pretty certain these were diamonds, yet they were quite different than those he had seen in the past. Carefully, he emptied the bag into the case and counted a dozen, each one of them a fairly good size. Almost delicately, Dariel picked up a stone and held it up to the sunlight. It was colorless. He probed the recesses of his mind. If he remembered correctly, someone once told him it indicated quality. Could he really be this lucky? All that cash and diamonds, too?
He scanned the parking lot. Sitting here with a fortune in his lap was not wise. It was time to move on. He dropped the stones back into the bag, and stashed it under his seat, then gathered the cash and shoved it under the passenger seat. He drove up next to the old dumpster at the back of the lot and tossed in the briefcase. A glimpse at the documents from the case convinced him he had no use for them, and besides, they could prove to be incriminating if they were found in his possession. He threw them away as well.
He had to plan his next move with the diamonds. After contemplating a couple of options, he concluded there was only one person he could trust with this—Sal, the old jeweler in Sunrise. Over the years, the man had purchased numerous pieces of jewelry from him, always giving him a fair price without asking too many questions.
While driving north on University, Dariel wondered about the man with the briefcase. Who was he? And the other man, the one who chased him into the parking garage? Were they together? Could this be drug money? After all, who travelled with this much cash? And what about the gems?
Before he knew it, he was two blocks past Sal’s place, but he wasn’t going to get himself frustrated, no sirree, not today. So he just laughed and did a U-turn at the next intersection. Within minutes, he pulled into the small plaza at the corner of University and Oakland Park. The whole area had seen better days. Every one of the store fronts could have used a face lift, yet somehow Sal, along with the check-cashing store and the food mart next to him, managed to survive regardless. Dariel found a parking space in front of the jewelry store, and went in clutching what he hoped would finally bring him and his family the life he had always dreamed of.
The old man sat at his usual spot, a small work station facing the entrance so he could keep an eye on things. If anyone suspicious approached the store, he would lock the door from his post with the push of a button. He told Dariel it had cost him a bundle to install. Well worth it, according to him, considering the number of robberies these days. He glanced up when Dariel walked in, eyeing him curiously.
“Vus Machs Da? What’s up?” he asked in Yiddish, scrutinizing the younger man’s face. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re the cat that swallowed the canary.”
With a wide grin on his face, Dariel set the bag on the counter. “Sal, wait until you see this.”
“Really. That good?” the old man asked, a note of skepticism in his voice.
“Yeah, no kidding.”
“What is it then?”
Dariel shook his head. “I’m not telling, you have to see for yourself.”
Sal sighed. “I hope it’s worth me getting up, eh?”
Dariel nodded. “Oh, yes indeed, you’re gonna agree it’s well worth it.”
Groaning from the effort, Sal rose slowly and limped over to the counter. Dariel opened the bag and carefully shook out a few stones onto the glass top. Not saying a word, the old man glanced at them, peered at Dariel with raised eyebrows then went back to looking at the gems. He continued scrutinizing them for a while before reaching for one and holding it up to the light. He examined it for a long time before putting it back down. Even his tired old eyes couldn’t hide his surprise. “Where did you get these?”
Dariel shrugged. “You know, the usual place.”
The old jeweler emptied the rest of the stones on the counter and ran his fingers over them, shaking his head. “I don’t think so. This is not the usual stuff.”
With renewed energy, he went to his work bench and brought back his loupe. Slowly, carefully, he examined each stone. When he was done, he stared at Dariel. “Wherever you got them, you hit a home run. I haven’t seen anything like this in years.”
Dariel nodded. “What are they worth?”
Sal stared at him over the rim of his glasses. “A whole lot of money. Fershtay? (Do you understand?)”
Dariel’s face lit up. “So, let’s make a deal.”
Sal shook his head. “These are way out of my league,” he said, pointing at the gems. “You’re talking close to a million here. Top grade diamonds, large and colorless. Not too many people can handle those.”
Dariel’s face dropped. He was in possession of a fortune in gems with no idea where to cash it in. “At least tell me what I can get for them.”
The jeweler shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe two hundred thousand. They’re worth at least that much. Of course, you’ll have to get new authenticity papers for them.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a certificate to show where they come from. Without them it’s harder to sell diamonds legitimately.”
Dariel nodded. “Whatever you say. Hey, how about you hook me up with a buyer? I’ll cut you in.”
“Sorry, my boy, can’t help you there. The contacts I have, they’re like me, little fish in a big pond. I heard Russians, down in Miami and Hollywood, deal in high end stuff, and this definitely qualifies. I understand they’re pretty good with the certificates as well. If you want, I’ll ask around. Come back in a few days, I’ll see what I find out.” Sal paused. “Before you go any further with this, there’s something you should know. These people down there? They’re bad.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean they’re tied to the Russian Mob. They play by different rules. When you deal with them, you have to be aware of the danger.”
Dariel nodded impatiently as he put the diamonds back in the bag.
“Yeah, okay, I’ll keep that in mind. Just let me know what you find out.”
He headed toward the door.
“Dariel?”
He stopped and turned back toward the old man. “What?”
“I don’t think the people those stones belonged to will let them go that easy. You know what I mean? The word might already be out there.”
Dariel shrugged, smiling. “I don’t think you have to worry Sal. The owner? I’m pretty sure he’s dead.”
The old man shook his head. “Hope you know what you’re doing, meyn iung fraynd. (My young friend).”
Dariel waved at him and left. His mind was still going a mile a minute as he walked to his car. He liked Sal, but the old man was afraid of his own shadow these days, telling him he should be leery of doing business with the Russians. If it meant getting top dollar, he wouldn’t mind dealing with the devil himself. Heck, if he could get two hundred thousand for the stones, along with the hundred in cash, holy cow, he would be a rich man.
He glanced at his watch. Shit, he forgot about Lilly! His wife worked as a maid at the Motel 6. She didn’t get off until seven o’clock and he was supposed to pick up their daughter from school. Here he was messing up again. How many times did Mandy say he needed to start being more responsible, more reliable? When she got pregnant with Lilly, he promised her he woul
d get a real job and Lord knows, he tried several times. And he hated it, so he went back to his regular profession, hanging out at the airport and the malls, stealing purses and luggage for little money and a lot of risk. Yet he loved the adrenaline rush, the sense of victory it gave him. After all, he grew up in a household of thieves. He was picking pockets by the time he was ten years old. His father was in and out of jail most of his life. Then one day, he swindled the wrong guy and took a bullet between the eyes. His uncle Jack told him it was that outlaw blood in them, and you can’t get away from it. But God, how he hated the disappointment in Mandy’s eyes the last time he got arrested.
He left the parking lot and headed north. He never owned anything of value in his life. This was overwhelming. Hell, what was he was going to do with his good fortune?
The money part was easy. The very first thing he would do was to buy Mandy a car, a decent one with an air conditioner that worked and a good set of tires. And she could quit the shitty job at the motel. They would move to a nice place, close to the beach maybe, because his little girl loved the beach. Get out of the crappy dump where they lived now. For once he would take care of his family like a man should. What about the diamonds? What should he do right now? His heart pounded like a drum. All these decisions to make, their life would never be the same again. A sharp pain shot through his chest and he realized he had to calm down, get a grip on himself. He inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly. Did it a couple more times. There, that was better. He would wait for Sal to come up with some names. In the meantime, he would lie low with the stones, see if the theft made the papers. Yeah, that’s what he’d do, stash the rocks some place and wait it out. He sighed in relief.
Lilly was standing on the sidewalk next to her teacher when he pulled into the empty school yard. A big smile took over her face as she came skipping over to the car. “Hi Daddy!” she sang.
Dariel grinned, always amazed on how much she resembled her mother, small and delicate, with clear blue eyes and curly blond hair. And her nose, he loved that little nose of hers. Heck, everything about his little girl was perfect. The only positive thing he ever was a part of, come to think of it.
“How is my little Bunny today?” he asked.
“Fiiiine.”
He shot a glance at the woman standing rigidly behind the child.
“You’re late again,” she uttered with a disapproving frown.
He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, Mrs. Poppel.”
She was having none of it. “Mm,” she scoffed, turning on her heels and stiffly walking away.
The child climbed into the back seat and Dariel grinned at her in the rear-view mirror.
“Okay, Bunny, how about we do something different today?” he asked her, raising his eyebrows suggestively.
She nodded, eyes wide with excitement.
“Good. Let’s start by getting an ice cream at the Frozen Yogurt place.”
Lilly’s face grew concerned.
Dariel frowned. “What’s wrong, Bunny?”
“Isn’t Mommy going to be upset?”
“Why?”
Lilly hesitated. “She said we don’t have money for ice cream.”
He reached back behind the seat and tickled her foot. “Don’t worry, today is special.”
The child’s face broadened into a smile. “Can I have two scoops then?”
Dariel laughed. “You bet! Any kind you want!”
Sitting on a bench at the front of the ice cream store, he waited patiently as Lilly finished the last of her cone.
“Now what, Daddy?” she asked.
Dariel gently wiped her chin with a paper napkin. “How about we go to the park?”
She jumped up. “Smalley Park?”
Dariel nodded. It was her favorite. “Sure, if that’s where you want to go.”
While driving to the park, he mulled over various options to find a good hiding place for the diamonds. As he pulled into the parking lot, he had an idea. While Lilly was getting out of the car, he rummaged through the trunk before finding what he wanted, a plastic grocery bag holding a few beach toys and a handful of sand leftover from the last trip to the beach. He dumped the toys in the trunk, shook out the sand, dropped the blue diamond bag into the plastic bag, and tied it into a neat little bundle. He shoved it into the pocket of his cargo shorts, then reached for Lilly’s hand and led her into the park. It was deserted and Lilly had the playground all to herself. He pushed her on the swing set, then she went up and down the slide, shrieking in delight at the sight of a family of ducks waddling by. The tiny ducklings anxiously strove to keep pace with their fast-moving mother.
“How about a walk?” Dariel asked after a while.
The little girl nodded, and they strolled down a trail into the woods, stopping for a moment at an old wooden bridge overlooking a small stream where turtles sunned themselves on nearby rocks. They continued on the trail with scrub oaks providing an oasis of shade before emerging into an open area where dozens of colorful butterflies flitted gracefully among clusters of wild flowers. In the midst of it stood an old wooden gazebo. While the child was busy chasing the butterflies, Dariel slowly walked around the structure, checking it out. He smiled when he found what he wanted. A couple inches of wooden lattice covered the base of the gazebo. On the backside there was a small gap where several slats were missing. He dug a bit further down into the dirt with his hand, then pushed the bag of diamonds into the opening. After he nudged it behind the remaining lattice, he was satisfied. The bag was no longer visible from the outside.
“What are you doing, Daddy?”
Lilly was standing behind him, watching him curiously.
He grinned at her. “Do you know how to keep a secret?”
The child nodded eagerly.
“Okay. I’m hiding a treasure. It’ll be for you and me and Mommy. Right now, we’re leaving it here, and you have to promise me not to tell anyone, not even Mommy, because it’s going to be a surprise for her.”
“I won’t tell, Daddy.”
“Cross your heart?”
Ceremoniously, she made the sign of the cross over her chest with her small hand. “I cross my heart.”
“Good girl.”
He stood up, took another peek, then kneeled back down and brushed some pine needles over the area. “There, all done. Now we have to go.”
And he took his little girl’s hand as she skipped happily down the trail.
Chapter Three
Moments after Jessie stepped out of the Broward News building, a rivulet of sweat weaved a path down her back. Traffic was heavy. Car exhaust fumes mingled with the heat and trapped waves of suffocating air in the streets downtown. August in south Florida usually was a scorcher, with the temperatures hovering in the mid-nineties on most days. Today was even worse, with a record breaking ninety-nine degrees. The torrid combination of heat and humidity managed to wring every bit of energy out of even the toughest Floridians.
Jessie stood under the glaring sun for three long minutes before the light changed at Broward and Andrews Avenue, and the flow of cars finally came to a stop. She dashed across the street and ran into the parking garage. As soon as she got into her car, she cranked up the A/C, heaving a sigh of relief when the cold air gushed out of the vents. Her cell phone chirped while she was backing up. Glancing at it, she was surprised to see it was her ex boy-friend, John Baldwin. She hesitated for a moment, then answered as she drove down the ramp.
“Hey, John, what’s up?”
“Hi, Jessie. How are you?”
“Good. Staying busy with work. How about you?”
“I’m doing all right. Had a couple of charters back to back and have another one scheduled in a week,” he said.
“That’s great.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure is. I’ve been thinking of you lately Jessie, and… Actually, since I’m in Ft Lauderdale for a few days, I was hoping we could get together for a chat, maybe have a drink or two.”
“I would love to, but right now
isn’t a good time for me. I’m working on a piece about the involvement of the Russians in human trafficking. Unfortunately, it’s turning out to be more and more frustrating. Every time I think I have a lead, it evaporates. So I have to keep on digging. Hopefully I’ll hit pay dirt one of these days. Is there something you wanted to talk about?”
He paused and she sensed his uneasiness. “Kind of. I met someone.”
“What do you mean? Like a girlfriend?”
He hesitated and Jessie laughed. “You’re not sure?”
He chuckled, sounding embarrassed. “No, no, I’m sure. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“John, what is there to talk about? It sounds like a good thing.”
“You don’t mind?” he asked.
Jessie braked and pulled into another parking space. “No, of course not.”
“She’s a nurse at Broward General. I met her when I went to see one of my old customers after his surgery. She was taking care of him and he introduced us. We hit it off and started dating. She loves sailing, Jessie. We’re even talking about taking out a charter together, you know, to see how it goes.”
“What’s her name?”
“Karen, Karen Winslow.”
“That’s a nice name,” she said.
He sounded relieved. “You’ll like her. So call me when you get a chance… for that drink. I miss you, Jessie.”
“I’ll call you, I promise. Bye, John.”
Jessie sat in her car for a while, an odd feeling lingering in her chest, memories flooding her mind. Three years earlier, they had sailed the Caribbean together for six months on John’s charter boat, in an effort to rekindle the relationship they had at one time. But the shadow of a dead man, Franco Morales, stood between them at all times, invisible, yet overwhelming in his presence. Franco was the love of Jessie’s life and they had planned on spending the rest of their life together. But fate, in its infinite cruelty, had another ending in mind. Franco was murdered by drug runners while the two of them were marooned on a deserted island.
Diamond Lilly Page 2
