American authorities had forbidden all.American sailors in uniform to enter any of the hotels where he girls worked. This ruling had a had effect on business and to make matters worse the girls were demanding a higher percentage.
Blackie listened, grunting in sympathy from time to time. They were still discussing Charlie’s affairs as they climbed the stairs to the club where Yu-Ian greeted Charlie affectionately.
Lunch was ready and the three sat down and ate through eight courses of immaculately prepared food. Little was said during the meal and when it was finished the two brothers retired to Blackie’s office while Yu-Ian went to her room for a siesta. Charlie sat in the most comfortable chair while Blackie sat behind his desk. He offered a cigar which Charlie accepted.
There was a short silence while Charlie lit the cigar, then he said, “There is something perhaps that I can do for you?”
Blackie immediately got down to business. With admirable clarity, he told his brother Jaffe’s story. He gave his brother every scrap of information he had been able to gather without complicating the facts with his own thoughts or opinions.
Charlie lay back in the armchair and puffed at his cigar, his face expressionless. As Blackie talked, Charlie very quickly realized the danger of this thing. Up to now, neither he nor Blackie had ever touched anything really dangerous: a little opium smuggling of course: several shady currency deals; a certain amount of refugee smuggling into Hong Kong, but nothing where they could find themselves facing an execution squad, and this thing that Blackie was dabbling in could very easily end before the levelled rifles of Security Police.
Charlie had lived for many years in Saigon. He had left when the French had pulled out and President Diem had come to power. He had felt it his duty to provide a bolt-hole for his young brother in case of need, and he had settled in Hong Kong. But he understood the Vietnamese methods and mentality. He knew they would take the sternest measures against a Chinese if they found out he had helped a fugitive from justice to escape.
Blackie said, “The American has money. He will pay fifteen thousand U.S. dollars if we can get him out. This is an acceptable sum. I thought five for you and ten for me would be a fair arrangement. What do you think?”
“My life is worth a lot more than five thousand U.S. dollars,” Charlie said quietly.
Blackie frowned. He was disappointed. He thought his brother would have jumped at such an offer.
“What do you mean?”
“It is too dangerous,” Charlie said. “I am sorry, but I cannot consider the matter for a moment; it is much too dangerous.”
Blackie understood how to deal with his brother. He took from his pocket the two diamonds that Jaffe had given him.
“The American is willing to trust me,” he said. “He has given me these two diamonds. He tells me they are worth a thousand U.S. dollars. They will take care of our immediate expenses. When he reaches Hong Kong, he will pay us fifteen thousand U.S. dollars.” He put the two glittering dia. monds on his blotter.
Charlie was an expert in all kinds of precious stones. He had once been a diamond cutter to a jeweller in Saigon, but unfortunately for him he had been caught stealing gold and that had put an end to his career in the jewellery trade.
He picked up the two diamonds and studied them. Then he took a watchmaker’s glass from his pocket and screwed it into his eye and examined the stones very carefully. There was a long pause while Blackie watched him. Finally Charlie took the glass from his eye and put the diamonds back on the blotter.
As he leaned hack in his armchair, he asked, “The American gave you these stones?”
“Yes.”
“Where did he get them from?”
“From Hong Kong. He bought them for a girl, but changed his mind.”
“How much did you say he told you they were worth?”
Blackie frowned.
“A thousand U.S. dollars.”
“It would surprise you if I told you they are worth three thousand dollars?” Charlie said.
Blackie’s eyes went dull. He slumped down in his chair while he stared at his brother.
“The American didn’t buy these diamonds in Hong Kong,” Charlie went on. “He was lying to you.”
“I don’t understand,” Blackie said. “Why did he give them to me if they are worth so much?”
“Because he doesn’t know the value of them, and that means he didn’t buy them.”
“I don’t understand,” Blackie said. “If he didn’t buy them how did he get them?”
“He stole them,” Charlie said. “This is a very strange coincidence.” He pointed to the diamonds. “Six years ago, I cut those diamonds. Myself. My mark is on them.”
“This is extraordinary,” Blackie said. “You are quite sure?”
“Of course. I can tell you who the owner was of these diamonds. Do you remember General Nguyen Van Tho?”
Blackie nodded.
“He ordered a hundred and twenty diamonds from the firm I worked for and he paid cash for them. It was a secret deal, but I learned he had gone to another dealer and bought fifty much bigger and better stones. In all he bought two million American dollars worth of diamonds. He used the Army funds to buy the stones. He planned to leave the country but he left it too late. He was killed by a bomb, and the diamonds were never found. I think the American has found them!”
The two men looked at each other. Blackie felt a trickle of sweat run down his face. Two million American dollars!
“Of course!” he said. “Jaffe lived in the villa belonging to the General’s woman! The General must have hidden the stones there and Jaffe found them. That’s why he murdered his houseboy! The boy must have known Jaffe had found the diamonds!”
Charlie continued to puff at his cigar, but his mind was active. Here at last, he was thinking, is the chance I have waited for. Two million dollars! The big money! At last!
“Of course we don’t know he has the other diamonds,” Blackie said doubtfully. “He may have found only these two.”
“And killed the boy for two diamonds?” Charlie shook his head. “No: he’s found them - all of them. You can be sure of that.”
“I know where he is hiding,” Blackie said, lowering his voice. “It would be a simple matter to surprise him. I have several men who would take care of him.”
Charlie lifted his head to stare at his brother.
“Suppose you got the diamonds?” he said. “What would you do with them here?”
“We would take them to Hong Kong,” Blackie said impatiently.
“The last time I left Saigon, I was searched,” Charlie said gently. “They would search you too. Both of us are suspect. If we were caught with the diamonds, we would disappear. You realize that, don’t you?”
“Then what are we going to do?” Blackie said.
“We are going to do what the American wants. We are going to get him out of the country. Naturally, he’ll take the diamonds with him. He will take all the risks. We will be in Hong Kong waiting for him. It is then when he arrives in Hong Kong that we take the diamonds from him. Do you agree?”
“But you said just now you wouldn’t consider the matter,” Blackie reminded him.
Charlie smiled.
“For two million American dollars, there is nothing I would not consider. You can tell him we will get him out of the country.”
“But how?”
Charlie closed his eyes.
“That is something I must think about. I am not as young as I used to be. A little sleep now would be beneficial. Will you see I am not disturbed?”
Blackie got up and went to the door. He paused. There was a worried expression in his eyes.
“The American won’t part with the diamonds easily,” he said. “He is a powerfully-built man.”
Charlie settled himself comfortably in the chair.
“We can’t expect to gain two million dollars without trouble,” he said. “Thank you for reminding me. I will
