The Diamond Eye From Siberia

I was able to ask my questions first, impertinence is an important part of our business and I was extremely good at that.

“Jocko Bonatty with the Washington Times.  My first question is to Mr. Jack Heckman:  Sir, what part of the deal does the Italian mafia have in the monopoly of the fixed diamond prices in the American market?”

Smiling maliciously the old boss approached the microphones, and spoofed me away with his answer.

“Joe, you have to ask such question your fellow Italians in Italian, in order for them to understand you better.  Our corporation has nothing to do with the Italian mafia and with any such accusations regarding the monopoly of the fixed prices.  “De Consolidate” develops and produces diamonds, but does not sell them in the United States.”

“Your corporation allows smaller companies to borrow the diamonds on consignment and they do in fact sell your diamonds in here.  They say that you dictate the selling prices to them.” – I added firmly.

“You need to refer those questions to Mr. Sunshine for more information.”

“Thanks for your frank answer Mr. Heckman.  My second question is to the president of “De Consolidate” Mr. Heckman Jr.:

Mr. Heckman, my research shows that the Russian mafia has currently taken over a market share of 45% from the American diamond market.  Isn’t that fact a quite disturbing to you as a president of “De Consolidate”?”

“You just told me something I hear for the very first time that a Russian organization exists here in America and operates in the diamond business. 

“I have to repeat myself, we do not sell diamonds in your country and we have no reason to be afraid of the Russian influence in the American diamond market.”

My last question to Mr. Sunshine was: 

“Sir, are you confident that you will be able to succeed in the law suit against the accusations of the American administration?  - In my opinion it is becoming more of a political than a criminal character.”

 “I don’t conduct losing law suits.  That trial is a clear political insinuation.  My goal is to prove it here, in the court of law and to protect the well-respected names of my clients and their corporation”.

On my way to the newspaper, I recalled an episode of my journey to the embassy of Belgium Congo, where as a young journalist I was assigned to prepare a report about the famous in that time political assassination of Patrick Bomumba.  I became good friends with the barman of the hotel, he asked me for help to get him out of the country.  He was afraid for the lives of his family in such unstable military situation.  He revealed to me that in his possession were a number of rough diamonds and according to him the size of a particular one was extraordinary.  In such case that I was able to get them out of Congo, he promised to give me a percentage of the diamond sale.  I believed his story, because it didn’t seem very unusual after all.  I found out for a fact that the barman was right when my shaking hands were placing the valuable pebbles in one of my camera cassettes.  Adventures and business were the two things that used to occupy my mind at the time.  I was able to transport them to Brussels by a military jet, costing me three thousands bucks, the cost of a Mercedes car at the time.  From Brussels, we went to