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Nikolai.
Where the hell is my handbag?
I try to remember what happened to it, but I can’t recall.
Jesus, my phone is in that bag.
Chapter 35
Nikolai
After a thirteen-hour flight, we land in Congo for the meeting with Tshimaga. There’s no fucking signal, so I can’t call Abigail to hear if she slept well or had nightmares. The last time I spoke to her was when she landed in Switzerland, and it feels like weeks have passed, not just sixteen hours.
Christ, I hate this part of the world.
With Inna at St. Monarch’s and Mom at home, it’s just Dad and me.
And a small army, of course. I trust the diamond smugglers as far as I can throw the fuckers.
I check my bulletproof vest and my weapons, a submachine gun slung over my shoulder.
As we step off the plane, two jeeps are parked at the edge of the field. Each vehicle has a group of men on the back, all armed to the teeth.
The fucking humidity is something else as drops of rain start to fall.
Just another day at work. At least it’s not pouring buckets.
Tshimaga walks toward us, two of his soldiers following right behind him, carrying a small fold-up table. The soldier sets it down between us, and a worn briefcase is placed on it.
“Mr. Vetrov, welcome to the DRC,” Tshimaga says. Even though there’s a cruel gleam in his eyes, I can see he’s a businessman. It’s all about the money for him.
I nod at him. “Thank you.”
Dad steps closer until I feel him slightly behind me as he guards my back.
“I trust you’ll approve of the quality. You won’t find the same stones anywhere else,” Tshimaga says as he gestures at the worn briefcase.
I gesture for Bryant, one of my best men, to open the briefcase.
When he flips it open, I step closer to inspect the diamonds. I can spot a fake a mile away and have a keen eye for the real deal.
I take my time, checking every stone, and happy with the quality, I say, “You have a deal. One million euros as agreed.”
I gesture for Bryant to take the diamonds, and he quickly places them in a small steel box. Once he seals it, only a Vetrov can open it because no one else knows the code, and the box is impenetrable.
I pull the black card from my pocket with the authorization code for the funds printed in gold on it.
The million euros is safely in an account at St. Monarch’s, and once Tshimaga presents the code, they’ll release it to him.
“Nice doing business with you, Mr. Vetrov. I hope to see you again.”
I tip my chin. “I’ll be in touch.”
I don’t move a muscle as Tshimaga and his men fold up their little table and head back to their jeeps. Only when they’re driving into the jungle do I turn around and walk back to the plane.
Dad lets out a tired sigh. “Now for the thirteen-hour flight home. I’m getting too old for this.”
I need to train Bryant to meet with the smugglers in Africa so he can make the runs for me.
