Josh arrived in Bangkok in the evening just as it was getting dark. For the flight he had booked himself into an executive seat. He had paid for it on his mother’s travel account with an agent in Cambridge. He did not expect his mother to check on the account any time soon, and his trip could then be kept just to himself. Sitting comfortably on the flight, he took his time on his phone to search for the likely addresses where he could spend his short time there.
He kept off alcohol, ate all that was offered on the long flight and drank plenty of water. He took a taxi into the centre of the city; his briefcase was light – he had brought no papers – but he did have a large diamond in a pocket in the side. He was over dressed for the humid heat that hit him.
The window of the first address he had was glinting full of shining jewellery, many pieces with diamonds embedded boldly in them. Rings, necklaces, earrings, and he even saw a watch with more diamonds than bezel face, were stretched across the brightly lit window. He walked in slowly; the lights were very bright; the shop had other people browsing; and he noticed several security cameras in the ceiling of the shop. His mother had told him to show confidence in whatever he was doing, “look people in the eye and don’t stutter”, but this evening he didn’t feel able to rise to that in these foreign places.
An older man with short grey hair approached him. ‘Can I help you, sir?’
‘I see you have some very nice pieces of jewellery in your window, but what I am looking for is to trade a diamond.’
‘Yes, sir. We do trade. And are you looking to buy or sell?’
‘I have a big-carat stone for sale.’
Josh felt uneasy. He did not know how to do this, and he was sweating under the bright lights of the shop. He fumbled with his briefcase. He brought out the large diamond that he had carried from Nevis and held it in the palm of his hand. The assistant, or more likely the owner of the business, Josh thought, peered at it closely across the display cabinet.
‘May I hold it?’ he asked.
Josh passed it to him and watched the face of the elderly man. He weighed it in his hand and studied it closely.
‘I see it has an identity number engraved. So do you have the laboratory certification papers to go with it?’
Josh felt the gaze of the man standing opposite. His ignorance was being exposed.
‘No. I don’t carry it with me. For security reasons, you understand,’ he added but did not know why.
‘It’s heavy; it’s finely cut with nice colour and clarity – it’s a very nice stone.’ He paused and looked at Josh. ‘But we could not discuss a possible purchase without seeing the laboratory certificate of grading and authenticity.’
The man handed the diamond back to Josh and turned away. Josh could read the signs about this man’s face. He had no interest in talking to Josh further. Josh kept his briefcase shut and placed the diamond in his pocket. He left the premises quickly and he was breathing heavily as he entered the humid heat of the noisy, evening time street.
He had a similar experience in another shop in a large shopping centre. He was not being taken seriously, and he wandered aimlessly through two very busy roads, with the smell of food wafting closely in the air. It made him feel hungry. It was then that he saw a brightly lit sign to a gem factory. Inside it was milling with tourists, but it was air-conditioned, and Josh welcomed the coolness of the place. He walked slowly round the large space; he stopped and looked at a row of benches where experts were making jewellery from rings to necklaces. He stopped and browsed at a counter with diamond rings in brightly lit showcases.
He was showing interest and a smart Thai man with a buttonhole approached him.
‘I’m looking to sell this diamond,’ Josh said.
He showed the rough, uncut, small diamond that Stone had given to him in the Reform Club for his sister. It had no markings on any of the facets and he just hoped he would not be asked about a certificate. The man took the diamond and examined it under a magnified light for a minute. He weighed it and again studied it closely.
‘$500. That’s all I can give you,’ he replied at last.
Josh did not know what to say; he thought it would have been worth more than that. His memory told him Harry Stone had said in the Reform Club a few thousand sterling. But Josh hesitated no more.
‘I’ll take it. In dollar bills please.’
Josh now knew he had enough for a hotel for the night and he would get the first flight back tomorrow. He was sweating heavily; he was very uneasy. He had a large diamond still in his pocket. It was to pay the £100,000 that he thought Stone had promised him for getting the Marine House deal. And he had hoped to take a cut from selling that diamond, but now how would he tell Harry Stone where he had been? Or his mother?
There was also the small matter to explain of what had happened to the diamond that should have been given to his sister, the one he had now sold for a song in Bangkok.
Josh thought he could ride this out like he always did, but he could never have known that he was soon to be found out in front of the family.