Part 8 (1/2)

”Don't you think a person's taste in movies splits according to gender lines?” Louis asked me. ”There are chick flicks and guy flicks.”

”Personally I think it splits according to IQ points. Films that demand a brain and those that don't,” I said, not giving a good G.o.dd.a.m.n about the discussion.

Louis ignored my indifference. ”Let me guess. You also like Fellini, but you prefer Juliet of the Spirits Juliet of the Spirits.”

I sighed. Louis and Benny were so into each other, they didn't notice I wasn't fired up about discussing film. I didn't want to be a party p.o.o.per, so I said, ”Fellini's okay.”

Benny chimed in, ”What's your favorite movie?”

I laughed at her question. My taste runs to the quirky and offbeat in just about everything. ”Cam Diario,” I answered.

Louis raised his eyebrows and looked at Benny. She shrugged. He said. ”I never heard of it.”

”Me neither,” Benny said. ”Who's the director?” I noticed that the two of them were now holding hands.

”Nanni Moretti,” I answered.

”The Italian Communist?” Louis squealed.

I cringed inwardly at his tinny voice, but pasted a smile on my face. ”Yeah, I guess Moretti is a Communist. But it's not his politics I care about. He's funny, and I prefer comedies, that's all. Even dark ones.”

”Come on, Daphy, name another one. See if we know it,” Benny begged.

”An Everlasting Piece Everlasting Piece, directed by Barry Levinson,” I said.

”Got me again,” Louis said. ”Your choices are pretty oddball, if you don't mind me saying. What made you like this one?”

”It's Irish, set in Belfast during the Troubles,” I said. ”It's pretty recent, and not dark. It has a great sound track. It's full of irony and very funny. Life has enough tears. I don't need more at the movies.”

Benny and Louis exchanged glances. Louis rolled his eyes. Benny giggled.

”By the way,” Louis said, ”I've been admiring your ring all night. May I see it?”

”Sure. It's Florentine. Renaissance.” I took off my leopard-head ring and gave it to him.

Louis turned on one of the car's interior lights and held the ring close to it. ”Exquisite,” he said. ”I have a thing for rings, as you can probably tell,” he said, and held up a bejeweled hand. ”The design of this ring is highly unusual. I can see there's a maker's hallmark inside.”

”May I see?” Benny asked, and Louis handed it over.

Benny examined the ring closely in a way only a jeweler would. I could see admiration on her face. ”It's lovely. I've seen real Renaissance period rings only in museums, never up close. After all, Daphy, I'm soooo much younger than you,” she said, shooting me a wicked grin. I responded very maturely by sticking my tongue out at her. When we stopped giggling, she took another look at the ring and said, ”Daphy, honey, do you know one of the emerald panther eyes is loose in the setting?”

”No. Let me see.” She handed it back. I couldn't see well, but I could feel that it was.

”If you don't mind my taking it, I'll have one of the jewelers fix it when I go into work on Monday. Don't worry; I won't let it out of my sight. I can return it to you Monday night.”

”That would be terrific,” I said. ”I'd hate to lose a stone. These emeralds are as close to perfect as they ever get.” I handed the ring back and Benny put it in her tiny purse, which was firmly attached to the belt of her dress by a golden chain. She might look flighty and careless, but that was just part of her ”dumb blonde” persona. I had seen enough of her to know that Benny Polycarp was smart, meticulous, and shrewd.

”Thanks, Benny. I appreciate it. Not to change the subject,” I said, ”but you wanted to talk, and this may be the only chance we get.” I wasn't worried about speaking in front of Louis. Vampires excel at betrayal-outside the vampire family. Within our race we follow unwritten rules. One of them is not to snitch or to ”out” anyone to humans. We close ranks and circle the wagons to protect each other. Persecuted throughout the centuries, we know our survival has depended on close family a.s.sociations. There is us us, and there is them them. Unlike many other minorities, we can't become part of the ma.s.s culture. We can convert others to our race; we can't a.s.similate into theirs.

”Oh, yes. Daphy, I don't know if I have the nerves for the spy stuff, I really don't. They recruited me partly because I have a degree in gemology. So I'm supposed to be working for a firm in the Diamond Exchange. The place is crawling with intrigue, I tell you. And that just has to do with who's boffing who. They've been dealing with Bonaventure for years, ever since he's been insisting that certain buyers pay him in uncut diamonds. My firm regularly appraises the deliveries to make sure he's getting what he's promised. The head of my firm has been ”convinced,” you might call it, to cooperate with U.S. intelligence. I'm being sent up to Bonaventure's Monday night to certify a large payment in African diamonds from Sierra Leone-blood diamonds, they call them.”

”Benny,” I cut in, ”I was wondering about how the weapons exchange for diamonds worked. Do you know?” I asked.

”Well, the way I understand it,” Benny started, ”it's done under the counter. You know, illegally. The terrorists smuggle the diamonds into the country, which isn't very hard to do. They turn them over to Bonaventure in exchange for the weapons. Actually they get a key or something like that that gives them access to the weapons. And yes, he always is on the up-and-up about that, but Bonaventure isn't about to physically turn over anything anything. The terrorists take all the risks, and he keeps his hands clean. He has complete deniability.”

”He must be extremely cunning and cautious,” I said, feeling very uneasy about the agency's scheme. ”He's going to be suspicious of anything that seems unusual. I hope J knows what he's doing.”

”You and me both,” Benny said, and s.h.i.+vered.

”So how does Bonaventure convert the diamonds into cash without the banks tipping off the U.S. government?” I wondered out loud.

”It's pretty simple, really, Daphy. My boss is the one who actually converts the diamonds into cash-at a very nice discount, so it's worth his while. The cash is in the form of a cas.h.i.+er's check drawn on a numbered Swiss account. The Swiss give no one, not even U.S. intelligence agencies, the ident.i.ties of account holders, nor reveal banking transactions.”

”So Bonaventure sits on a fortune and there's no way to trace how he got it?” I said, sounding surprised. I was being disingenuous with Benny now; I had a Swiss account of my own, as did my mother. We've had plenty to hide over the centuries, and governments can follow a paper trail, so we've taken precautions not to leave one. The Swiss have always been very cooperative, since my mother is an extremely rich woman.

Benny was talking a mile a minute now. ”Well, Daphy, that's why I'm getting so wound up. I'm supposed to show up Monday and appraise the diamonds, then give Bonaventure two cas.h.i.+er's checks, made out to cash, totaling two hundred and fifty million dollars two hundred and fifty million dollars. Then I transport the diamonds back to my company. Now, honey, there's no safer courier on earth than a vampire, so I'm not worried about getting mugged or anything.” She stopped for a breath, then plunged ahead. ”I am worried about Bonaventure smelling a rat. A new person being sent for this major deal... I mean, the head of the firm is supposed to handle this kind of exchange, not a blonde from Branson, Missouri. And the thing is, I have to be there when the diamonds are actually handed over. Bonaventure won't accept them unless I certify them. So J wants me to photo these guys on the sly and make sure the bugs you planted pick up the transaction.”

I was thinking about J's scheme, and it was full of holes. ”Benny,” I asked, ”you're sure this is happening at Bonaventure's apartment?”

”Yes. He doesn't go to his clients. They come to him.”

”I have an appointment with him Monday night. I'd like to know how he's putting this all together.”

”I'm supposed to get there at eight thirty,” Benny clarified.

”After me.” I stared out the window in silence for a few minutes.

Benny looked at Louis, who had listened without interrupting. ”Benny, I think you're in a world of trouble,” he said.

”Well, what do you think, Daphy? Can we pull this off?”

”Maybe,” I said. ”Here's the way I see it. Bonaventure is going to get out of New York City as fast as possible after the terrorists get the weapons. But he also wants my client's art. If anything catastrophic is planned for the city, he won't take the chance on its getting destroyed, so he'll want to take possession of it ASAP after the diamond exchange. My guess is he'll make a bid on the art and have it ready for me Monday night. He'll ask me to confirm it with Schneibel, the collector, while I'm right there at the apartment. If Schneibel agrees to the sale, Bonaventure will pay me on the spot-that's why there are two checks-and then arrange to pick up the art, all within the next seventy-two hours. Maybe the time pressure will make him less cautious than usual and more vulnerable to J's plan. Unfortunately, I don't think we can count on it.”

”Do you really think terrorists are planning another attack on New York?”

”I don't know. I hope not. But if these guys with the key, or whatever they pick up, can be followed and they are stopped before they take possession of the weapons, we can make sure there won't be.”

Louis broke in. ”Let me get this straight. The safety of millions of people and the greatest city in the world rests on two female vampires. Pardon me for saying this, but we're f.u.c.ked.”

”Louis!” Benny said. ”That's not nice! Besides, we have lots of backup, don't we, Daphy?”

”Oh, sure we do,” I said sarcastically. ”Except that we've never met any of them besides J. We don't know who they are or how many of them there are. Lots of backup? Uh-uh. Benny, I think we are screwed. And I'm beginning to believe we're expendable in J's eyes. I planted the listening devices, so whatever else I do is probably a bonus. Once the terrorists show up with the diamonds at Bonaventure's, J's people can start tailing them. You're a Judas goat. The bad guys are sure to show up before eight thirty because the diamonds have to be in Bonaventure's possession before you arrive with the money. J should be keeping Bonaventure's apartment building under surveillance, and he'll take his own d.a.m.ned photos. I bet the regular diamond guy was too scared to do this deal; that's why J needed you.

”He's been blowing smoke up our a.s.ses, Benny. And from what I've seen of his agency's operations, I don't think he has a s...o...b..ll's chance in h.e.l.l of catching these terrorists before it's too late. I think we'd better plan on handling this ourselves.” I felt taken in, betrayed, and d.a.m.ned mad. I wasn't going to take it anymore I wasn't going to take it anymore, I thought.

”Can we handle it?” Benny said, her doubt evident and her big eyes like saucers.

”Transformed into vampire form we can,” I said as if putting down my trump card.