Book3:WereMyDreamIs (第122/327页)

mflyingin.Thisicalold-fashionedoffice.Itwashereinthisutilitarian,low-keyofficethatMr.Seiderpushedhispanystepbystepuptothepinhejewelryworld.Itwasevidentthathewasaservativeman,notgiventoseekifadsandtrends,ashisofficestillretaiheatmosphereandappearahe40sand50s.Thetwoofthemwerediscussingtheseriouscrisisfrontingtheirpany,whieededtoberesolvedimmediately.Iyearstheyhadexpaoorapidlyandhadoverfivehundredbranchesallovertheworldandmorethanthirtythousandemployees.Ihepreseatingfinancialdownturn,theircashflowwasdryingupandtheywereseriouslyshortofcash.Iodowhepanyandyofftheemployeestheyneededasizableamountofmoopaytheseverancepackage,butthehighcssgemsandjewelrywhichtheyhadaccumutedsatidleintheirvariousbrahnopotentialershowinganyi.Withtheirassetslyinginactiveandbankiforthemoheyhadborroweddueeverymonth,theywerebadlyinneedeamountofcashtocuttheirlosses,yoffemployees,dowhepanyandsurvivetofightanotherday.Thetwomensattheretroubled,ragtheirbrainstofindawaytogettherequiredmotonoavail.Mr.Wolfesuddenlygedthesubjedasked,

    “Haveyouheardthatretlytwodiamond-richershavebeengoingarouyonashoppingspreeandpayingforeverythinginfabulousdiamonds?Theyseemtohavenocashonhandandpaidforallservidmerdisericelessdiamond.Itdidnotmatterwhetheritwasadiiptoawaiterorachef,clothing,oralmsfgar,thepaymentwasalwaysanenormouslyexpensivediamond.Theydidohaveanymoney,onlydiamonds.It’sreallymysterious,thisstrangecouple.Wonderwheretheycamefrom.”

    “I’veheardaboutthem,too”repliedMr.Seider.“It’sreallyunheardof!Theypayforeverythingwithadiamardlessofwhetherthethingtheyboughtensiveorcheap.Itwasasiftheywerestilllivingintheasocietywhereeverythingwasbartered.Itwastheexgeofohingfora’sreallyweird.”

    “Isawthatstrangecouplestnight”saidMr.Wolfe.“whenIwaseatingatthesteakhousenearby.Theywereprettyiedibcksportscar.Igavethemmycard.Iwoheywilletolookmeup…ThismtheCEOofoheos/hotelscametomyoffie.Hebroughtalongquiteahandfulhqualitydiamondsandaskedmetoappraisetheheetheyweregiventohiminlieuofpaymentforthechipsathiso.Hesaid“Thetwoofthemwereprettydrunkandlosteverythingatthetablesanditwasmygoodfortuohavebeenthereoandgrabbedholdofthediamonds.Imadeabundlefromthedeal.I’monlyafraidthatinthemwheovertheirhaheywillebacktotheoandasktoredeemtheirdiamondswithcash.Thenitwouldhavebeenmuchadoaboutnothingandtomethatwouldbemoreofalossthanagain!”Mr.Wolfefrownedandtinued,“I’msureyouknowwhothatCEOiswithoutmynaminghim.Heusedtobeinthemafia,thensomehowbecamelegitandisnowthedownerofasuperrgeo.Uponleaving,hesmiledmysteriouslyatmesaying,‘ThesetwepeopledoobecitizensofanytryastheyhadnopassportsorpersonalIDs.Idon’tthinkanyonewouldlookforthemormakeinquiriesiftheyshoulddisappearfromthefaceoftheearth.Therewon’tbeanycluesatall…’andthe.”

    “Thosetwopeoplearehere”saidJosephioMr.Wolfe.“Ithinktheyarethediamond-richersyoujustmentiohemaobeanalcoholic.Heisnowdrinkingwhiskeyandwaitingforyou.”Mr.Wolfestoodupandwalkedquicklytowardsthedoor.ThenturnedhisheadandsaidtoMr.Seider,

    “Iwillgoathisisalbout.Don’teoutyetandstayoutofthefrayforthetimebeialkitoverwhe