sanikovna strait

VII

They decided to order coffee and dessert after dinner so they could talk privately without fear of being heard.  They were feeling paranoid now.

“Honey, it’s time I tell you where the diamonds are.” Zurima said.

“Whatever you think is best. You don’t have to, Zuri”  Uri said.

“I want to. I am the last of my lineage. Ammar is the only other person who knows and he’s there overseeing the workers. Darling, it’s an island on the Sanikovna Strait,......it’s a 24 hour plane ride then an 18 hour train ride, then  3 hours by bobsled, of course you have to make several stops to give the huskies a break so it takes a little longer than that. And that’s if there’s no blizzard.  The reason we know about it is that my ancestors were Russians who were banished from the country and exiled to Siberia for unpaid debts. Then they migrated to Brunei and sold the diamonds there. My great great grandmother married a native.” Zurima felt a weight lifted from her chest.

“But how do they change color?”

“No one knows except for my ancestors centuries ago. I just know which color they will turn just by holding them in my hands.”

“That’s incredible, love,” he exclaimed.

“Do you have a passport?” she asked him.

“I have one in my real name,” he said.

“No matter. I’ll take care of of all that.  I know a guy who used to work in passport production in Belgium. He has all the equipment to make passports for any country in the world that are legitimate.  It will cost ten thousand dollars.”

“Wow. That’s pretty steep.”

“That includes the driver’s license and birth certificate”

“Okay. When can we see him?”

“I’ll give him a call tomorrow.  He lives in North Arlington, New Jersey.  That’s where his antique clock shop is.”

“Did I tell you how beautiful you are today?”

“Actually, no. You did not.”

“Your beauty exceeds the number of galaxies in the universe.”

“You can still make me blush.”