Free Diamond Legacy by Monica McCabe Page A

encountered anything.”
    “What about suspicious activity?” Miranda persisted.
    Her friend stopped typing and looked at her with a perplexed frown.
    She’d pushed too hard. “I’d only been in the country a half hour when I saw a thief busted at the airport,” Miranda said, hoping it explained the interrogation.
    “Truly?” Letta shook her head. “The closest I came was in college. I had to clear security to work the city’s annual reception for the diamond industry. Not this year, though. Its three weeks away and I’ve not applied.”
    Miranda blinked. “What kind of reception?”
    “A massive one. The Kimberely Process was implemented a few years ago, and they want to praise its success. Many countries signed the agreement to import only certified, conflict-free stones, and all will be here. Hotels will overflow with international diplomats, politicians, and industry officials. Getting around town will be a complete nightmare for weeks.”
    A strange feeling settled in the pit of Miranda’s stomach. Diamond smuggling, corrupt employees, huge cash deposits, and an event of international proportions. No matter how one looked at it, the future of Katanga appeared grim.
     
     

Chapter 9
     
    The next morning Miranda rose full of determined ambition. By afternoon, her optimism had been beaten flat. A series of dead ends and brick walls made it all but impossible to find traces of smuggling.
    She’d spent the bulk of the day with Dr. Mulrufa, a friendly and outgoing man who knew just enough English to get by. Together, they ran routine health and dental check-ups on a variety of animals destined for zoo life. All rescues from poaching, the exotic pet trade, or the biggest threat of all, expanding civilization.
    When it came to snooping, though, luck wasn’t in her favor. Once she had managed to access veterinary records, but Dr. Mulrufa had interrupted, and she’d scrambled up a plausible excuse to be digging into sensitive files. Hours passed without another chance, and then visiting students from the University of Botswana arrived, and she had to give an impromptu class on dentistry.
    In a last ditch effort, she volunteered to log the day’s paperwork. It was pushing five o’clock and Mulrufa heartily accepted the offer, leading her to an available computer.
    After a few false starts, she finally got the hang of pulling up digitized medical charts and soon whizzed through the day’s details, diligently translating her notes and others into the computer.
    That’s where Jason found her. “Letta and a couple interns are going into Gaborone for some fun. Dinner, drinks, and wild women. What do you say we join them?”
    She looked up from her notes to find him grinning in excitement. Letta stood right behind him shaking her head. “I’m fairly certain wild women weren’t mentioned,” Letta said. “But it’s possible we’ll find some dancing.”
    Miranda had no intention of blowing her chance to snoop. With an excuse to work late, and alone, there’d be free time to dig at random. She had to take it. “That sounds like fun, but I’ve too many transcripts to log,” she said. “You guys go ahead. I’ll keep working and catch a bite to eat back at the lodge.”
    “No, no, no,” Jason argued. “Here’s an opportunity to experience African nightlife. A little boogie action and local booze. You can’t pass this up.”
    “We can wait until you finish,” Letta offered.
    She smiled and shook her head. “Next time guys, I promise.”
    “You seriously need to work on balancing job time and play time.” Jason dug the Jeep keys out of his pocket and handed them over. “Remember what they said. To the lodge and back. Two miles. No detours.”
    “Yessir!”
    “And don’t wait up for me. I plan to be late.”
    Miranda waved them off and got back to work on her notes. Just shy of an hour later she finished and hit print for the results. That’s when Dr. Mulrufa returned.
    “File paper tomorrow,”