Page 59 (1/2)

"Tell me more of their mother," said Pitt

"Little to tell Irene died fifteen years ago, again under mysterious circumstances It wasn't until a year after she was buried on Gladiator Island that a Sydney newspaper reporter ferreted out the fact of her death He ran an obituary on her before Arthur could bribe theeditor to kill the piece

Otherwise, nobody would have known she was gone"

"Ad of Arthur Dorsett and says he's impossible to reach," said Pitt

"Very true He is never seen in public, never socializes, has no friends His entire life revolves around the business He even has a secret tunnel for entering and leaving the Sydney headquarters building without being seen He has cut Gladiator Island off fro the less known about Dorsettoperations the better"

"What about the cos of a vast business forever"

"I beg to differ," said Perlet aith overn to probe company assets for tax purposes Arthur Dorsett e, but he's never hesitated to spend big overne and power, Dorsett will go for it"

"Do his daughters ithin the company?"

"Two of them are said to be employed by dear old Dad, the other one"

"Maeve," Pitt offered

"All right, Maeve, cut herself off froh university and ca of her enes"

"And Deirdre and Boudicca?"

"The gossipers claim the two are devils incarnate, and worse than the oldschemer with larceny in her veins Boudicca is rumored to be quite ruthless and as cold and hard as ice frolacier Neither see"

A distant look reflected in Pitt's eyes "What is it about diaives them so much allure? Why do overnments risen and fallen because of them?"

"Besides their beauty after being cut and polished, diamonds have unique qualities They happen to be the hardest known substance in the world Rub one against silk and it produces a positive electrostatic charge Expose it to the setting sun and it will later glow in the dark with an unearthly phosphorescence