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Authors: Iain Edward Henn
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was returned by both Ruth and Alicia. Ruth’s face broke into a vicious smirk, but Alicia betrayed no emotion at all. She averted her gaze, cool, calm, controlled, and continued giving her damning statement.
TRICK OF THE LIGHT
I t has the majesty of the sun, Grant thought, as he watched the dazzling effect of the light engulfing the gemstone.
‘The light-reflecting qualities of the Van Thuren diamond are unique,’ the tour guide addressed the startled group of which Grant and Lyn were a part.
‘It is one of the rarest finds to come out of the South African mines. When normal light touches the facets of the diamond, the shine is reflected into a thousand tiny pinpricks of brightness. This has been brought about partly by the exceptional clarity and partly by a revolutionary new technique in the cutting. Under strong, direct light like this, the glare is magnified a hundredfold. A dazzling, aurora-like display. The resulting effect on the naked eye can be blinding.’
That was the reason for the specially tinted sunglasses. They’d been handed out to the group at the beginning of the museum tour. The diamond, as large as a man’s clenched fist, was perched on a dais directly beneath intense beams of artificial light, so that tourists could experience the spectacle with their eyes protected
The combination of the cut together with the gemstone’s properties meant that the light vibrated horizontally off the surface, similar to the effect of polarized glare – when sunlight bounced off water or ice or snow.
‘Just as in cases of snow blindness,’ the guide elaborated, ‘or the less common instance of sunburn to a person’s eyeballs – causing temporary damage to the retina and the lens of the eye – the result is a temporary blindness that can last up to 24 hours.’
‘Is the eye damage permanent?’ someone asked.
‘Not usually but best not to test it,’ the guide responded, ‘I’d keep those glasses on.’
Everyone laughed.
‘That is one incredible diamond. But why are you so obsessed with it?’ Lyn asked later. They were driving back to the London hotel in the rented Alfa Romeo.
Grant shrugged. ‘I was in Johannesburg a year ago when the diamond was first put on display. You must admit it’s stunning. Ever since, I’ve had this dream of placing the diamond at the foot of my bed so that it’s the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning.’
Lyn’s eyes sparkled. ‘That would be magnificent,’ she agreed.
Grant continued. ‘I’ve made a point of being in a city when the Van Thuren diamond is on show. And I’ve studied all the security arrangements made by the organizers. I know them like the back of my hand.’
‘You plan to steal the diamond?’
‘It would be the ultimate heist, Lyn. Think about it. To own it for a week or two. Then sell it to the highest bidder on the black market.’
Lyn whistled. It’s the stuff dreams are made of, she thought.
In the hotel room, Grant unveiled his master plan. ‘The room that houses the diamond is always guarded by an infra-red beam. If anyone passes through the beam, it activates an alarm. The beam reacts to the average human body temperature. Nothing lower. That way it doesn’t go off every time an insect flies by.’
‘So what are you going to do? Send in a human fly?’
‘The next best thing.’ Grant went into the bathroom and emerged with a vial of whitish gel. He rubbed some of it onto his arm. ‘I made this stuff myself. Icegel. Incredibly cold. It’s a variation on the gels developed by stuntmen for use in fire stunts. Their gels burn on the outside but protect the skin underneath. And the gels are very cold, allowing no heat in, so that the body can withstand the heat of the flames.’
‘That’s how they walk through fire without the use of an asbestos suit?’
‘Precisely. I’ve used the same chemical properties to develop my little gel here. I’ve made it even colder. It will lower my body temperature
TRICK OF THE LIGHT
I t has the majesty of the sun, Grant thought, as he watched the dazzling effect of the light engulfing the gemstone.
‘The light-reflecting qualities of the Van Thuren diamond are unique,’ the tour guide addressed the startled group of which Grant and Lyn were a part.
‘It is one of the rarest finds to come out of the South African mines. When normal light touches the facets of the diamond, the shine is reflected into a thousand tiny pinpricks of brightness. This has been brought about partly by the exceptional clarity and partly by a revolutionary new technique in the cutting. Under strong, direct light like this, the glare is magnified a hundredfold. A dazzling, aurora-like display. The resulting effect on the naked eye can be blinding.’
That was the reason for the specially tinted sunglasses. They’d been handed out to the group at the beginning of the museum tour. The diamond, as large as a man’s clenched fist, was perched on a dais directly beneath intense beams of artificial light, so that tourists could experience the spectacle with their eyes protected
The combination of the cut together with the gemstone’s properties meant that the light vibrated horizontally off the surface, similar to the effect of polarized glare – when sunlight bounced off water or ice or snow.
‘Just as in cases of snow blindness,’ the guide elaborated, ‘or the less common instance of sunburn to a person’s eyeballs – causing temporary damage to the retina and the lens of the eye – the result is a temporary blindness that can last up to 24 hours.’
‘Is the eye damage permanent?’ someone asked.
‘Not usually but best not to test it,’ the guide responded, ‘I’d keep those glasses on.’
Everyone laughed.
‘That is one incredible diamond. But why are you so obsessed with it?’ Lyn asked later. They were driving back to the London hotel in the rented Alfa Romeo.
Grant shrugged. ‘I was in Johannesburg a year ago when the diamond was first put on display. You must admit it’s stunning. Ever since, I’ve had this dream of placing the diamond at the foot of my bed so that it’s the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning.’
Lyn’s eyes sparkled. ‘That would be magnificent,’ she agreed.
Grant continued. ‘I’ve made a point of being in a city when the Van Thuren diamond is on show. And I’ve studied all the security arrangements made by the organizers. I know them like the back of my hand.’
‘You plan to steal the diamond?’
‘It would be the ultimate heist, Lyn. Think about it. To own it for a week or two. Then sell it to the highest bidder on the black market.’
Lyn whistled. It’s the stuff dreams are made of, she thought.
In the hotel room, Grant unveiled his master plan. ‘The room that houses the diamond is always guarded by an infra-red beam. If anyone passes through the beam, it activates an alarm. The beam reacts to the average human body temperature. Nothing lower. That way it doesn’t go off every time an insect flies by.’
‘So what are you going to do? Send in a human fly?’
‘The next best thing.’ Grant went into the bathroom and emerged with a vial of whitish gel. He rubbed some of it onto his arm. ‘I made this stuff myself. Icegel. Incredibly cold. It’s a variation on the gels developed by stuntmen for use in fire stunts. Their gels burn on the outside but protect the skin underneath. And the gels are very cold, allowing no heat in, so that the body can withstand the heat of the flames.’
‘That’s how they walk through fire without the use of an asbestos suit?’
‘Precisely. I’ve used the same chemical properties to develop my little gel here. I’ve made it even colder. It will lower my body temperature
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