This time it had taken the cutting brunt of the stones sewn onto Kinley's pockets.
"Holy shit." Dominic touched the grooves etched into the glass. "The feds suspected Jansen was transporting blood diamonds, but no one could prove it. It looks like he found someone to cut them."
"Diamonds?" Kinley asked. "Those are just rhinestones. Most women are wearing a little bling on their pockets these days."
Riley held out his hand, and Law passed him the jeans. As Riley held the pockets up to the light, they sparkled, creating a glorious little light show. "A little bling? This must be a hundred thousand dollars right here. He was going to have Kinley walk right out of the country with a million dollars worth of blood diamonds in her suitcase."
"How can you be sure?" Kinley asked. "Don't you have to study them? Have a gemologist-"
"Baby, rhinestones can't cut glass. The proof is right there on the desk." Law pointed to the scratches she'd left when she'd sat on the desk. He'd kissed her while there, then dragged her toward him, leaving the scratches behind.
"Conflict diamonds come from war-torn countries right?"
"Yes, usually from rebel-held territories in either Liberia or Cȏte d'Ivoire in West Africa. Reputable buyers won't touch them because of the brutal methods of their mining. So men like Jansen act as intermediaries. He would have smuggled them out and had them cut somewhere, maybe even in Africa. Somehow, he got them here. I'll bet every dime I've got that Jansen has a buyer he planned to meet in Bermuda on your honeymoon," Dominic explained.
"He was going to have you walk them right across the border. No one would question jeans. Airports look for guns and explosives and drugs. They don't look for diamonds, so they would very likely see what Jansen wanted them to see-a girl who likes bling on her pockets," Riley said.
"And if he got caught, he would just say it was all mine." Kinley sat down. "I was the one with all the cryptic stuff on my tablet. I was the one with conflict diamonds on my ass. Hell, I'm a regular criminal mastermind. I guess he was using shipments of new clothing from Africa, supposedly for Hope House, to smuggle his diamonds in."
Law put a hand on her shoulder. "Very likely. That's why he pushed you to start using Third World manufacturers."
"Oh, it wasn't because I was helping out emerging economies, huh?" Her face had gone a deep pink, and she closed herself off.
"Baby, you can't think this is your fault."
Her eyes came up, and a hardness lurked there he hadn't seen before. "Oh, I think I can safely blame myself. I was so naïve. I'm sure he laughed. He probably sat around cackling about what an idiot I was. I really believed him. He said he had contacts with clothing manufacturers who were hiring women at a decent wage, but a decent wage in Africa is different than here. He played me, knowing I wanted to help everyone. I believed every lie he told me because I was too busy getting ready for the wedding to do the research myself. Oh, and worrying about my father, too. Who apparently wasn't wracked with cancer, just busy at the track. God, you must all think I'm a moron."
He tried to reach for her, but she stepped away. "Kinley?"
She shook her head. "Don't. Just give me a couple of minutes. I'm going to go take a shower."
Dominic got in her way. "Kinley, pet, no one thinks you're stupid."
"I do." She refused to meet his eyes. "Please, can I just have a minute to myself?"
Riley frowned her way. "The security system is on and I'll be monitoring the outside cameras. I'll know if you try to crawl out the window again."
She sighed. "I'm not trying to run, but I can see where you would think that. I obviously make very poor decisions. Now, can I go to my room for a while? And I'm putting the rest of those jeans in the hallway. Please do something with them. I never want to see them again. I'll keep this pair, but only until I can get a new one."
"Yes, we'll buy you new jeans, pet," Dominic said. "As soon as we can. Go and take a couple of minutes for yourself, but we'll have lunch in an hour, and I expect you to be there."
She didn't say a word, simply walked out without another glance.
Law started to follow her, but Dominic gripped his arm, staying him. "Give her some time."
"She's crying." Law couldn't stand it.
"Yes, and it kills me, too, but she wants to be alone. Her pride is aching, and you seeing her in tears won't help that. She was already on emotional overload, and this pushed her farther."