Diamond Legacy Read Online Free PDF Page B

like animal origins or shipment details?”
    “That and research study results or technical papers. Boring mostly.”
    This might be the start of something revealing. “I bet you—”
    “Bennett!” Rob Jenkins yelled from the hallway. “We’ve got ground to cover.”
    Bloody hell. For the sake of his audience, Matt stood with a heavy sigh. “Nice guy, gonna be a real gem to work for.”
    The comment sparked another round of annoying giggles as Matt slid his chair back in place. “Nice seeing you ladies,” he said with a tip of an imaginary hat.
    He stepped out into the hallway as Jenkins flipped to the last page on a clipboard. He scribbled a signature and handed it over to a waiting lad.
    “We’ll start touring on admin floor.” He glanced up and frowned, taking in Matt’s straining shoulder seams. “Sorry, it’s the largest we had on hand. I’ll order a bigger size next week.”
    Matt shrugged, then grimaced at the pinch. A better fitting uniform would be nice, but he didn’t plan on being here long enough to worry about it. It shouldn’t take more than a couple weeks to pick up the diamond trail and track it to the source.
    Jenkins started down the hall and Matt followed.
    “Janitors are some of our busiest employees,” Jenkins began. “Endless chores around here. From administrative offices to the stables, your day will be packed with manual labor.”
    For the next hour, he backed up those words with a laundry list of duties. They twisted through a maze of hallways, offices, and supply rooms, all while Jenkins explained the inner workings of Katanga.
    Matt only half listened. The other half mapped out locations to survey later. Places like Victor Keyes office, director of Katanga, and the customs department where international travel papers were generated, even the library. He’d leave no stone unturned.
    Finally done with the upper floors, they exited the stairs into the Grand Rotunda. Noise and commotion intensified as Jenkins droned on about Katanga’s high standards, their expectations, and the rule of three Cs. Courtesy, cleanliness, and control.
    They kept moving toward the Okavango wing and passed a group of school children on the way. Matt made a pained face, setting off a round of youthful giggling. Jenkins glanced back, but Matt only shrugged, which made the kids laugh even harder.
    Amid all the laughter, an unexpected pang of regret struck Matt. It was a damn shame really. Katanga offered incredible opportunities. It appeared organized and lucrative. A beehive of tourism and education.
    Limitless potential wasted by running conflict diamonds. It made no sense.
    They’d reached the end of the Okavango Hall and entered a vast medical suite. “Our state-of-the-art veterinary,” Jenkins said with pride. “The doctors here are highly trained in research and wild animal care.”
    A set of double doors with glass windows beckoned, and Matt found himself gazing into a modern exam room. Two workers in white lab coats tended a baby chimpanzee on one of the many tables. One fed the infant from a baby bottle while the other took the monkey’s measurements and noted the results on a notepad.
    “Her mother was killed by poachers.” Jenkins had stepped up to the adjoining door, his voice a mix of sadness and contempt. “She was brought to us by a southern farmer who found her hungry and crying at the edge of his land.”
    “What will happen to her?”
    “If possible, she’ll be released back to the wild. But as young as this one is, she’ll likely form too strong a bond with her human caretakers, become domesticated. Odds are better she’ll find a home in a zoo or research facility. Perhaps help us better understand her kind.”
    Sympathy for the monkey tugged at Matt. He stared at her through the window, wishing he could tell her the pain of being orphaned at a young age never faded. Learning to live with it took time. Some memories were etched in stone, like the sound of your mother’s