Animals by Will Staples

Author:Will Staples
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 2021-03-02T17:54:41+00:00

High on opportunity, Knight glided back through the casino, toward the hotel section. He had hit a dead end in his claim investigation, but in the process he had unearthed something of much greater financial consequence.

He dialed his cell phone as he passed the baccarat tables. As it rang, he covered his ears to block out the cacophony of slot machines.

“Neil, it’s Randall.”

“What’s that dinging noise?” said Knight’s boss.

“I’m in Macau.”

“Jesus, Randall, you’re calling me from a casino at three a.m.! Go get some rest and call me in the morning—my morning.”

“Hear me out, Neil. This could be big. Not just big—fucking Forbes cover story big. I think that cub with the virus came from a farm in Southeast Asia.”

“So what?” Perkins said. “As long as the client didn’t have knowledge of that, the claim is still legitimate.” Knowledge was always the operable word in an investigation. If the client didn’t have knowledge that the animal came through illicit channels, they were in the clear. This was also the reason zoos notoriously didn’t ask too many questions about where animals came from when they were trying to get their hands on rare and desirable inventory.

Knight was normally extremely professional with the old Brit, but at the moment, his inhibitions were blunted by booze and excitement. “Screw the claim! That’s peanuts. If these tiger farms are real, this could be our ticket into the Asian market.”

“Tiger farming? I know you’re the animal expert, but I didn’t think that was legal.”

“It will be. I can’t tell you how, but this is our chance to get in on the ground floor. Do you have any idea how massive this thing could be? And not just tigers, but other endangered species as well. We’re talking about a billion-dollar market emerging overnight, and we’ll be the only players on the field.”

“I’m just sitting down to dinner with my wife. We’ll discuss this tomorrow.”

Waiting wasn’t Knight’s strong suit. He could see the future, and he wanted it right now. Or at least, he wanted the 10 percent commission he would receive for brokering the new business, which in this situation would amount to millions, possibly tens of millions, in his pocket.

“A little more time to investigate the source of the SafariWorld tiger is all I’m asking.”

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