The soldier paused.

“Here there has been too much bloodshed caused by small minds. I talk to the settlers, try to tell them that bloodshed and revenge is their way, their customs, their laws. It is not our way.” He shook his head. “I talk too much.”

“You feel deeply.”

“You would too if you did this job. It stinks. I think they’re leaving for Jerusalem. I’ll introduce you to the group. I don’t want you to get hurt. Too many people have already gotten hurt.”

After an hour of walking proved fruitless, Decker returned to the phone calls. First, Menkovitz’s office. He had called so many times, the secretary recognized his voice.

“No, your wife has not come back here, Mr. Decker. I call you if she comes.”

“She hasn’t phoned, maybe left a message?”

“No, sir.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

Click!

Decker slammed the receiver and cursed out loud.

He tried the police. He tried to explain the situation, but there was a language barrier. In the end, all he could do was wait.

Three hours! Where the hell could she have gone?

Time for the Mideast geography lesson.

Once again, Decker quit pacing long enough to study the road map of the region. It was a big mama thing he’d bought at the overpriced bookstore downstairs. He couldn’t believe the prices! They had wanted eleven bucks for a paperback!

He blew out air, tried to remain calm. He leaned over the tabletop, studying the map, retracing the squiggly color-coded lines. If Rina had been going one way all this time at roughly sixty miles an hour, she’d be in Amman, Jordan, by now! Or if she went north, she’d be in Lebanon making her way up to Beirut. Cairo looked like it would take much longer.

Disgusted, he crumpled up the map, threw it at the wall, then immediately regretted his impulsive action. He cursed again, then smoothed out the wrinkled roadways.

His ears perked up. A key being inserted into the slot. Decker jumped up and threw open the door, dragging Rina inside. She took her hand off the doorknob and held it up.

“Wait for the speech until I get the door closed.”

Decker didn’t move.

Slowly, Rina freed the key from the slot and closed the door. She leaned against the wall and exhaled, waiting for the onslaught.

Fighting control, Decker said between clenched teeth, “I don’t know whether to hang you or hug you. I vote for hug.”

Decker gripped her so hard, he thought she’d break. Rina allowed herself to be swaddled by him. His embrace felt so protective. She was determined not to cry and was proud when the tears didn’t come. In truth, she had no energy left for weeping.

Decker kissed his wife’s forehead. “There is an invention called a phone. Even in Israel.”

“I didn’t have a phone card.”

“A phone card?”

“A plastic phone credit card to use the pay phones. And I didn’t want to stop off at the post office to buy it. Once I got into Jerusalem, I wanted to get back as quickly as possible.”

“Why? What happened? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Peter. But I’m hungry. Do you mind ordering up a little room service?”

Decker dropped his arms to his sides and sat down on the bed, smoothing out his mustache with his fingertip. “I’ll be happy to order some food for you. I hope you don’t think this is too goyish, but if you do, too bad. I need a drink. A very strong drink!”

“Get a glass of wine for me, too.”

Decker stared at her with wide eyes. “What the hell happened, Rina?”

“I got caught up in the situation. For future reference, I don’t think I’d make a very good cop.”

“My fault. I shouldn’t have asked you to do my job. I’m so incredibly stupid sometimes!”

“If we’re going to self-flagellate, I’m way ahead in the stupidity department.” She smiled at her husband, but knew it wasn’t going to assuage his wrath. “I followed Milligan, Peter. She went to Hebron.”

Decker felt his face afire. “You followed Milligan into Hebron?”

“Yes. And I know it was stupid beyond belief. All I got for my efforts was a shot-out window. But I’m here. I’m safe. Do you want to hear what I found out?”

Decker slapped his forehead. “I don’t fucking believe you. How could you do that?”

“I already said I was stupid.”

“No, Rina. I was stupid. You were insane.”

“I see it’s going to be one of those interchanges.” She picked up the phone and ordered room service. “I can’t fight on an empty stomach.”

Decker stared at her, then stood up. “Pack your bags. You’re going home.”

“Fine. It wasn’t my idea to come out here in the first place.”

Guilt shot through Decker’s veins. He sat back down on the bed. He willed himself rational, then quietly asked, “Who shot at your car? Milligan?”

“I have to think for a moment.” Rita sat next to him. “I don’t think it was Milligan. Because at that point, I had already stopped tailing her car. It was probably just a villager consumed with hate.”

She began to recount her ordeal. “In Jerusalem, Milligan met up with two guys in a Fiat near the Israeli museum. The men were Arabs. One of them was named Ibri-short for Ibrahim. The other was named Gamal.”

“How’d you find that out?”

“I overheard them talking.”

Decker paused. “I don’t think I want to know how that came about.”

“Good idea,” Rina said. “Ibri was complaining to Milligan about something. She interrupted him, saying if his idea of heroism was blowing up a school bus, he was working for the wrong person. They mentioned a guy named Donald. No last name. Does he mean anything to you?”

“No.”

“Ibri said they worked for Donald, not Milligan. Milligan said that Donald worked for her. Then Ibri offered to take Milligan to see Donald. Gamal took Milligan’s Volvo into the Old City of Jerusalem. Ibri and Milligan went to Hebron. I stopped following them when the car went up an isolated road. I turned around, planned to go back, then someone shot out the window. Luckily, I caught up with an IDF jeep. I went to the Cave of the Patriarchs-”

“Wasn’t that the place where the massacre took place?”

“Yes. But it’s pretty secure now.”

“Oh, I feel so much better.”

Rina ignored the sarcasm. “I left the city with a caravan of army jeeps.”

She took Peter’s hand. “Milligan had to catch an important meeting at the American Colonial Inn. The hotel is in East Jerusalem. Not for Jews, but the place is popular with non-Jewish tourists and reporters. We should check Milligan out. I got the willies when she talked about blowing up a school bus.”

“What? You think that’s actually in the planning?”

“No, but-”

“Oh shit!” Decker began to pace. “If so, we should call the police immediately.”

“And tell them what?”

“That you overheard a conversation where Milligan talked about blowing up a school bus.”

“Peter, she might have been using strong words to prove a point. If we report it as fact and nothing comes of it, you’re going to lose credibility with the police. But I realize we just can’t let a comment like that slip away.” She looked at her husband. “First, tell me who Milligan is and why you’re so interested in her.”

Decker started from the beginning, explaining Milligan’s career in VerHauten, segueing into her financial involvement in companies also carried by the late Arik Yalom. He recapped his conversation with Marge: how Milligan could make a fortune if VerHauten ever decided to develop Southwest Mines. But Arik Yalom’s interest in the company seemed to be a sticking point. Then Yalom was murdered, and Gold and the boys disappeared to Israel. Suddenly Milligan was here, too, asking questions about Shaul Gold.

“Does Gold actually own Arik’s portion of Southwest Mine stock?” Rina asked.

“I’m not sure. But that’s my assumption.”

“Him and not the boys?”

Decker sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe the boys do own it and that’s why they fled. But if that was the case, why would Milligan be asking about Gold?”