“What did you say?”

“I said of course I’d help. Anything.”

“And Chaim gave you no hints about Shaynda’s location?”

“No.”

“So let me make sure I understand.” Decker took the ice off. “Chaim heard from some anonymous source that Shaynda was okay.”

“Yes.”

“And he thought that there might be a ransom demand. And if that happened, he asked you to be a go-between.”

“Yes.”

“Did Chaim actually talk to Shayndie?”

“I don’t think so, no.”

“So the source could have been lying or mistaken, or Chaim could have misunderstood.”

“Yes.”

“Is exchanging the money for Shayndie the only favor that Chaim wanted you to do for him?”

“No.” Jonathan rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses. “No, there was more.” Tension had crept into his voice. “It seems that you’ve become an obstacle-a sticking point.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know, Akiva. I do know that Chaim said that the kidnapper or ransom demander or whatever… that he wanted you out of the picture. As soon as possible.”

Decker raised his brow. “Out of the picture in what way?”

“That you should leave the city, of course.” Jonathan’s eyes got wide. “That’s what it means, right?”

Ambrosia-a robust blonde wearing a bikini top and broad shorts-served Decker a bagel and lox platter. He gave her a twenty. “More coffee; then we’re fine.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Ambrosia frowned.

“It’s nothing personal,” Decker said.

“Hey, you think I’m complaining?” Her accent was as broad as a flatiron. She stuffed the twenty into her shorts pocket. “So far today, this is my best tip for the least work. ’Bout a half hour ago, another gentleman tipped me a fifty. But I had to bend over a lot and pretend I didn’t know he was copping a feel.” She looked at Decker. “You’re a cop. Why do they call it ‘copping a feel’?”

Jonathan said, “ ‘To cop’ means to steal.”

“Heh-heh, that’s funny.” Ambrosia tittered. “That ‘cop’ means to steal.”

Decker and Jonathan sat stone-faced.

“You don’t see the humor in that?”

“You keep talking, I’m going to take back the twenty,” Decker said.

“Gotcha.” She came back with a new coffeepot, then left.

Decker said, “Any idea who Chaim talked to?”

“No. Since Shayndie was fine, I felt it wasn’t my place to ask questions.” Jonathan looked down. “I’m sure they just meant for you to leave the city.”

“A strange way of putting it, then.” Decker shrugged. “ ‘Out of the picture.’ Has kind of a permanent ring, don’t you think?”

Jonathan broke out in a sweat. “I didn’t take it that way at all.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Decker smeared cream cheese on his bagel. “I don’t suppose this place has a becher for washing hands.”

A fleeting smile. Jonathan hid his shaking hands by clasping the coffee mug.

Decker felt sorry for him. “I’ve been threatened more times than I care to remember. I take them all seriously, but so far, it’s all been talk.” He plopped a sheet of lox over the bagel bottom, then put the top on. He bit into his sandwich. His lip and jaw hurt as he chewed, but not as bad as he thought. “You should eat.”

“The way Chaim said it… it sounded like that’s all they wanted. For you to leave the city.”

“Then maybe you’re right. Calm down.”

“Chaim asked me if I could get you to leave.”

“Get me to leave?”

“He wasn’t having much success.”

“He was that eager?”

“Yes, he was, Akiva. Why? I don’t know. Anyway, I told him it wasn’t necessary, that you were leaving in the afternoon anyway. He seemed satisfied with the answer.”

“Did he ask you for my flight number or anything like that?”

“No. Why would he-” Jonathan blanched. “What are you thinking? That he wanted to check up on you to make sure you left?”

“Maybe.” Or maybe Chaim was thinking about seeing me off in a more permanent fashion. Decker kept his thoughts to himself.

Jonathan dabbed his sweaty forehead. “This psychotic who punched you… Was it a warning from someone?”

“Nah, that was pure bad luck,” Decker assured him. “It’s okay, Jon. I’m fine. Did Chaim ask any other favors from you?”

“Actually, he asked me to keep an eye on you,” Jonathan admitted.

“You mean to spy on me.” Decker took another bite. “What’d you tell him?”

“I told him it wasn’t necessary. It’s a complete mystery to me, Akiva. Why would Chaim ask me to ask you to come out-just to push you away?”

“Because I didn’t do what he wanted me to do. I didn’t do anything. He and Minda wouldn’t let me do anything. And maybe that was the whole point. To make a show of wanting something done, but not really wanting something done.”

“I don’t follow you,” Jonathan said.

“I was the poster boy, my man, something Chaim could point to and say he tried. But in fact, he didn’t try at all. And before you get all offended, I’m not saying that’s the case. I’m just making suggestions. That’s what I do. Suggest some theories and see which ones make sense after the dust settles.”

Jonathan was quiet. “I wish I had a response. Because it is strange, Akiva. Even in his grief, Chaim made it a point to ask me where you had gone after you heard the news. He seemed obsessed by your actions.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I told him I didn’t know. Where did you go, Akiva? You left very suddenly.”

“I wasn’t wanted, Jon. It would have been inappropriate for me to intrude on their grief.”

“So where did you go?”

“Back into the city.”

“Why?”

“I figured maybe Detective Novack could fill me in on some crime details. He wasn’t in. I took a walk and got punched out for my efforts.”

Jonathan was satisfied with the explanation.

Decker said, “It might have helped me out if you had told me everything this morning, although I understand why you didn’t. You didn’t want to jeopardize anyone.”

“That, and I couldn’t break a confidentiality.”

“I wonder why the ‘source’ was so anxious for me to be out of the picture.”

“I can only assume that you were close to something, even if you didn’t know it.”

“So then I have to go back and figure out what I was close to.”

“No, what you have to do is leave, Akiva. Tonight. As scheduled.”

“What difference does it make now, Jon? She’s dead.”

“But you’re still alive. Now that I think about it, ‘out of the picture’ doesn’t sound promising. And I’m not sure if your punch wasn’t a warning, despite what you say. If something were to happen to you, I’d never forgive myself. I think we should leave it up to the local police.”

“You’re right, but I’m not ready to let go. I’m sending Rina out, but I’m staying until Friday.”

“Akiva-”

“It’s decided, Jon. Don’t argue. You won’t win. You want to help me or not?”

“Of course I’ll help you. What do you need?”

“I need your wheels. As soon as Rina leaves, I’m going to find a cheap place in the city. Which means I’m going to have to give back Sora Lazarus’s car.”

“You will not find a cheap place anywhere in the city. You’ll stay with me. Don’t argue. It’s a done deal; I can be stubborn, too. And yes, you can have my car. But now you let me speak my mind. What you’re doing isn’t fair to Rina.”

Decker put another twenty down on the table. “Let me be the judge of that.” He got up. “Let’s go get the morgue out of the way.”

Jonathan rose from the table. “I suppose we should.”

“I’ll be with you the whole time.” Decker put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “We’ll get through it.”

“What choice do we have?”

Together they walked out, passing the stage production as they left. Same show, but different girls shaking tassels that hung from their nipples. Decker’s eyes went to the patrons, flushed from sexual arousal and drinking, trembling hands and sweating palms stuffing twenties into the dancers’ thongs. Cheering the girls with each bump and grind, making kissy noises and obscene gestures.