Faye Kellerman - Sanctuary

Yalom spoke up and pointed an accusing finger at Menkovitz. “She marry man like papa.”

Menkovitz allowed himself a brief smile. “Yes, Arik was like me…too much like me. He was short-tempered and a hondler. Even at times, a gonif.”

Decker knew gonif meant thief. He raised his eyes.

Menkovitz said, “You don’t think Arik is a thief? Let me tell you something, Mr. Policeman. You see Bursa, today. You see all the people. They are all thieves. If not thief today, then tomorrow they will be thief. Arik was a tomorrow thief.”

The two old men began to quarrel. Decker suspected the cantankerous routine predated the death of their children. He waited them out.

Finally, Menkovitz said, “Yalom don’t like me calling Arik a thief.” The argument with Moshe seemed to have revived him. “So ask you questions. That is why you’re here.”

Decker said, “Mr. Menkovitz, what were you and Kate Milligan talking about?”

Menkovitz stared at Decker. There was a knock on the door, then it opened.

Teatime. The secretary came in carrying an oversized salver. She set it down on Menkovitz’s desk, poured tea, then passed around a plate of finger sandwiches. Menkovitz picked up a sandwich of olive and cream cheese and popped it into his mouth. Yalom chose egg salad. Decker passed the first round.

The secretary smiled at her boss, then kissed the mezuzah, and left. Menkovitz asked, “Why you want to know about Kate Milligan?”

“She and Arik Yalom weren’t on good terms.”

Moshe Yalom sat up in his seat. “What you mean?”

Decker said, “The two of them had exchanged a series of angry letters.”

“Ma?” Yalom turned to Menkovitz. “Ani lo mayveen.”

Menkovitz translated. Both men seemed confused.

Decker said, “I had just spoken to Milligan in the States. She claimed to be working on a big case in Los Angeles that took up a great deal of her time. So I’m surprised she’s here.”

“Me, too,” Menkovitz said. “She don’t come to Bursa many times. She don’t like Jews.”

Decker paused, remembering how she had told them that diamond cutters were clannish and gossipy. He had told Marge that she had meant the Jews. “Why do you think Milligan doesn’t like Jews?”

“Because she don’t like Jews.” He translated his conversation for Moshe Yalom, then went on. “She thinks they are dirty thieves. So we are thieves. We are little thieves. VerHauten is big thief-anak. You know what is anak? Goliath is anak. Og is anak.”

“A giant,” Decker said.

“Yes, a giant. VerHauten is giant thief,” Menkovitz continued. “Like a mix-up Robin the Hood. Steal from the poor, give to the rich.” He shrugged. “I don’t like it, but so what? I’m not in Dachau, I am a happy man.”

“Did she ever have a problem with the Jews specifically?”

Menkovitz shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe yes, maybe no. Who needs excuse to hate Jews?”

Decker said, “Why is Milligan here, Mr. Menkovitz?”

“She looks at the stones. How many come from VerHauten, how many come from Russia, how many come from other African country.” He hesitated, then said, “Why was Arik mad at Milligan?”

Decker said, “According to Milligan, Arik Yalom had become threatening and abusive toward her and toward VerHauten. According to Arik’s letters, he was being cheated by VerHauten.”

Menkovitz translated Decker’s words to Yalom.

“VerHauten cheat all peoples,” Yalom piped in.

Menkovitz said, “How was VerHauten cheating Arik?”

“I’m not quite sure,” Decker said. “Arik had some landholdings in Angola that he wanted to sell to VerHauten. VerHauten passed.”

“Passed?” Menkovitz asked.

“VerHauten passed up buying the land. They weren’t interested.”

“It wasn’t good land?”

“It might have been very good land,” Decker said. “But for whatever reason, VerHauten didn’t want to buy it. Then there were a few letters…let’s see how I can explain this.”

Decker paused while Menkovitz translated to Yalom.

“Let’s try this. VerHauten said that the land Arik was trying to sell them wasn’t even legally owned by Arik. Do you understand?”

“Cain, cain,” Menkovitz said. “Did he own land?”

“Kate Milligan seems to say no. But I definitely saw land deeds that belonged to Arik. That’s why I wondered what you and Kate Milligan were talking about. Maybe she asked you about land deeds?”

“She says nothing about land deed. Only talks about diamonds.” Menkovitz translated for Yalom, then turned quiet.

Decker blew out air. “Mr. Menkovitz. Milligan doesn’t work for VerHauten anymore. I know that. And I have a feeling you know that. She’s on her own now. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Menkovitz didn’t answer.

“So why would she bother asking you about your diamonds?”

“She still does work for VerHauten.”

“As an international lawyer, not as the director of marketing and sales in Overseas Operations. She wouldn’t be asking you questions like that anymore.”

“But she did.”

“Is that all she talked about, Mr. Menkovitz? Just diamonds?”

Menkovitz hesitated. “She’s interested in Arik’s business. I don’t know why. Arik is small time. But she keep asking questions.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her I don’t know. She should talk to the partner, Shaul Gold.”

“Shaul Gold,” Decker said, mildly. “Did Ms. Milligan ask you some questions about Shaul Gold, sir?”

“Yes, and I wonder why.”

“What kind of questions?”

“Have I seen him? Have I heard from him since the murders? Do I know if he is in Israel?”

“And what do you say?”

“I tell her nothing.” Menkovitz was matter-of-fact. “I don’t like Milligan. I don’t like the way she acts. She has power and is bully with it. She would have been a fine Nazi.”

“Why do you think she was asking about Gold?”

“I don’t know, I don’t even ask. Because if I ask, I could say something wrong.”

Decker said, “Have you heard from Gold?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“He’s disappeared from the States. He claims to be looking for your grandsons. I’d just like to know where he is, why he fled from America so suddenly.”

“If he goes to Israel, it isn’t fled.”

Decker felt his heartbeat quicken. “Then he is here, isn’t he?”

“He has nothing to do with this terrible thing. He is an honest boy. He loved Dalia.”

“So I heard.”

“You hear but you do not understand.” Menkovitz shook his head. “Yes, he loved her. But after she marry Arik, there is no funny stuff. She is good girl. He is good boy.”

“Shaul Gold is looking for your grandsons, am I right?”

The room was quiet. Decker didn’t wait for an answer. “Mr. Menkovitz, do you know where your grandsons are?”

Again, Menkovitz shook his head.

“But they’re here.”

Menkovitz picked up a cucumber sandwich. He put it in his mouth and chewed slowly. “Take some food. It will help you think.”

Decker thanked him and picked up egg salad, ate it and sipped his tea, making sure he didn’t rush anything. Then he said, “Where are your grandsons, Mr. Menkovitz?”

“I don’t know.” He turned to Yalom. “Do you know where they are, Moshe?”

“Just they are here, not where.”

Menkovitz said, “We heard from them maybe two, three days ago. My wife…she was so happy they are alive. Dovie, the little one, say they are here in Israel. And they are both here in Israel. But they are not together.”

“They split up?” Decker asked.

Menkovitz nodded.

Swell! Decker thought. “And Shaul is looking for them?”