Jonathan Kellerman - Survival Of The Fittest

“The tie,” I said, “could cause an international incident. Why, are you planning a drop-in?”

“You know me. Mr. Spontaneous.”

“When?”

“Soon as possible. Want to come along? No doubt you've got a diplomatically correct foulard- in fact, do you have one to lend me? More orange juice, too, long as you're up.”

I lent him a conservative paisley and we took the unmarked.

The Israeli Consulate was on Wilshire near Crescent Heights, on the top floor of a faceless seventeen-story tower. The first three floors were parking lot and Milo drove in, ignored the WAIT FOR VALET sign, and pulled into a space near the elevator. Pocketing the keys, he shoved a bill at the flustered attendant, flashed his badge, and called out, “Have a nice day.”

We rode up. The interior halls were narrow, white, free of decoration, topped by a low, gray, water-spotted acoustical ceiling. The carpeting was mint green with a faint dot pattern. Both needed cleaning and wallpaper seams had come loose in spots. Lots of doors, mostly white and blank.

At the end of the corridor was a TV camera aimed at the last door. A brown plastic sign announced the presence of the consulate and the Israeli tourist office and spelled out hours for visa applications. Just to the right was another plaque- the blue-and-white Israeli flag- and below that a plate-glass window with a steel document tray, a call button, and a speaker.

A young black-haired man in a blue blazer, white shirt, and tie sat behind the glass. His features were sharp and his hair was thick and cropped to the skull. He was reading a magazine and didn't look up until Milo pushed the button.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Carmeli.”

“Do you have an appointment?” Middle Eastern accent.

Milo produced the badge again.

“Drop it in, please.”

The badge hit the tray and slid into the reception booth. A steel shutter dropped over the slot. The guard inspected the badge, looked at Milo, held up a finger, got up, and disappeared. The magazine was Sports Illustrated.

Behind the booth was a nest of white cubicles and I could see two women and one man working at computers. A few travel posters hung on the walls. Everything looked just a bit off- cloudy. Refracted through the inch-thick glass.

The young man came back a moment later. “He's in a meeting-”

“This is about-”

The young man smiled and held up a finger again. “But,” he said, “he'll be out soon.”

He sat down and returned to the world of soccer.

“Doing us a big favor,” mumbled Milo.

A low-pitched whine sounded above. The camera rotated, aiming at us.

Milo pushed the button again and the young man looked up.

“My badge?”

“Mr. Carmeli has it.”

We stood in the hall as the guard read. A heavy black woman in blue blazer and gray slacks came from around the corner and walked down the hall, glancing at doors. She saw us and turned around.

Three minutes passed, four, five. The guard picked up a phone, listened, put it back down.

Five more minutes until one of the white doors opened and a tall, pale man came out into the corridor. Stooped, with round shoulders, he wore a gray nailhead double-breasted suit, baby blue shirt, and maroon tie. The shirt's collar was too big and the suit bagged. His cheeks were sunken and the bones of his hawk face were oversized and painfully obvious. Wavy brown hair was neatly trimmed and thinning at the crown. He wore heavy, black-framed eyeglasses.

“Zev Carmeli.”

Handshakes were cursory. His fingers were long and very cold. The glasses were bifocals. Thirty-eight but he looked ten years older.

Milo started to speak but Carmeli interrupted him by returning the badge and turning to point down the hall. Leading us to another of the white doors, he unlocked it and motioned us into a windowless room set up with a brown sofa, Danish teak coffee table with brass ashtray, a pair of chrome and brown-tweed armchairs.

Blue carpeting, still nothing on the walls. Behind the couch was another white door, double-bolted.

Milo and I took the chairs as Carmeli relocked the outer door. Reaching in his coat, he placed a hardpack of Dunhills and a matchbook that said LEARN AT HOME TO BE A COURT REPORTER on the table.

He sat down on the couch and lit up, inhaling for a long time while studying the grain of the tabletop. His movements were slow and steady, as if everything required careful planning. He kept smoking, finally looked at us. His eyes were as black as the eyeglass frames, still and flat as a stain. The room fogged with nicotine, then I heard an air conditioner kick in and smoke began rising toward a duct in the ceiling.

Carmeli hiked his trousers up over black socks. His fingertips were stained amber.

“So,” he said to Milo, “you are the new detective.” Lighter accent than the guard's- Middle East tempered by upper-crust London.

“Milo Sturgis, sir. Pleased to meet you.”

Carmeli glanced at me.

“This is Dr. Delaware,” said Milo. “Our psychological consultant.”

I expected some reaction but Carmeli gave none. Finally he raised the flat, black eyes til they met mine. Another lungful of smoke.

“Good morning, Doctor.”

Everything on delay. Everything an effort. I'd met too many families of dead children to be surprised.

“You will be analyzing the murderer, Doctor?”

I nodded.

“And anything else that bears analyzing,” said Milo.

Carmeli didn't react.

“We're sorry for your loss, sir.”

“Have you learned anything?”

“Not yet, sir, I just got the files. I thought I'd start by touching base and-”

“Touching base,” said Carmeli, softly. “We are playing baseball… Your predecessors touched base with me, as well. Unfortunately, they struck out.”

Milo didn't answer.

The cigarette was only half-smoked but Carmeli crushed it out. Both of his feet were flat on the ground. He drew them closer to the couch and his knees pointed sharply through his trousers. The shirt collar at least one full size too big, his Adam's apple unusually sharp-edged, like a blade threatening to rip through his neck. A thin man who'd lost lots of weight.

New cigarette. I noticed the dark smudges under his eyes, his fingers squeezing the paper cylinder so tightly it was almost an L. The other hand rested on the couch, curled into a fist.

“A no-hitter,” he said. “So… we are touching base. What would you like to know, Mr. Sturgis?”

“First of all, is there anything you want to tell me?”

Carmeli stared at him.

“Anything,” said Milo, “that's occurred to you since Detectives Gorobich and Ramos spoke to you.”

Continuing to stare, Carmeli straightened the bent cigarette, then lit up and shook his head. A very soft “No,” emerged from clenched lips. “Nothing.”

“Then I'll ask a few questions, sir. Please understand that some of them may be repet-”

Carmeli cut him off with a wave of the cigarette. Smoke ribboned. “Ask, ask, Mr. Sturgis.”

“Your work, sir. The Middle East situation. I'm sure you receive threats-”

Carmeli laughed without changing the shape of his mouth. “I'm not James Bond, Detective. My title is deputy consul for community liaison. Did your predecessors tell you what that means?”

“They said something about organizing events. The Israel Independence Day parade.”

“Parades, Israel-bond luncheons, meetings at synagogues, talking to Hadassah ladies- do you know what Hadassah is?”

Milo nodded.

“Dear ladies,” said Carmeli. “Lovely people who plant trees in Israel. When wealthy donors want to have lunch with the consul general, I arrange it. When the prime minister comes to town to meet with the wealthiest of donors, I organize his itinerary. Double-O-Eight. License to cater.”