mother’s life depends on it.”
“What about your father?” Bira’s eyes were no longer hostile. “The news reports are shocking.”
Lemmy took out his father’s notes, the bank statements and the ILOT Member Manual.
Bira read through everything while they watched her in silence.
“ The strategy is working,” she said. “There are a few of these fanatical groups. The fringe right is now setting the tone for the whole right wing, including Likud. But if the public learns that Shin Bet pays for these incitements, there’s going to be a huge backlash. It will destroy Rabin politically, because no one will believe it was done without his knowledge.”
“It appears that Shin Bet has let Elie plot the whole thing, pay for it from SOD budget, and then they shut him down at the last moment. They probably think that your mom was working with Elie Weiss.”
Bira stood. “I can’t worry about Israel now. I must take care of my mother.” She left to prepare for her trip to Amsterdam. Lemmy picked a red grape and popped it into his mouth. He offered one to Benjamin, who recited a blessing and ate it.
“Amen,” Lemmy said.
“I’m concerned.” Benjamin pulled another grape off the vines. “What if those Shin Bet characters try to silence you?”
“I’m sure they’re already trying.”
*
“ Okay.” The nurse raised her gun, aiming at the ceiling. “But I won’t surrender my weapon to you.”
“ Then give it to me,” Gideon said. “I’m neutral.”
Elie gave him a cold glance, but Gideon’s offer was a clever face-saving way out. They put their guns on the counter, and Gideon collected them.
“ Go over there,” Elie said, pointing at the sofa against the opposite wall.
They obeyed.
He beckoned the housekeeper. “Bring the phone to the good nurse.”
“ Who do you want me to call?” The nurse’s face was crimson, either from anger or shame. “The Red Cross?”
Rabbi Gerster stood up and pulled over a chair. He helped Elie sit down slowly, but the change of angle caused his pinky to shift, and Agent Cohen cried in pain.
“ Call your Number One,” Elie said.
The nurse opened her mouth to argue, but Agent Cohen yelled, “Do it!”
The call went though several secured connections before a man’s voice sounded on the speakerphone. “Yes?”
“ We have a problem,” the nurse said.
“ We have an opportunity,” Elie said.
“ Weiss? Is that you?”
“ How’s Paris treating you?”
“ What’s going on there?”
“ Let’s just say that…the tables have turned. Literally.”
“ Explain!”
“ He’s got Cohen,” the nurse said from the sofa.
Number One was silent for a moment. “What do you want?”
“ How’s the wife and kids?”
“ Skip the pleasantries, okay?”
“ I’m upset,” Elie said. “You had me arrested-twice. You detained my people. You invaded my territory and prospected for my financial resources. It feels like a hostile takeover.”
“ And who started it?”
“ Ah. My meeting with Rabin?”
“ That’s right! You made a move on us!”
“ Not exactly.”
“ Intelligence czar? Is that the mother of all takeovers or what?”
“ I see your point.”
“ What did you think? You left us no choice!”
“ If I may,” Rabbi Gerster said, “this turf war is ripe for an armistice, so I propose-”
“ Excusez-moi,” Number One said, the speakerphone communicating his irritation, “but who the hell is this?”
“ Rabbi Abraham Gerster of Neturay Karta.”
“ Holy shit! You work for SOD?”
“ For the Jewish people,” Rabbi Gerster said. “What about a ceasefire? Let’s go back to the old detente. Elie calls off the deal with Rabin. SOD and Shin Bet return to peaceful co-existence. And we all live happily ever after.”
“ Too late,” Number One said. “We already took over Freckles and shut down the staged assassination plot.”
“ Did you?” Elie’s dark eyes focused on the bare wall across the room. “That boy, Yoni Adiel, is a free agent, real fanatic kind of a guy.”
“ We’re watching him. He’s in the bag. ILOT is history.”
“ Impressive,” Elie said.
“ Your deal with Rabin is off, Weiss-if there ever was a deal, which is in question.”
“ I accept my defeat,” Elie said. “That’s life. You lose some, you win some.”
“ Good,” Rabbi Gerster said. “Let’s all go home now.”
“ Not so fast,” Number One said. “We’ve shut down your ILOT scheme, got you locked up, and are closing in on your financial sources in Zurich. Why should we give up a perfect set of cards?”
“ What about your agents here?”
Number One chuckled. “You won’t take another Jew’s life.”
“ But I’ll take another Jew’s marriage.” Elie slipped his pinky out of Agent Cohen’s eye socket, making him cry out and cover his eye.
The line from Paris was quiet.
Elie wiped his pinky on a napkin. “How is Madame de Chevallier?”
Again, no answer.
“ I hear she’s satisfied with your new implant.”
“ Weiss! ”
“ But she complains that it makes you cocky.”
Everyone burst out laughing, even the housekeeper in the kitchen.
“ I guess the free rent balances it out for her.”
“ I’m warning you,” Number One shouted, “shut up!”
“Don’t take it personally, but I believe in wearing a belt and suspenders. To defend SOD’s independence in any confrontation with our sister agencies, I’ve formed solid political bonds and collected sordid personal secrets about every one of my opponents. Push me any farther, and there’s going to be a frightful surge in business for divorce lawyers, not to mention the media frenzy.”
Number One’s voice was deep with hate. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“ That’s enough,” Rabbi Gerster interjected. “Do we have an agreement?”
“ I can’t let you go,” Number One said. “The peace rally on Saturday night is crucial for Rabin’s government. We’ve detained hundreds of troublemakers and shut down provocative schemes, including yours. I won’t risk setting you free to pursue your crazy plots again.”
“ Take me back to Hadassah,” Elie said. “They were going to fix my lungs. I’m operating on reserves.”
“ Fine, as long as you remain in isolation. No outside contacts until after the rally.”
“ Agreed,” Rabbi Gerster said in Elie’s stead. “I’ll stay with him at Hadassah.”
“ And I’m staying here,” Gideon said from the kitchen. “The views are breathtaking.”
“ Excuse me,” the nurse said, “but where’s Itah Orr?”
