Decker did and Rina translated. It took a few moments, Decker’s eyes fixed upon Milligan. She was still thumbing through her notebook. Then she checked her watch.

Yalom’s answer deepened Rina’s frown. “I don’t know if I’m getting this right. He said something like…the stones come from all over. Most come from VerHauten. But some dealers go to Russia and buy stones there.”

The old man continued to talk. Rina knitted her brow as she listened.

She said, “There are also some stones that…go around. I think he means float around. People don’t ask questions about them.”

Yalom continued talking.

Rina said, “People are afraid of Milligan. The dealers must buy a certain amount of stones from VerHauten. If it gets back that they are buying diamonds from other places, she can make trouble.”

Decker said, “Ask him if it’s rare to see her on the floor.”

Rina asked the question, then listened to Yalom’s answer. “Yes, it’s rare to see her on the floor. She mostly goes to offices or to the lounge upstairs where it’s quieter and more private. VerHauten likes privacy.”

“So why is she on the floor?”

The old man shrugged a response.

Milligan moved back into the sea of white shirts.

Yalom talked. Rina said, “Milligan has dealt with Menkovitz in the past. He’s big and VerHauten knows all the big dealers.”

“Does he know Milligan no longer works for VerHauten?”

Rina translated. The old man’s eyes grew wide. Decker said, “Guess he didn’t.”

Again, Milligan withdrew from the crowd. She snapped her book shut and walked crisply down the Bursa, all eyes watching the click of her heels.

Decker lurched forward, then pulled back.

Rina said, “You want to follow her, Peter?”

“I can’t. She’s met me before and I’m too conspicuous in this country to tail her without her noticing me.”

“Then I’ll do-”

“Forget it.”

Rina fished the car keys out of her purse. “I’ve got three kids at home, including a baby. I promise I won’t do anything dumb. I’ll call you later at Mr. Yalom’s house.”

With that, she jogged to catch up to Milligan. Decker started forward, then bit his lip and let her go.

There was no point in trying to change Rina’s mind. She wouldn’t listen and it would just create an argument. She’d seen him on stakeouts. Hopefully, she’d picked up a couple of salient tips. And she looked innocuous enough, clad in a simple blue dress and flats, her hair braided and tucked under a blue tam. She looked about as threatening as a bunny rabbit.

Stomach in a knot, Decker took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Why was he so interested in Kate Milligan? What evidence did he have that she was a player in this case? Then again, what was she doing here when she was supposed to be working on a case in Los Angeles? She had told him specifically that she’d be in town. Obviously, she had had a change of plans. It could happen.

Decker rubbed his eyes.

The boys were missing and so was Gold; then Milligan popped up from nowhere. And now Rina was on the loose. He would have never involved her if it weren’t for the Yalom kids. Goddamn boys. They’d sucked him into it. He cared about the kids just like Rina cared about Honey’s kids.

Why was he so concerned?

He knew Rina was at home in the country. In fact, she knew Israel better than either Milligan or he did. She knew what was dangerous and how to avoid it. And Decker did want to know what the woman was up to. Besides, how much possible harm could come from one woman following another?

Don’t answer that question, Deck.

Decker continued to rationalize. Rina had told him she wouldn’t do anything dumb. She had three kids at home. He knew what Hannah and the boys meant to his wife. He tossed negative thoughts out of his head and decided to believe her promise.

The woman had clout. Rina saw her being led by security to the front of the line. And while procedure wasn’t suspended, it did seem abbreviated. Milligan left the building in record time while Rina cooled her heels in a line of testy working stiffs. At that point, she had two choices-give up the chase or try her luck at the front with a sob story.

Lucky for her, the Israelis had hearts of gold. Who would dare restrain a mother rushing off to pick up her sick baby from the sitter? Whisked ahead to the front window, Rina turned in the necessary tags and papers, secured her passport, and bolted out the door. She reached the parking lot just in time to see Milligan unlocking the door to a Volvo Sedan parked three rows away from Rina’s rental.

Rina smiled. A Volvo 740 was a high ticket out here. The car would be a snap to follow, easily standing out in a country of subcompacts. Quickly, Rina slid into the driver’s seat of her diminutive Subaru. She turned on the ignition. The Volvo took off and so did Rina, following Milligan to the on ramp on the ayalon. They headed southeast toward Jerusalem.

Safe on the freeway, cruising at a comfortable speed, Rina felt a bit smug as she tailed Milligan. Jerusalem put her on solid ground, since she’d lived in that area for a number of years. True, the City of Gold had changed, grown, and modernized, but it was still tiny compared to LA.

Rina turned on the radio, tuning in to Hebrew chatter. A talk show-just as stupid here as it was in the States. She switched to one of the many Arabic stations, hearing the modal octaves of native music. Traditional Arabic songs were a form of storytelling: They could go on for hours. About two minutes was enough for her. She changed the dial. This time she found contemporary rock music. Pearl Jam had made it to Jordan.

After riding for twenty minutes through long stretches of cultivated fields, the mountains hovering in the distance, Rina felt a cooler nip in the air. Ten minutes later, the hills began to close in, the roadway becoming a narrow strand cut through stone. Oncoming traffic was obscured by the numerous bends in the ascending roadway. But that didn’t stop the Israelis from leaning on the horn, freely passing vehicles going too slowly for their liking. What’s a head-on between friends?

The Israeli drivers were frustrating Rina. One minute she would have the Volvo in plain view; the next moment some obnoxious would-be racer would honk, then pass her at record speed. Fortunately, Milligan didn’t appear to be in a hurry.

As the road climbed higher, the mountainside became thick with green and the smell of pine. The last curves upward finally brought a bright wall of golden stone into view. Rocks arranged in Hebrew letters placed in the mountainside. B’ruchim Habayim leYerushalim-Welcome to Jerusalem!

Rina felt her heart race, her body tingle, imbued with spirituality. And as magically as the aura enveloped her every time she entered the holy city-her own personal aliya-so did it drain whenever she left-her personal yerida.

Yerida-going down. Israelis who emigrated from the Holy Land were called Yordim, because they had declined a level spiritually.

At this moment, Rina couldn’t fathom ever leaving. With the shining sun, rays gilding the city, she felt giddy. Everywhere her eye fell on native Jerusalem bedrock. Everything had been fashioned from the amber and rose limestone-the buildings, the sidewalks, even some of the streets. Dispersed among the palette of bronzes, pinks, and reds were the parks, allowing a tinge of greenery to seep through. Beautiful to Rina’s eye, even though she knew that she had entered the city through the older, industrial area. So caught up in being there, Rina had forgotten why she had come. When she brought herself back to earth, the Volvo had disappeared.

Angrily, Rina checked around for the 740. Milligan must have moved quickly even though Weizmann Boulevard was heavily congested. Rina tried to speed up but the artery was just too clogged. Attempting to pass a bus to gain a little visibility, she jerked her head over her shoulder to check for lane clearance. She suddenly spotted the Volvo. It had fallen behind her.