Kreisman stared at him. Decker stared back, waiting for the pissing contest to be over. He understood Kreisman’s suspicions. On the other hand, based on Decker’s information, a bomb in the Bursa had been discovered. He knew that was worth a lot.

Kreisman went on, “So you caught up with this guy.”

“I caught up with the suspect, yes.”

“And he just suddenly blurted out there was a bomb in the yeshiva.”

Decker paused. “After a little physical prodding, yes.”

“And then you just let him go?”

“Not at all. I handed him over to someone in the crowd, emphasizing the importance of detaining him until the police arrived. He had a firm grasp on him as I handed him over. But the bomber must have been limber and strong. He escaped.”

“Why didn’t you stay with the suspect and have other people go and help out at the yeshiva?”

Decker said, “It was a judgment call. I cared more about the boys than about apprehending the suspect.” He bit his mustache. “Did someone call my captain in Los Angeles?”

“Yes.”

“So you know I’m-”

“We’ve been told that you were sent over here to find Gil and Dov Yalom. They’re wanted for questioning in the deaths of their parents-Arik and Dalia Yalom. That’s all good and fine. But it doesn’t explain drek about your fatal attraction for bombs.”

“Nonfatal attraction. No one died.”

Kreisman glared at him.

Decker said, “You want to know how I think Milligan got a bomb through security?”

Kreisman studied Decker’s face. “Are you telling me firsthand knowledge or is this conjecture?”

“Conjecture.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Fair enough. Do you want my opinion?”

“I want your opinion,” Rina piped in.

Kreisman glared at her. “You’re trying my patience, Mrs. Decker.”

“You have no patience,” Rina shot back. “Why don’t you open your mind a little?”

“You want to visit our jails, g’veret?”

“I’ve been in worse places-”

“Rina…” Decker interrupted.

“All right, I won’t say another word.”

Kreisman exhaled, then broke into a smile. “Only in this country. What would happen to her if she spoke that way to your captain?”

Decker shrugged. “You want my take on the bomb?”

“Go on.”

“Milligan couldn’t bring an assembled bomb inside the Bursa,” Decker said. “Security is too tight.”

“Is this going to get better?”

“Can I just get the thought out?”

“Hurry up.”

“Milligan brought in the explosive bit by bit. Every time she visited the Bursa, she toted in another piece of the bomb. Yalom told me it was rare to see her on the floor itself. Mostly she went to offices or to the trader’s lounge where it was quieter to conduct business.”

Decker noticed Kreisman was suddenly listening.

“What do people do in the business lounge? They talk. They relax. They read the papers. They catch a little TV. And you know how lounge TVs work. They’re communal. So nobody would have looked twice if Milligan got up and adjusted the color or changed the channel.”

The room was quiet.

Decker said, “Every time she made an adjustment, she dropped off a part of the bomb in back of the TV set. Yesterday, when she was at the Bursa, I’m betting the TV broke down. So no one thought it was odd when some guy with credentials and a toolbox suddenly showed up to repair it.”

“Security checks people out,” Kreisman said.

“Security takes your passport, checks out your business there, and maybe they run your name inside a computer to make sure you’re not a terrorist or a felon. So if your name comes up clean because you’re using falsified credentials, how are they going to check that out on the spot?”

“Someone would have checked this guy out at the door.”

“I’m sure someone did. So what did they see? A repairman with his toolbox. I’m sure they went through the toolbox and all they saw was tools. So what’s the big deal? If the TV was broken, then a repairman and his tools had legitimate business in the Bursa.”

Kreisman’s face darkened. “Pretending he was fixing the TV, he assembled the bomb on the spot.”

Decker said, “He probably wasn’t even pretending. I’m sure he knew about the workings of a TV set. He also knew bombs as well. How was the bomb rigged?”

Kreisman pursed his lips. “It was set to detonate as soon as someone turned on the TV.”

“So the repairman hooked the detonator up to the power switch on the television set.”

Kreisman nodded. “A basic device. Nothing fancy. One that could be assembled in maybe ten, fifteen minutes.”

“How powerful was the bomb?” Decker said.

“It wouldn’t have ripped the building from the foundation,” Kreisman stated. “But potentially it could have done bad damage on the trading floor. The back of the TV was packed with plastiques.”

“Not to mention the psychological damage it would have done,” Rina said. “It’s demoralizing when the impenetrable becomes penetrable.”

Kreisman nodded. “I can’t believe Milligan got past security.”

“She brought in the pieces, bit by bit,” Decker said. “Besides, she was a trusted and respected person in the business.” He turned to Kreisman. “Are you bringing her in?”

Kreisman bit his lip, then sighed.

“You can’t find her,” Decker said.

“We’ve checked every goddamn hotel in the country.”

“What about Ibri and Gamal?” Rina said. “Can’t you bring them in for questioning?”

Kreisman ran his hand down his face.

Rina said, “You can’t find them either?”

“They’re probably in Jordan,” Kreisman said. “But since we don’t have common extradition laws, we’re going to have to get them by other means.”

“Do you think Milligan’s in Jordan?”

Kreisman shrugged.

“Has anyone taken responsibility for the bomb?” Rina asked.

“You mean a terrorist group?” Kreisman shook his head. “Why would anyone acknowledge the bomb? We caught it, ergo, we won, they lost. Their mission was a failure. As a matter of fact, if I were Hamas or the PLO or some other terrorist group, and I’d paid Milligan a bundle of money to pull this stunt off, I’d be pretty damn pissed off at her. If Milligan’s involved, she’s not only running from us, but from whoever hired her as well.”

Kreisman rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

“I can understand why any of the terrorist groups would do this. If they succeed, they have everything to gain. And not much to lose, if they fail. But I can’t understand why Kate Milligan would do it. Risk everything she had-which was a shitload-to be even more obscenely rich. And don’t tell me greed. She might be greedy, but we all know she isn’t stupid.”

“Money’s a powerful motivator,” Rina said.

“She had money,” Kreisman said.

“Maybe she wanted power,” Decker said. “Maybe Milligan was tired of being passed over when she felt she deserved to be number one. VerHauten is a male-dominated, family business. She knew she couldn’t ever be CEO no matter how hard she worked. She wanted it all.”

“So she did all this to get back at VerHauten?” Kreisman shook his head. “That’s stupid.”

Rina said, “Well, we exhausted money and power as catalysts. She’s not an Arab, so she probably didn’t do it for revenge. That leaves only one other prime motivator.”

No one spoke.

Rina smiled. “Maybe she did it for love, gentlemen. Maybe she was in love with a radical Arab terrorist and did it for him. They’ve used women in terrorist acts before.”

Decker suddenly sat up. “I don’t think she was in love with an Arab. I think she was in love with a black.”

“Black?” Rina said. “Why do you say that?”

“Not American black. A South African black. Wasn’t Mandela a big supporter of the PLO when he was in prison?”

Rina said, “I think he still is, although I know he’s more moderate now. He’s met with Israeli officials.”

“I’m not painting Mandela as a villain,” Decker said. “I’m just saying, when Mandela was in prison, the South African blacks and the Palestinians allied themselves together as exiled, displaced people. Israel was often compared to South Africa-”