Jakob read the memo from Hana. Rather than sending a reply, he called her.
“You acted with lightning speed in hiring Daud Hasan,” he said when she answered. “I didn’t take you as a person who would make a snap decision.”
Jakob thus joined Janet in expressing his opinion about Hana, albeit in a different context.
“Two things changed,” Hana said. “Sahir Benali withdrew his name for some unknown reason, and Daud offered to cut his normal rate by fifty percent. It was too good to pass up, especially since he has the same sense of call to the case that we do.”
“You could tell that after one meeting?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re one hundred percent satisfied with his explanation about no follow-up contact with the US Attorney’s Office in New York? He’s not secretly working for the US government?”
“No, he’s not. And we share the same faith.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Religion plays a big part in everything that occurs in the Middle East.”
“Well, if it saves us a bunch of money, I’m all for it. What now?”
“We’re meeting again this afternoon. He’s already pulled together some information to pass along.”
“I wish I could be there for that,” Jakob said.
“I’ll put together another memo for you and Mr. Lowenstein.”
“What else can you tell me about Hasan that won’t be in the memo?”
“I learned a lot last night at dinner.”
“He took you out to dinner? Was this an interview or a date?”
“We have several common connections with people, which isn’t unusual in Israel, especially in the Christian Arab world. We talked a lot about that, too. He played on a soccer team with one of my brothers several years ago.”
“If he’s a soccer player, that’s a positive sign for me. Did he pick you up and take you back to your hotel?”
“I took a taxi to the restaurant, and he drove me back after dinner.”
“It was a date,” Jakob said confidently. “If you meet a woman in a bar and drive her home, it’s a date.”
“Please don’t—”
“I’m kidding,” Jakob cut in. “I think you made the right choice with Hasan. Does he speak other languages?”
“I haven’t asked, but he speaks the ones we need: Arabic, Hebrew, and decent English.”
“What will you do today?”
“I’m going to Hurva Square before Daud arrives this afternoon. I know the Jewish Quarter well, but I want to see it through the eyes of the case.”
After hanging up, Jakob prepared to call a prospective client. But before he could, Maddie buzzed him.
“You’d better take this,” she said. “It’s your mechanic. He says he really needs to talk to you.”
“What’s up, Tony?” Jakob asked, puzzled at the urgency of the message.
“I’ve been waiting for you to call me back all morning,” the mechanic responded. “Didn’t you get the text message and photos from Diane?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Your car was destroyed by a fire.”
“What?” Jakob asked in shock.
“The damage will be covered by our shop insurance policy, and as a lawyer I’m sure you can make them pay what they should. I’ll help in any way I can as to valuation, but there’s no question that it’s a total loss.”
“How did it happen?” Jakob managed.
Tony paused for a second. Jakob could hear him yell instructions at someone else.
“I had your car up on a lift first thing this morning. I found an aftermarket device that I didn’t recognize installed next to your fuel line. I assumed it was a gimmicky product that’s supposed to save gas mileage. I took a picture of it on my phone and tried to move it around to see how it was mounted. I left for a minute to see if I could identify it online, and the next thing I knew, one of my mechanics was yelling that your car was on fire. I’m waiting on a call from an investigator with the insurance company. He’s going to come out today or tomorrow to see if he can determine what happened. I can’t believe you didn’t get the news. I’m sitting in the office right now. Let me check the phone number we have on file for you.”
A couple of seconds later Tony rattled off a number that was one digit off from Jakob’s cell.
“That’s wrong,” Jakob replied and gave the correct number.
“Then somebody else received the text and photos. I hope you didn’t have anything valuable in the car.”
“No, I cleaned it out. But it was paid for, and I wasn’t planning on buying a new one anytime soon, especially if you could fix the problem it had with overheating.”
The irony of the car overheating hit Jakob and he stopped.
“Did you install an add-on to supposedly increase gas mileage?” Tony asked. “I checked our repair records, and we didn’t find anything. Have you taken it anyplace else for service?”
“Not in years. Do you think the thing you saw in the engine compartment could be the problem?”
“I don’t know. I never could figure out what it was. It wasn’t that big, maybe six to eight inches long.”
“I’m glad no one was hurt. Did the fire damage your shop?”
“No, the guys covered the car with foam, but the engine is a mess. There’s no doubt the insurance company will consider it a total loss. I’ll send the photos to the correct cell number as soon as we hang up, and I will let you know when the insurance investigator is coming. Do you need a loaner? I’ll give you one and make the insurance company reimburse me directly.”
“Uh, no, I’ve been using a private driver because of a health issue. This won’t change that.”
“You could still turn in the cost of the driver. That’s probably cheaper than the daily rental on a loaner.”
“Yeah,” Jakob answered absentmindedly as he continued to absorb the news. “Let me know about the investigator. I’d like to be there.”
The call ended. Jakob waited for the buzz that signaled the arrival of the photos. It took several seconds for the pictures to download. His jaw dropped open. The engine compartment of the car was unrecognizable. The compact vehicle looked like an eyeless skull. The photo of the blackened box showed only part of a small rectangular piece hidden by other engine parts. Fifteen minutes later Jakob received a text from Tony telling him the insurance investigator was on his way to the garage. Jakob immediately contacted Emily.
Hana exited a taxi and walked up a slight hill into the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Much of the thirty-acre area had been destroyed by the Jordanian army in 1948, leaving only one of its thirty-five synagogues standing. After Israel captured all of Jerusalem in the 1967 war, an extensive rebuilding program began. Relying on old photographs and historical records, care was taken to rebuild what was destroyed.
Hurva Square, named after a large synagogue originally built in the early 1700s, was a major landmark. A small open plaza surrounded by shops and restaurants, the square was part of a common route to the Western Wall. Hana reached one entrance and stopped. Across the plaza was the snack and ice cream shop. It was odd watching normal activity take place at a crime scene where a woman had died and a small child was scarred, both inside and out. Blocking out the normal hustle and bustle, Hana moved to a secluded spot near a stone building and closed her eyes.
In her spirit she heard the final cries of Gloria Neumann and the screams of three-year-old Sadie. The surveillance video was silent, but as with the blood of Abel after he was slain by his brother Cain, the blood of Gloria and Sadie cried out for justice. A tear escaped Hana’s eye and rolled down her cheek. But it wasn’t a tear of sorrow; it was a tear of righteous rage.
Jakob got in the front seat of Emily’s car. “I’m more dependent on you than ever now,” he said.
“What do you mean? You look way better today than you did last week.”
Jakob told her about the loss of his car during the ride to the garage.
“You’ve had a string of bad luck,” Emily said when he finished.
“I’m not sure it’s just bad luck.”
“How long will this take?” Emily asked as they arrived at the garage fifteen minutes later. “I can’t wait long.”
“Let me see what the insurance investigator has to say.”
Jakob entered the office and recognized Diane, who worked for Tony. Another man was also present.
“This is Mr. Brodsky,” Diane said. “He’s the owner of the car that burned.”
A middle-aged man wearing a white shirt and dark pants introduced himself. He handed Jakob a scuffed business card. His name was Tom Murdoch. A camera hung on a strap around his neck, and a battered black briefcase rested on the floor beside his feet.
“I’m with Independent Adjusting Consultants,” he said. “Let’s take a look at the car.”
“Just a minute; I need to tell my ride to leave,” Jakob said.
The door opened just then and Emily entered. “Can I tag along?” she asked.
“I thought you couldn’t wait.”
“The former cop in me got curious.”
Murdoch led the way. Jakob walked behind with Emily. They entered the service area, which had six bays. Jakob’s car was in the last one. Tony saw them and approached.
“Sorry again about what happened,” the mechanic said, wiping his hands on a shop towel.
They reached Jakob’s car that sat on the concrete floor. Up close, the damage was even more devastating than in the photos. The engine compartment was a tangle of charred metal, missing hoses, and material burned beyond recognition. Murdoch didn’t say anything as he walked around snapping photos. When he finished, he laid his briefcase on the floor and took out plastic gloves.
“Let me see the picture your mechanic took of the aftermarket add-on,” the investigator said to Tony.
Tony pulled up the image and showed it to Murdoch, who stared at it for no more than a couple of seconds.
“Did you watch the video of the fire caught on my security camera?” Tony asked.
“Yeah,” Murdoch replied. “Can you raise the vehicle up on the lift?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure how steady it will be.”
“I’ll assume the risk. I’d rather not scoot around on my back.”
The frame of the car creaked as it rose higher. It shifted slightly to the right, causing Jakob to take a step back.
“That’s enough,” Murdoch said.
The car was about five feet above the shop floor. The investigator retrieved a small flashlight from his briefcase and crouched beneath the car. He reached up and tapped something with the end of the flashlight.
“What are you looking for?” Jakob asked, leaning over.
“The cause of the fire.”
Jakob glanced at Emily, who rolled her eyes.
“I need a crowbar,” Murdoch said, coming out from beneath the car.
Tony found one and handed it to the investigator. The car shifted back and forth as Murdoch used the crowbar. It reminded Jakob of a dentist pulling a tooth.
“I don’t think you should do that,” Tony called out.
“I’m done,” Murdoch answered.
A few seconds later, he emerged. There were black streaks on his white shirt and a line of soot across his forehead. He had something the size of an eyeglasses case in his hand. It was black and misshapen. He laid it on the ground and took several pictures.
“What is it?” Jakob asked.
“The cause of the fire,” Murdoch replied. “It’s a crude phosphorous explosive device. I haven’t seen anything like this since I served in a demolition unit in Iraq. The bomb was connected to the fuel line and detonated after the mechanic messed with it.”