“But you don’t know where they would go to hide.”

Again, Tziril nodded. Mr. Yalom finally spoke up. He let go with rapid Hebrew to his wife in a rough tone of voice. She waved him off. The old man got disgusted and walked off. Decker waited for Rina to translate, but it was Tziril who spoke.

“He’s very mad that I talk to you. He thinks maybe you want to kill the boys.”

“Didn’t your daughter explain me to him?”

“He says, how do we know you are the man that Orit said is all right?”

“Would you like me to speak to your daughter right now? I’ll be happy to pay for the call.”

“It’s night in America. Anyway, I trust you. How much big, very tall policeman with red hair can they be?”

Decker smiled. He was about to speak directly to Tziril, then changed his mind and spoke to Rina. “Tell her as clearly and as emphatically as you can that I am legitimate. I will show her all my identification if she wants it and give her all the proper phone numbers. But frankly, Rina, I’m very concerned that other people may come and try to talk to her.”

“Gold specifically?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m sure she knows Gold. If he comes around here asking questions, she’s not going to view him as a threat. Are you going to bring him up?”

“I’m going to have to bring him up.”

Tziril said, “I’m sorry. You speak too fast.”

Rina translated Peter’s words, Tziril nodding very seriously. Rina said, “Do you want me to mention Gold to her?”

Decker said, “Mrs. Yalom, what do you know about your son’s business partner?”

“Shaul?” Tziril scratched her arm. “Shaul called me right after…to send sympathies. We speak…spoke…for a long time. He was very hysterical. He loved Arik—”

She stopped herself.

“That isn’t the truth. No, he didn’t love Arik. He loved Dalia. He was an old, old friend of Dalia.”

“They grew up in the same neighborhood,” Decker said.

“Yes. They were good friends even though Shaul is maybe fifteen years older than Dalia. It was Dalia that made Arik give a job to Shaul. When they go…went to America, Shaul went with them.”

“They weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend before Arik met Dalia?”

“I think no. Dalia was young when she married Arik, maybe nineteen. Dalia’s father is very proper. I don’t think he’d allow Dalia to date a man so much older.”

Decker didn’t talk for a moment. Shaul Gold was certainly no stud but there was something manly about him. Maybe he’d been forbidden fruit to Dalia for years.

Then the little girl grew up.

That could certainly explain the Lexus parked outside the Yalom house. Were these murders brought about by a lovers’ triangle?

He pondered the situation: