He blew out air, tried to remain calm. He leaned over the tabletop, studying the map, retracing the squiggly color-coded lines. If Rina had been going one way all this time at roughly sixty miles an hour, she’d be in Amman, Jordan, by now! Or if she went north, she’d be in Lebanon making her way up to Beirut. Cairo looked like it would take much longer.

Disgusted, he crumpled up the map, threw it at the wall, then immediately regretted his impulsive action. He cursed again, then smoothed out the wrinkled roadways.

His ears perked up. A key being inserted into the slot. Decker jumped up and threw open the door, dragging Rina inside. She took her hand off the doorknob and held it up.

“Wait for the speech until I get the door closed.”

Decker didn’t move.

Slowly, Rina freed the key from the slot and closed the door. She leaned against the wall and exhaled, waiting for the onslaught.

Fighting control, Decker said between clenched teeth, “I don’t know whether to hang you or hug you. I vote for hug.”

Decker gripped her so hard, he thought she’d break. Rina allowed herself to be swaddled by him. His embrace felt so protective. She was determined not to cry and was proud when the tears didn’t come. In truth, she had no energy left for weeping.

Decker kissed his wife’s forehead. “There is an invention called a phone. Even in Israel.”

“I didn’t have a phone card.”

“A phone card?”

“A plastic phone credit card to use the pay phones. And I didn’t want to stop off at the post office to buy it. Once I got into Jerusalem, I wanted to get back as quickly as possible.”

“Why? What happened? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Peter. But I’m hungry. Do you mind ordering up a little room service?”

Decker dropped his arms to his sides and sat down on the bed, smoothing out his mustache with his fingertip. “I’ll be happy to order some food for you. I hope you don’t think this is too goyish, but if you do, too bad. I need a drink. A very strong drink!”

“Get a glass of wine for me, too.”

Decker stared at her with wide eyes. “What the hell happened, Rina?”

“I got caught up in the situation. For future reference, I don’t think I’d make a very good cop.”

“My fault. I shouldn’t have asked you to do my job. I’m so incredibly stupid sometimes!”

“If we’re going to self-flagellate, I’m way ahead in the stupidity department.” She smiled at her husband, but knew it wasn’t going to assuage his wrath. “I followed Milligan, Peter. She went to Hebron.”

Decker felt his face afire. “You followed Milligan into Hebron?”