Decker unlocked the door, and he and Rina dragged themselves inside the car. He rubbed his eyes and smelled his smoke-drenched clothes.

“I sure wouldn’t want to be a bronchiole in Elhiani’s lungs.”

Rina gave him a tired laugh.

“Are you hungry?”

“You can eat?”

Decker nodded. “’Fraid so.”

“Sure, let’s get something to eat.” Rina paused. “First let’s go back to Tel Aviv. Who knows when the next bomb might go off?”

Decker started the car engine. “So you buy Elhiani’s terrorist bomber.”

Rina sighed. “Well, someone’s bombing the city. Maybe it was random, Peter.”

Decker said, “Gil Yalom just happened to be in the yeshiva that blew up?”

“Who knows?” Rina said. “It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that, coincidence or not, you saved lives.” She felt her eyes watering. “I’m very proud of you.”

Decker turned off the motor and leaned over the console to hug his wife. “Thank you. And you should be proud of yourself while you’re at it. You spotted the guy.”

“Baruch Hashem,” Rina sobbed out.

“Baruch Hashem,” Decker repeated.

Rina dried her tears with a tissue from her purse. “So if this was a random terrorist act, maybe Dov Yalom isn’t in danger like you thought.”

“I think he’s still in danger.”

“All I’m saying is, maybe we still have time to find him.”

“Well, hope springs eternal confusion or something like that.” Decker started the car and pulled away from the curb. “You’ll have to navigate me back.”

Rina gave him a series of directions.

Decker said, “How about we go back to the hotel and order room service at outrageous prices? Maybe if they find out we’re heroes they’ll give us a discount.”

“Don’t count on it.” Rina looked at her lap. “A man from the Jerusalem Examiner left his card with me. It’s an English-language newspaper. He wants to interview you—”

“Publicize my case and let my enemy know what I’m doing? Not a chance.”

Decker turned onto the main thoroughfare to Tel Aviv. The night was black, the road surface barely visible. As the car descended down the mountains, he rode the brake and cursed the poor lighting.

“So what’s next?” Rina asked. “Besides food and a hot bath.”

“We’ll have to wait for Gil Yalom to come out of his shock…whenever that’ll be.” Decker pulled to the side, allowing a speeding Fiat to pass him by. Within moments, the car was a red streak in the darkness. Slowly, he accelerated back onto the roadway.

“That driver was obnoxious and you didn’t even comment,” Rina said. “You must be exhausted.”

“You’re right about that.”

They rode for a few minutes in silence. Then Rina said, “Do you want to talk about it?”