“You hear about people. About people overextending themselves. Making bad deals, then owing money to the wrong people.”

“Who constitutes the wrong people?” Decker asked.

“Gangsters.”

“Do you think Gershon might be in this kind of trouble?”

“Maybe. He’s been secretive about his business dealings. He’s always whispering into the business phone. And I know he gets hang-up calls.”

“How do you know if he doesn’t tell you things?” Rina asked.

“I’ve lived with him long enough to know when he’s in trouble!” Honey bit her thumbnail. “He told me he had to make a sudden trip to Israel. Now I can’t get hold of him. I have to wonder if he’s running away from something…hiding from someone.”

No one spoke for a moment.

Honey said, “Perhaps I’m being overly dramatic.” Her face began to fall. “Look, I need a few minutes to be alone. Please excuse me.”

She walked out of the kitchen. Decker looked at Rina. “The woman is brittle. What I’m trying to figure out is how much of her story is bullshit.”

“You don’t believe her?”

“Not completely, no.”

“Why not?”

“A cop’s cynicism. I believe she’s running away from something. And I don’t think it’s gangsters, I think it’s domestic problems. Look, Honey lives in a small town, right?”

“Right.”

“Since she’s staying in my house, I want to know what we’re dealing with. I’m going to make a couple of calls to her village and ask about Gershon and her.”

“Let me do it, Peter. I know Yiddish. I’ll try to call the Rav directly. I’m sure he knows everything that goes on.”

Decker thought a moment. “You’re right. You call. Find out about her situation. I’m not turning a blind eye to her problems, but I’m not about to step into the middle of a long-standing domestic battle. And if by some quirk, her gangster story is true, I’m not going to use my house as sanctuary from the mob, either.”

“Agreed.” Rina kissed Hannah. The baby held out her arms to Decker. “You want to go to Daddy?”

Decker took the baby and let out a small laugh. “Hey, Hannah Rose. How about a game of chess? I’ll set up the pieces and you can throw them across the room.”

The baby grinned broadly. Decker smiled back. “At least someone knows how to have fun.”

According to cousin Sharona Bar Lulu’s phone records, Dov Yalom had made a call at 5:07 to her number from a booth located in front of an ice cream store. The parlor was located in a block-long shopping center on Devonshire, about two miles from the Yalom house.