“How so?”

“I don’t know, Akiva. I do know that Chaim said that the kidnapper or ransom demander or whatever… that he wanted you out of the picture. As soon as possible.”

Decker raised his brow. “Out of the picture in what way?”

“That you should leave the city, of course.” Jonathan’s eyes got wide. “That’s what it means, right?”

Ambrosia—a robust blonde wearing a bikini top and broad shorts—served Decker a bagel and lox platter. He gave her a twenty. “More coffee; then we’re fine.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Ambrosia frowned.

“It’s nothing personal,” Decker said.

“Hey, you think I’m complaining?” Her accent was as broad as a flatiron. She stuffed the twenty into her shorts pocket. “So far today, this is my best tip for the least work. ’Bout a half hour ago, another gentleman tipped me a fifty. But I had to bend over a lot and pretend I didn’t know he was copping a feel.” She looked at Decker. “You’re a cop. Why do they call it ‘copping a feel’?”

Jonathan said, “‘To cop’ means to steal.”

“Heh-heh, that’s funny.” Ambrosia tittered. “That ‘cop’ means to steal.”

Decker and Jonathan sat stone-faced.

“You don’t see the humor in that?”

“You keep talking, I’m going to take back the twenty,” Decker said.

“Gotcha.” She came back with a new coffeepot, then left.

Decker said, “Any idea who Chaim talked to?”

“No. Since Shayndie was fine, I felt it wasn’t my place to ask questions.” Jonathan looked down. “I’m sure they just meant for you to leave the city.”

“A strange way of putting it, then.” Decker shrugged. “‘Out of the picture.’ Has kind of a permanent ring, don’t you think?”

Jonathan broke out in a sweat. “I didn’t take it that way at all.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Decker smeared cream cheese on his bagel. “I don’t suppose this place has a becher for washing hands.”

A fleeting smile. Jonathan hid his shaking hands by clasping the coffee mug.

Decker felt sorry for him. “I’ve been threatened more times than I care to remember. I take them all seriously, but so far, it’s all been talk.” He plopped a sheet of lox over the bagel bottom, then put the top on. He bit into his sandwich. His lip and jaw hurt as he chewed, but not as bad as he thought. “You should eat.”

“The way Chaim said it… it sounded like that’s all they wanted. For you to leave the city.”

“Then maybe you’re right. Calm down.”

“Chaim asked me if I could get you to leave.”

“Get me to leave?”

“He wasn’t having much success.”

“He was that eager?”

“Yes, he was, Akiva. Why? I don’t know. Anyway, I told him it wasn’t necessary, that you were leaving in the afternoon anyway. He seemed satisfied with the answer.”

“Did he ask you for my flight number or anything like that?”

“No. Why would he—” Jonathan blanched. “What are you thinking? That he wanted to check up on you to make sure you left?”