“Interesting.”

“Too many connections to be coincidental,” Decker said. “Or maybe that’s wishful thinking. Randy, could you fax me a picture of Weiss? Actually, all three of them—what were the others’ names?”

“Harabi and Ibn Dod.”

“Yeah, right. All three of them, if you have them.”

“Absolutely, I have something I could fax you. But first, you’ve got to level with me, Pete. If you have a fix on them, you have to tell me.”

“Of course I’d tell you, Randy. Do you honestly think I’d hold back?”

“No comment.”

“I’m wounded,” Decker answered. “I don’t have a fix, but I do have ideas. Because I’m asking myself where could these guys hide and not stick out.”

“In any Arab or Israeli community.”

“Or in any Chasidic community.”

“Arabs?” Randy was skeptical. “Especially now?”

“If they’re true Israeli Arabs, they probably speak Hebrew and have seen enough black-hatters to play the part. And if other New York Chasidim had done some transporting, maybe these jokers had made prior connections.”

“You’re thinking Quinton.”

“If they were supplying the town, why not?”

“I’ll come up—”

“Not yet, Randy. If they’re here in Quinton and you come up, they might jump again. This time, who knows where? Sure, maybe it’ll come to that, but first let me do some groundwork since I’m already a known quantity. Also, I’m still not sure how Merrin fits in, and if it has anything to do with the murders of Ephraim and Shaynda Lieber. Let me poke around a bit.”

“Just a little legwork, right?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“Nothing confrontational, Peter, because these guys are dangerous fugitives. Weiss was in the Israeli army. He knows how to shoot a gun.”

“I hear you, Randal, and I thank you for helping me out. Also, I’ve got a pretty good working relationship with the detective in charge of the Lieber case. Mick Novack of the two-eight in Manhattan. He’s a capable guy. All I’m doing is maybe speeding things up a little because I’m working one file and he has fifty.”

Randy said, “It’s good to hear that you’re not being stupid.”

Decker was offended. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that you can’t do this by yourself, Peter. There’re too many people and too many possibilities. You need a partner—someone you can trust.”

“In theory, you’re right. I could use you up here. But just as important—if not more important—I need someone in Gainesville to watch over the family. Who better than you?”

Randy thought about what Rina had told him this morning, about how she was sure that someone had been after her, after both of them. She had described Peter’s face in detail, but was vague with the specifics about herself. Definitely holding back, probably because she was too confused or too scared to tell him what really happened. So maybe Peter’s request about taking care of the family held some real weight. In the end, Randy acquiesced.

“You’ll call me as soon as you start putting the pieces together.”