The Bar Mitzvah Murder by Lee Harris Page A

said. I looked at my watch. “I have to pick up my husband in a while and I want to give Officer Davidson these notes we copied. Let’s go down to Marnie’s room.”
    I gave Joshua the notes when we saw him, and he told us he was about ready to take Marnie to look at the body. Marnie was white as a ghost and unsteady on her feet. Lenny went over to help her and she grabbed him and cried and he tried to comfort her. I asked Joshua to route me to the police station where Jack was working, and he showed me on my map.
    â€œWe’ll talk later,” I said to Mel. I thanked Lenny and was on my way.

7
    Jack walked outside a moment after I pulled up at the police station. I switched to the passenger seat with some relief and he got in and we took off.
    â€œPretty bad news,” he said.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhat did you find out?”
    I went over it briefly, my talk with Marnie and our trip to the hospitals.
    â€œThat was a good idea, checking out the paramedics before she forgot what the guy looked like.”
    â€œAs it turns out, the police probably realized when they found the body that Gabe hadn’t been taken anywhere legitimate.”
    â€œNo matter. You got there at the right time. This is very nasty. Sure looks like a homicide to me.”
    â€œI hope it looks that way to the Jerusalem police.”
    â€œIt does. Don’t worry. They’re on it now. You can probably step back and have a good time.”
    I smiled. A good time sounded like a very good idea. “Tell me about your day.”
    â€œWell, we’re building a database and I’m learning a lot about international criminals. One PP called me three times this afternoon,” he said, referring to his office at New York Police Headquarters. “I hope they don’t expect me to stick around an extra six or seven hours till they go home so they can call me.”
    â€œI’m sure they don’t.”
    â€œDon’t be so sure.” He gave me a squeeze. “I’m looking forward to seeing our son again. Hope he recognizes us with all the brainwashing my folks are giving him. We’ll probably have to buy him back. Speaking of which, have you and Mel had time to look at the shops? Joshua said there are great jewelry stores in Jerusalem.”
    â€œWe did, and Mel bought herself a fabulous necklace of semiprecious stones.”
    â€œAnd what about Christine Bennett Brooks? Did she manage to find a little something for herself?”
    â€œOh, Jack, you know how I am about spending money.”
    â€œGet something for yourself. It’s an order. I’m going to be busy all day every day at this job or I’d try to sneak out and give you some moral support. I thought Mel would do that.”
    â€œShe did, but . . . Well, I’ll go back and look again.”
    There was a message from Jack’s mother when we got to our hotel. They had found a restaurant they thought we would all enjoy. We joined them there and found Eddie excited to see us. He was wearing a rather fantastic hat his grandparents had bought him, one with a small solar panel on top of the head that powered a fan in the brim. It didn’t work at night or in the dim light of the restaurant, but in the sun it was quite an attraction.
    â€œThis is a nice city,” he said. “We went on a bus and saw everything.”
    â€œDid you get out and walk?” I asked.
    â€œUh-huh. We walked a lot.”
    â€œWell, you’re very lucky your grandma and grandpa are here. You’ll have a lot to tell your kindergarten when you get back.”
    â€œI took pictures, too.” He had taken along a disposable camera.
    â€œPictures,” I said. “I hope I get a chance to take some myself.”
    After we said good night, Jack and I went back to our hotel and sat on the patio with after-dinner drinks. He seemed as content as I had seen him, enthusiastic about what he was doing and where we were. It