Confluence. Stephen J. Gordon

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СКАЧАТЬ never mentioned it,” I said.

      “Like I said, he likes to keep this low key. He looks at it as holy work and doesn’t seek publicity. It’s truly an amazing thing he does, and the congregation supports it. The work is mind boggling, if you think about it...tracking down these lost holy documents, investigating their history, retrieving them, having them fixed.”

      I nodded.

      “The thing is, I know he runs into bad people sometimes…really bad people who give him a hard time. A few years ago he was beaten up in a barn in Poland after he paid an exorbitant amount for a panel of a Torah that had been discarded in a stable.”

      “Why?” Katie asked as she and Jon began to walk closer. “Did they want more money?”

      “They beat him because he’s Jewish. Because they wanted to show their contempt for what he does. But that hasn’t stopped him. So far, I think he has a 100 percent recovery record.”

      “And he didn’t think that incident was significant?” I asked.

      “He’s crazy like that. He doesn’t like calling attention to himself.”

      Jon responded incredulously: “He doesn’t like calling attention to himself!? I’d say he got someone’s attention.”

      I waved Jon off, but I was thinking the same thing. I was also very disappointed in both Shelley and Josh for not mentioning this, though I couldn’t have imagined what Josh could have done to warrant two guys coming to kill him. “I’ll follow up with Rabbi Mandel later and get some details.”

      “By the way, for what it’s worth,” Sakolsky added, “Shelley doesn’t know about the beating… well at least not all the details. Josh didn’t want to worry her.”

      “Gidon,” Katie offered, “a beating is one thing…”

      “Yeah, I had the same reaction. There has to be more to this.”

      “That’s also why I’m here,” Sakolsky said.

      He had our attention.

      “We’d like to hire you.”

      “We?” I asked, and then, “I’m not for hire.”

      “ ‘We’ is my partner and me. Robert Levin. I’m President of the congregation and Bob is Chairman of the Board. We’re both very good friends of the Mandels. We think they’re terrific people and they’re in danger. You’re investigating it anyway, right? Let us pay your expenses, whatever they are.”

      I shook my head. “No.”

      “You don’t have to report to anyone, you don’t have to answer to anyone. Just do what you’re going to do anyway. We want the Mandels safe and don’t want you to hesitate to do whatever’s necessary because of an expense. We’re not going to miss the money.”

      “If you’re looking to get rid of some cash…” Jon offered.

      He ignored my student. “The Mandels are good people. You know that. They did something they’re probably not even aware of and now they need help.”

      I still didn’t say anything.

      He reached into a jacket pocket and pulled out a thick business envelope. The imprint on the top left said Sakolsky & Levin with an address. “Just return what you don’t use. If you want, you can even take out a daily fee. That’s up to you. If you need more, just call.” He handed me the envelope.

      I looked at Katie who just looked back with eyebrows raised.

      “I trust you,” Sakolsky said. “We trust you…Shelley and Josh trust you.

      “You don’t know me,” was all I could say.

      “We know what you did Friday night. You also stopped by to see the Mandels after shul. You care. You’re not going to let this go. Do whatever you need to do,” he said once again. “Call us, don’t call us, update us, don’t update us. It doesn’t matter. Just come to us when this is over and say the Mandels are safe.”

      “I don’t know if I’m going to use this,” I said holding up the envelope.

      “That’s up to you, but it’s there just in case.”

      I tucked the envelope into one of my BDU pockets and buttoned the flap. I wasn’t sure I liked this.

      My cell phone in one of my other cargo pockets vibrated. I dug it out and saw it was Nate, my cop friend.

      “Hi.” I answered, turning to the side. “What’s up?” I felt a little dazed.

      “News. We found the home of those two guys from Friday night. You need to see something.”

      “More bodies?”

      “No, just some interesting items in their basement.”

      “You’re there now?”

      “Yup.”

      “Let me get a pen and paper and I’ll write down the address.”

      Before the words were barely out, Sakolsky pulled out a pen and a tri-folded letter from his pocket. He nodded, indicating it was okay to write on the back of paper.

      “Go ahead, Nate.” He gave me an address on the edge of Patterson Park in East Baltimore. When I had finished writing, I said into the phone but looked at Sakolsky, “And I have some news about Josh Mandel, maybe an avenue to explore.” I was thinking of his Torah rescues.

      “Okay.”

      “I’ll tell you when I see you.”

      “I’ll be here.” We hung up.

      I looked at Katie, Jon, and Sakolsky. “I gotta go.”

      Before anyone could answer, the phone which was still in my hand, vibrated again. I had a new voice mail message. I checked to find a seventh grade American History teacher at Katie’s school wanted me to substitute tomorrow.

      “What is it?” Katie asked.

      “Carol Cayhan wants me to sub tomorrow.”

      “Timing is always interesting, isn’t it?” All of a sudden it felt like there was a lot going on. “Can you do it?” she asked.

      “Yeah. I like seeing the kids. It’ll keep me balanced. I’ll call her back in a few minutes. Meanwhile, Nate wants me to look at something. He found the house of the two guys from Friday night. I have to check it out. Sorry.”

      “I’ll walk out with you,” Katie said.

      “Me, too.” This from Sakolsky.

      I turned to Jon. “You staying?”

      “Maybe another half hour. Want to work out some more and straighten up.”

      “Okay, we’ll СКАЧАТЬ