The Devil in Jerusalem by Naomi Ragen Page A

those of a trapped animal searching for a place to hide.
    â€œRebbetzin, even if what you say is true about your ex, you divorced him and threw him out of the house three months ago. He has many reliable witnesses who have testified he was many kilometers away in Pardes Chana when the children were injured.”
    â€œThey’re lying!”
    Bina went on mildly, ignoring all interruptions. “One of them is a very well-known rabbi who said Shlomie was in his kollel the night Eli and then Menchie were brought in. There were thirty other students in the kollel who saw him there.” She paused. “So, Rebbetzin Goodman, my question to you is this: If your ex-husband didn’t do it, and you didn’t do it, who did?”
    Daniella wiped her eyes, looking at her questioner alertly. “Nobody. It was an accident.”
    The other detective stepped forward, about to say something. Bina quickly caught his eye, nodding curtly. He stepped back. “Look, Rebbetzin, we are here to help you, to help your children. You have a baby lying unconscious—”
    Daniella flinched.
    â€œâ€”another child with third-degree burns. Don’t you want those who did this to your children punished? Why don’t you simply help us, so we can help you—and them?” Bina said gently.
    Daniella put her hands into her pockets, kneading something. “My ex-husband did it.”
    Suddenly, Bina slammed her hand on the desk. The pencils jumped. “I have a child, almost the same age as your baby. She walks, she talks, she has chubby little arms and legs. I’d kill anyone who tried to harm a single hair on her head! What kind of monster are you to cover for someone who did these things to your babies!”
    Daniella suddenly covered her face with her hands.
    Morris and the other detective nodded to each other approvingly. Bina pressed her advantage. “Tell us what happened! Be strong, purify yourself, get rid of your guilt, spit it out of you. Those tears aren’t helping anyone.”
    Daniella pressed her lips together.
    â€œLook, let’s say there are three kids in the kitchen and you hear a glass breaking. You go inside but no one is talking. So you ask, ‘Which one of you did it?’ No one answers you. But you see that one of them is standing on the countertop opening a closet, and you know it was him. So you’d get even angrier with him, wouldn’t you? But if he admitted it and said, ‘Sorry, Mom, it fell by accident,’ you’d say to him, ‘Not so terrible, sweetie. It happens. Next time be careful.’ That’s the position you’re in, Daniella. You’re holding the broken glass in your hand, and you have the chance now to cleanse your conscience by telling the truth.”
    The silence lengthened.
    Bina slammed both fists on the table.
    Daniella twitched uncontrollably, visibly shaken.
    â€œTell me what happened with the heater!”
    â€œI already told you!” She wept.
    â€œWhat, that the child put himself up against the heater and you right away grabbed him away?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œLiar ! Those kind of burns don’t come from brushing against a heater! He was forcibly held against it for a long time, the doctors said. Tell the truth already!”
    â€œThe child … the child who was burnt…”
    â€œYes, yes. Your son. Your four-year-old son. Your Eli…”
    â€œYes, Eli. It was his own fault. He stood there; he didn’t move!”
    â€œA normal child who touches fire runs away immediately!”
    â€œThat’s true. It’s amazing that he didn’t…”
    â€œWhat? That he didn’t want to move away? Wow, you’re trying to sell us that?”
    Morris broke in: “Who are you protecting? The court will decide your punishment, but the person who did this must also be punished. You can’t save them. We’ll catch them. And in the meantime, your behavior