dead Jews are gone. They’ll never reclaim it. But Israel is their moral heir. Imagine what we could accomplish with such a fortune.”
“You’re right. I’ll hand over Klaus’s ledger to the Ministry of the Treasury.”
Finally! She admitted to possessing the ledger! Elie knew he had to speak the truth, or her sudden openness would vanish for another twenty years. “In the hands of the government the money will come to nothing. They’ll waste it, pay more bureaucrats. We must use this fortune, which came from the Holocaust, to prevent another Holocaust.”
“How?”
“A formidable, global network of trained agents to monitor Arab leaders and sympathizers, weapon scientists and arms dealers, and those who finance the war against the Jews. We will eliminate our enemies before they manage to hurt us!”
“You’re right,” Tanya said. “I’ll hand it over to the prime minister on the condition that the money is earmarked for Mossad and Shin Bet.”
Elie downshifted and veered to the shoulder, where a convoy of vehicles was assembling for the last leg of the trip to Jerusalem, the steep climb up the mountains, where the slow pace of travel provided easy targets for the Arabs. He glanced at Tanya. Was she teasing him? Rage blurred his eyesight. He should draw his father’s shoykhet blade and put it to her throat. But the car came to a stop, the wind disappeared from the open window, and he smelled her delicate perfume. Truth was, he could never bring himself to hurt Tanya Galinski.
He lit a Lucky Strike and drew deeply, holding the smoke for a long moment. “Why are you toying with me?”
“A taste of your own medicine?”
The convoy began to move, and a truck ahead of them spewed a cloud of sooty fumes. Elie drove faster, changing gears to accelerate past the truck.
“You want that fortune,” she said, “as leverage for more power.”
“Power to defend our people. I will prevent another Holocaust.”
“You alone?”
He ignored her sarcastic tone. “I can do a better job than those desk people, who lack the stomach for action. We’re at war, and the world is our battlefield. I’ll get results!”
Tanya looked at him, saying nothing.
“You can work with me as an equal partner, apply your field experience to commanding an international army of agents. You’ll be the most powerful woman in Israel, maybe in the world.”
“I’m happy at Mossad.”
Elie didn’t tell her of his plan to become chief of Mossad, as well. She would find out in due time, become his subordinate, and despite her hostility, she would end up admiring him. “I’ll split the money with you.”
“I don’t need money.” She loosened her hair and retied it in a bun. “But there’s something else I need.”
Was she offering a trade? A dip in the road caused the car to sway from side to side. Elie struggled to control it.
“Abraham’s son deserves a chance for a normal life.”
Even though her words were uttered without intonation or dramatic gesticulations, Elie knew Tanya had just allowed him a peek into her innermost passion. “Why would he want a normal life? He’s a black hat, lives the good life in Neturay Karta, studies with his friends all day, not a worry in the world. He doesn’t know any better.”
“He does now.”
“So?”
“Tell Abraham to let him go.”
Elie considered this unexpected development. “It won’t be easy. He’s counting on the boy to get married, become a great Talmudic scholar, a leader in the sect.”
“Abraham will obey you.”
The incline slowed down the Deux Chevaux. Elie downshifted to maintain momentum. “What will you do with—what’s his name?”
“Jerusalem. I want him free of their insular religious extremism.”
“He was born into it.”
“And you were born in a kosher butcher shop in a shtetl on the eastern border of Germany. I don’t see you pursuing your birthright.”
“Abraham won’t like it.”
“I want the boy to leave the sect,
“You’re right. I’ll hand over Klaus’s ledger to the Ministry of the Treasury.”
Finally! She admitted to possessing the ledger! Elie knew he had to speak the truth, or her sudden openness would vanish for another twenty years. “In the hands of the government the money will come to nothing. They’ll waste it, pay more bureaucrats. We must use this fortune, which came from the Holocaust, to prevent another Holocaust.”
“How?”
“A formidable, global network of trained agents to monitor Arab leaders and sympathizers, weapon scientists and arms dealers, and those who finance the war against the Jews. We will eliminate our enemies before they manage to hurt us!”
“You’re right,” Tanya said. “I’ll hand it over to the prime minister on the condition that the money is earmarked for Mossad and Shin Bet.”
Elie downshifted and veered to the shoulder, where a convoy of vehicles was assembling for the last leg of the trip to Jerusalem, the steep climb up the mountains, where the slow pace of travel provided easy targets for the Arabs. He glanced at Tanya. Was she teasing him? Rage blurred his eyesight. He should draw his father’s shoykhet blade and put it to her throat. But the car came to a stop, the wind disappeared from the open window, and he smelled her delicate perfume. Truth was, he could never bring himself to hurt Tanya Galinski.
He lit a Lucky Strike and drew deeply, holding the smoke for a long moment. “Why are you toying with me?”
“A taste of your own medicine?”
The convoy began to move, and a truck ahead of them spewed a cloud of sooty fumes. Elie drove faster, changing gears to accelerate past the truck.
“You want that fortune,” she said, “as leverage for more power.”
“Power to defend our people. I will prevent another Holocaust.”
“You alone?”
He ignored her sarcastic tone. “I can do a better job than those desk people, who lack the stomach for action. We’re at war, and the world is our battlefield. I’ll get results!”
Tanya looked at him, saying nothing.
“You can work with me as an equal partner, apply your field experience to commanding an international army of agents. You’ll be the most powerful woman in Israel, maybe in the world.”
“I’m happy at Mossad.”
Elie didn’t tell her of his plan to become chief of Mossad, as well. She would find out in due time, become his subordinate, and despite her hostility, she would end up admiring him. “I’ll split the money with you.”
“I don’t need money.” She loosened her hair and retied it in a bun. “But there’s something else I need.”
Was she offering a trade? A dip in the road caused the car to sway from side to side. Elie struggled to control it.
“Abraham’s son deserves a chance for a normal life.”
Even though her words were uttered without intonation or dramatic gesticulations, Elie knew Tanya had just allowed him a peek into her innermost passion. “Why would he want a normal life? He’s a black hat, lives the good life in Neturay Karta, studies with his friends all day, not a worry in the world. He doesn’t know any better.”
“He does now.”
“So?”
“Tell Abraham to let him go.”
Elie considered this unexpected development. “It won’t be easy. He’s counting on the boy to get married, become a great Talmudic scholar, a leader in the sect.”
“Abraham will obey you.”
The incline slowed down the Deux Chevaux. Elie downshifted to maintain momentum. “What will you do with—what’s his name?”
“Jerusalem. I want him free of their insular religious extremism.”
“He was born into it.”
“And you were born in a kosher butcher shop in a shtetl on the eastern border of Germany. I don’t see you pursuing your birthright.”
“Abraham won’t like it.”
“I want the boy to leave the sect,
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