something unimaginable, after all.
"It's the first time that ever happened. After I realized what I'd done, I spent the last couple of hours waiting to get sober enough to come back and beg her to forgive me." Brody suddenly looked up. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't left the house, I'd have been there when the guy broke in. I'd have been able to--"
"But don't you see? That gives you a natural excuse to call her." "What do you mean?"
"You can tell her you're sorry and find out what's happening. It's so obvious an excuse, the fugitive won't be suspicious. Are you sure you smashed all the phones? Doesn't your wife have a cell phone?"
"I took it. Her phone's in my pocket."
"Does your son have a phone?"
"No."
Andrei tried not to show his elation. There wasn't any need to worry that Pyotyr might have been able to summon the police before the telephone line had been shot down. With no way to make a call, Pyotyr was completely isolated.
"Draw the diagram of the house."
* * *
"PYOTYR, HASSAN'S rivals tried to kill him several times. The last thing they want is peace. There's too much money to be made setting off car bombs in markets and sniping at Israeli soldiers on patrol,.
"Paper bags of cash are distributed weekly from donations made around the world, millions collected from sympathizers who think this is about land or religion when it's also about men who have a very specific occupation--to cause violence and death. For decades, it's been the only profession they've known. If there were peace, where would their paper bags of cash come from? Even with Hassan's
amazing effect on his followers, it's far from certain that he can achieve peace. Nonetheless, his rivals fear the astonishing growth of his influence and want to guarantee his failure.
"When he learned that his wife was pregnant, Hassan became so afraid for her safety that he sent her to the United States. Since July, she's lived secretly in Santa Fe, which has a small Muslim population loyal to Hassan's cause. In November, he made a secret trip here to monitor the last stages of her pregnancy and to deliver the baby. But he regretted sending his wife into hiding. He realized that he couldn't ask his followers to make sacrifices if he and his family weren't prepared to make them as well.
"As soon as the baby is strong enough to travel, Hassan plans to return to the Gaza Strip. He plans to stand in front of his followers and hold up his child as a symbol of hope. He plans to call it the child of peace and to say that every parent has a child of peace. His rivals want their weekly payments of cash so much that they'll do anything to stop him from gaining more sympathizers."
* * *
IN THE DARKNESS, Kagan searched a cupboard under the stove and found another pot. He filled it with water, put it on the stove, and turned on the gas burner.
"Why are you boiling water?" Meredith wanted to know. "There's still enough mixture for the baby"
"Sometimes, boiling water comes in handy."
"For what? Does your wound need cleaning again?"
"Do you have any tin foil?" he asked.
"Why would you need--" Looking baffled, Meredith gave up and pointed toward the left side of the stove. "The middle drawer."
Kagan opened the drawer, pulled out a box, tore off two pieces of tin foil, and crumpled them slightly.
'What about quick-drying glue?" he asked.
Despite her confusion, this time she didn't question him but merely said, "One drawer down."
"Thanks." Kagan pulled out the drawer and was pleased to find a large plastic tube of glue, almost full.
He went over to the microwave, which sat on the counter to the right of the stove. That counter was next to the kitchen's side door. He opened the microwave, put in the two crumpled pieces of tin foil, set the tube of glue between them, and adjusted the timer for two minutes.
"Wait," Meredith warned. "It isn't safe to start the microwave with those things inside."
"Just leave it like that. With the timer set." Kagan pivoted the
"It's the first time that ever happened. After I realized what I'd done, I spent the last couple of hours waiting to get sober enough to come back and beg her to forgive me." Brody suddenly looked up. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't left the house, I'd have been there when the guy broke in. I'd have been able to--"
"But don't you see? That gives you a natural excuse to call her." "What do you mean?"
"You can tell her you're sorry and find out what's happening. It's so obvious an excuse, the fugitive won't be suspicious. Are you sure you smashed all the phones? Doesn't your wife have a cell phone?"
"I took it. Her phone's in my pocket."
"Does your son have a phone?"
"No."
Andrei tried not to show his elation. There wasn't any need to worry that Pyotyr might have been able to summon the police before the telephone line had been shot down. With no way to make a call, Pyotyr was completely isolated.
"Draw the diagram of the house."
* * *
"PYOTYR, HASSAN'S rivals tried to kill him several times. The last thing they want is peace. There's too much money to be made setting off car bombs in markets and sniping at Israeli soldiers on patrol,.
"Paper bags of cash are distributed weekly from donations made around the world, millions collected from sympathizers who think this is about land or religion when it's also about men who have a very specific occupation--to cause violence and death. For decades, it's been the only profession they've known. If there were peace, where would their paper bags of cash come from? Even with Hassan's
amazing effect on his followers, it's far from certain that he can achieve peace. Nonetheless, his rivals fear the astonishing growth of his influence and want to guarantee his failure.
"When he learned that his wife was pregnant, Hassan became so afraid for her safety that he sent her to the United States. Since July, she's lived secretly in Santa Fe, which has a small Muslim population loyal to Hassan's cause. In November, he made a secret trip here to monitor the last stages of her pregnancy and to deliver the baby. But he regretted sending his wife into hiding. He realized that he couldn't ask his followers to make sacrifices if he and his family weren't prepared to make them as well.
"As soon as the baby is strong enough to travel, Hassan plans to return to the Gaza Strip. He plans to stand in front of his followers and hold up his child as a symbol of hope. He plans to call it the child of peace and to say that every parent has a child of peace. His rivals want their weekly payments of cash so much that they'll do anything to stop him from gaining more sympathizers."
* * *
IN THE DARKNESS, Kagan searched a cupboard under the stove and found another pot. He filled it with water, put it on the stove, and turned on the gas burner.
"Why are you boiling water?" Meredith wanted to know. "There's still enough mixture for the baby"
"Sometimes, boiling water comes in handy."
"For what? Does your wound need cleaning again?"
"Do you have any tin foil?" he asked.
"Why would you need--" Looking baffled, Meredith gave up and pointed toward the left side of the stove. "The middle drawer."
Kagan opened the drawer, pulled out a box, tore off two pieces of tin foil, and crumpled them slightly.
'What about quick-drying glue?" he asked.
Despite her confusion, this time she didn't question him but merely said, "One drawer down."
"Thanks." Kagan pulled out the drawer and was pleased to find a large plastic tube of glue, almost full.
He went over to the microwave, which sat on the counter to the right of the stove. That counter was next to the kitchen's side door. He opened the microwave, put in the two crumpled pieces of tin foil, set the tube of glue between them, and adjusted the timer for two minutes.
"Wait," Meredith warned. "It isn't safe to start the microwave with those things inside."
"Just leave it like that. With the timer set." Kagan pivoted the
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