Sanctuary

“His boys ever do anything real dumb?”

Gold shrugged. “I suppose, yes. When I was a teenager, I did dumb things. I’m sure Arik did dumb things, too. That’s why I’m nervous about him. He can be reckless.”

Decker took out his notebook. “Anything different going on in his life as far as you could tell?”

“As far as I can tell, no.” Gold shook his head. “Arik’s Arik. Quick, sharp, fast-thinking, a big pain in the ass.” He ran his hand over his face. “You want to ask me if he has enemies?”

“Does he?” Decker said.

“Arik has many people who hate him. Me? I can’t stand the bastard. He’s reckless, but he’s also stingy. He hoards and hoards! I keep telling him we don’t make money by keeping diamonds, only by selling. But I admit a good thing about Arik. He has a nose for top dollar. Like I say, he is very sharp. He knows when to buy, when to sell.”

“And what do you know?”

“I know how to sell,” Gold said. “Arik and I are good for each other.”

Decker said, “Are you also good for Mrs. Yalom?”

Gold’s eyes narrowed. “You can explain that?”

“Mr. Gold, why is your Lexus parked outside Yalom’s house on an average of two days a week during daylight hours?”

Gold broke into laughter. “You think something naughty is going on between me and Dalia? You have a very dirty mind, Sergeant.”

“Can you answer the question?”

“I’m doing business with my partner,” Gold said. “Real business.”

“You do business with Mr. Yalom at his house?”

“All the time. Like you saw—about two, three days a week.”

“Then why bother with the office?”

“For the clients.”

Gold’s face was unreadable. Decker didn’t buy his story. “Mrs. Yalom doesn’t get in your way?”

“Dalia works. Even if she’s home, I rarely see her. We go into Arik’s office, shut the door …” Gold shrugged. “Certain things are better discussed away from Yochevet.”

“You’re not worried about Dalia hearing things?”

Gold remained stone-faced. “No.”

Six years in the Israeli army. Guy’s a tough cookie. Decker said, “And you haven’t seen or heard from Mr. Yalom in the past two days?”

“Nothing. I’m very concerned. Maybe he got too reckless.” Gold took out a pack of cigarettes. “Do you mind?”

Decker shook his head.

“Yochie hates it.” Gold lit up. “Says I smell up the office. That girl has a big mouth.”

“Why do you keep her?”

“Because she’s good.”

Good in what capacity? Decker said, “Tell me about Mr. Yalom.”

“I told you all I know.”

“That Mr. Yalom is stingy. How stingy could he be, living in a house like that?”

“That’s for Dalia.” Gold blew out smoke. “The house was bought with her money.”

Decker perked up. “Dalia has money?”

Gold nodded. “Her father is a very wealthy diamond dealer in Israel. When she met Arik, he was nothing but a poor stonecutter.”

“I thought his family had money … jewels smuggled out from Europe.”

“Yes, the Yalom family owns a few nice pieces of jewelry. But nothing compared to Mr. Menkovitz.” Gold took a final puff of his smoke, then crushed the butt. “It was Dalia’s father who gave Arik money to invest in diamonds. She set him up.”

“Is it a sore spot with Mr. Yalom?” Decker asked. “His wife setting him up?”

“Mah pitom?” Gold said. “Why should it be a sore spot? Arik has done very well by himself.”

Decker said, “But Dalia still has independent wealth?”

Gold said, “Her father takes care of her.”

Decker now wondered if someone was out to get Dalia. Who would gain from her demise? First, Arik, then her sons. Maybe this was all some messy family affair. He said, “I heard Arik didn’t get along with his sons.”

Gold said, “Where’d you hear that?”

“Is it true?”

Gold rubbed his chin. “Does Arik fight with his boys? Of course he does. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love them.”

“What about Mrs. Yalom? Does she fight with the boys?”

“Dalia? No.” Gold’s face softened. “Dalia doesn’t fight with anyone. She is soft. Like her mother.”

“You know the family?”

“I knew them before Arik did. I’m old family friend. I grew up in the neighborhood. I baby-sat Dalia.”

“How’d she meet Arik?”

“Her father introduced them.”