to locate the family. We thought maybe you’d know something.”
“Me?”
“The school,” Decker clarified. “Did the parents mention anything to the school about a winter vacation?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Maldenado said. “You’d have to check with records.”
“Maybe the boys talked to some school chums,” Marge said. “Mind if Detective Sergeant Decker talks to their friends while I check records?”
“It’s all right with me.” Maldenado leaned back in his chair. “What exactly do you mean by missing?”
“Just that,” Marge said. “We can’t seem to find where the family went.”
“And the boys are missing, too?”
“Appears that way,” Decker said.
Maldenado looked upset. “Ordinarily, I’d think of runaways even from nice families. But with both brothers and the parents being gone … I hope this resolves very soon.”
Marge said, “That’s why we’re here.”
Decker started with Sharona Bar Lulu sitting in Geometry I. It was her last class of the day—the last period of the day—and geometry was a subject she shared with Dov Yalom. Maldenado gave Decker a note to present to the teacher, asking her to excuse Sharona—less intimidating than presenting a badge in front of forty hormonally erratic teens.
But Sharona was still wary when Decker pulled her out of class. They were in the outside hall, the girl as stiff as a board, Decker trying to appear casual by leaning against the wall. She stuck close to the classroom door, her eyes darting around the hallway, looking for passersby, looking for someone to take her away from the uncomfortable position. Decker showed her his credentials. The girl studied them but they did little to calm her.
“Did your eema tell you she called the police about your uncle, aunt, and cousins?”
Sharona jerked her head up. “My eema?” In a soft voice, she said, “Are you Jewish?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Decker pocketed his billfold. “Your eema is worried about your uncle and his family. We’re trying to locate them. Would you have any idea where they might be?”
The girl shook her head, eyes fixed on the notebook she was clutching. She had black, straight hair that hung down to her waist. A pelt just like Rina’s. Except Rina was very fair. This one was dark-complexioned like her mama. She had expressive eyes topped by thick, inky lashes and brows.
Decker said, “Frankly, I’m a little concerned about them, too. It’s unusual to go off without letting someone know where you’re going.”
Sharona just shrugged.
“Did Dov say anything to you about a vacation?”
“No. I already told my mother that I don’t know where he is.” She grew agitated. “I don’t know where anyone is, I swear.”
Decker stood motionless, then raised his eyes. “You swear, huh?”
“What do you want from me?” The girl burst into tears.
Decker blew out air. “Can we talk somewhere a little more private?”
Sharona took two steps backward. “Who are you?”
She was clearly spooked. Decker said, “Sharona, we can talk right here. Or if you’d prefer, I’ll come to your home tonight and talk to you with your parents around—”
“No!”
Decker was surprised by the vehemence in her voice. “No? Why not?”
“Just …” Sharona’s voice had become tiny. “Just because. Please don’t make me talk in front of my parents. Please! I don’t want anyone mad at me. I didn’t know what …”
The girl appeared to be swaying. Decker gently took her arm and led the frail teen to an empty room. He placed her in a chair, then sat across from her, making sure the door was kept open. He took out his pad and a pencil. “Sharona, it’s important for you to tell me everything you know.”
Sharona’s eyes went from her lap, to the door, to Decker, back to the door, then to the ceiling.
Decker said, “You care about your cousins?”
The girl nodded.
“Talk to me.”
“He told me not to tell anyone.”
“Who? Dov or Gil?”
“Dov. Told me not to tell anyone he called.”
“When did he call?”
“Two days ago. Before Eema called the police.” She glanced at Decker, then looked away. “He said he was going away. He didn’t say where. He sounded nervous. He told me not to tell anyone, especially Eema and Abba. I asked him if he was in trouble …”
Decker nodded encouragingly.
Sharona met his eyes. “He hung up. That was it.”
“And you haven’t heard from him since?”
“I swear I haven’t.”
“Why didn’t you tell your eema about the call after she called the police?”
“I don’t know.” Her lip began to quiver. “I was scared she’d get mad at me for not telling her sooner. And I kept expecting to hear from Dov. I didn’t know Dov would be … I didn’t know the whole family …”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t think they were missing. I thought Dov had just had enough. I thought he just needed to get away from it all, you know?”
Decker said, “No, I don’t know. Please tell me.”
Sharona covered her face, then wiped her cheeks. “My uncle’s a diamond dealer. He’s very rich. Did you see the house?”
Decker nodded.
“Isn’t it humongous?”
Again, Decker nodded.
“Uncle Arik is really rich. I mean really, really rich! He made a fortune in diamonds during the eighties. Dov told me he made lots of his money selling big stones to the Japanese and the Chinese living in Hong Kong.”
“Dov seems to know a lot about the business.”
“He works there. They work there—both of them. My cousins … you’d think they’d be spoiled rotten, right?”
“Possibly.”
“Well, they’re not, at all. They have to beg for everything they get. That’s my uncle. Eema used
