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subordinate.
But he thought better of it when he saw Fortunato had turned the light off in
his office and was locking his door.
Rayford walked briskly to him. Without a trace of sarcasm, he said,  Commander
Fortunato, sir, a request.
 Certainly, Captain Steele.
 I need permission from a superior to use an outside line.
 And you're calling ?
 My son-in-law in the States.
Fortunato backed up against the wall, spread his feet, and crossed his arms.
 This is interesting, Captain Steele. Let me ask you, would the Leonardo
Fortunato of last week have acceded to this request?
 I don't know. Probably not.
 Would my permitting it, despite how cavalierly you treated me this evening,
prove to you I have changed?
 Well, it would show me something.
 Feel free to use the phone, Captain. Take all the time you need, and best
wishes on finding everything OK at home.
 Thank you, Rayford said.
Buck prayed for Chloe as he drove, imagining Chloe had found her way to safety
and simply needed to hear from him. He called to give Tsion an update but
didn't stay on the phone long. Tsion seemed down, distracted. Something was on
his mind, but Buck didn't want to pursue it while trying to keep the phone
open.
Buck flipped open his laptop and looked up Ken Ritz's number. A minute later
Ritz's answering machine said,  I'm either flyin', eatin', sleepin', or on the
other line.
Leave a message.
Short beeps indicating messages Ritz already had waiting seemed to go forever.
Buck grew impatient, not wanting to tie up his phone. Finally he heard the
long beep.  Ken, he said.  Buck Williams. The two of us you flew out of
Israel might need a return trip soon. Call me.
Rayford couldn't believe Buck's phone was busy. He slammed the phone down and
waited a few minutes before redialing. Busy again! Rayford smacked his hand on
the table.
The young communications supervisor said,  We've got a gadget that will keep
dialing that number and leave a message.
 I can tell him to call me here, and you'll wake me?  Unfortunately, no, sir.
But you could ask that he call you at 0700 hours, when we open.
Buck wondered about Ritz's answering machine. How would anyone know if he had
been killed in the earthquake? He lived alone, and that machine would just run
until it filled.
Buck was about half an hour from Donny and Sandy Moore's house when his phone
rang.  God, let it be Ernie, he pleaded.  This is Buck.
 Buck, this is a recorded message from Rayford. I'm sorry I couldn't reach
you.
Please call me at the following number at seven o'clock in the morning my
time.
That's going to be 10:00 P.M. if you're in the Central Standard Time zone.
Praying
Chloe's all right. You and our friend, too, of course. I want to hear
everything. I'm still looking for Amanda. I feel in my soul she's still alive.
Call me.
Buck looked at his watch. Why couldn't he call Rayford right then? Buck was
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tempted to call Ernie, but he didn't want to bug him. He wended his way back
to
Tsion. As soon as he came into the house, Buck knew something was wrong. Tsion
would not look him in the eye.
Buck said,  I didn't find any rods to poke in the backyard. Did you find the
shelter?
 Yes, Tsion said flatly.  It is a duplicate of where I lived at the church.
You want to see it?
 What's wrong, Tsion?
 We need to talk. Did you want to see the shelter?
 That can wait. I just want to know how you get to it.
 You will not believe how close we were last night when we were doing our
unpleasant business. The door that appears to lead to a storage area actually
opens into a larger door. Through that door is the shelter. Let us pray we
never have to use it.
 Here's thanking God it's there if we do need it, Buck said.  Now, what's up?
We've been through too much for you to keep anything from me.
 I am not keeping it from you for my sake, Tsion said.  I would not want to
hear if
I were you.
Buck slumped in a chair.  Tsion! Tell me you didn't get word about Chloe!
 No, no. I am sorry, Cameron. It is not that. I am still praying for the best
there. It is just that for all the treasures in Donny's briefcase, the
journals also led me where I
wish I had not gone.
Tsion sat too, and he looked as bad as he had when his family had been
massacred.
Buck laid a hand on the rabbi's forearm.  Tsion, what is it?
Tsion stood and looked out the window over the sink, then turned to face Buck.
With his hands deep in his pockets, he moved to the doors that separated the
kitchen
from the breakfast nook. Buck hoped he wouldn't open them. He didn't need to
be reminded of cutting Sandy Moore's body from under the tree. Tsion opened
the door and walked to the edge of the cutout.
Buck was struck by the weirdness of where he was and what he was looking at. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]