Solomon's Gold

CHAPTER 26

Rivka and Selena sat on lawn chairs behind the safe house, drinking something Rivka had concocted from fresh limes and soda water, looking out toward the setting sun. Long shadows from a half dozen palm trees stretched across the lawn. The Judean desert outside the compound was bathed in color, a blaze of gold and orange and yellow and red.

"This is incredibly beautiful," Selena said. "I've seen a lot of sunsets, but this one is memorable."

"The desert is beautiful," Rivka said. "Harsh, but beautiful."

Selena sipped at her drink and looked over at Rivka. She was a good-looking woman, the kind of woman that made you think of earth and sun and good times.

"Nick said you took a bullet for him. What happened?"

"That's not exactly what happened. I went up with Nick to his hotel room."

"Oh? His room?"

Rivka looked at Selena and laughed. "Don't worry, it wasn't like that. Although I admit, I was attracted to him."

"Mmm," Selena said.

"There'd been trouble. Your President was in the hotel. Nick had left a telltale on the door of his room. When we got there, it had been moved. It meant someone had been inside."

"I assume it wasn't the maid," Selena said, "or there wouldn't be much to this story."

"No, it wasn't the maid."

Rivka rubbed the old wound where the bullet had struck her, an unconscious gesture.

"Anyway, he opened the door. We had our guns out. At first we didn't see anything, then someone stepped out and began shooting at us. That's when I got hit. The shooter was killed."

"I remember Nick telling me about it after he got back," Selena said.

"The shooter was there to get Nick," Rivka said. "He was the one who was supposed to get shot. That's why he says I took a bullet for him, but really, it was only because I happened to be there."

"Well, I'm glad you were," Selena said.

She raised her glass in a toast and drained it.

"This would be a lot better if it had vodka in it."

"There's some in the kitchen."

"Much as I'd like to, I'm not drinking. I'm pregnant."

"I didn't know that," Rivka said. "You're not showing. When are you due?"

"About seven months from now. At least it won't be the middle of winter. It looks like he might be a Leo."

"He?"

"Or she," Selena said. "We don't know yet."

"I envy you," Rivka said. "It's hard to find a real partner, doing the work that we do."

"You don't have anyone like that?"

"No. Perhaps I don't try hard enough. I think I scare them away. Israeli men can have fragile egos. They always want to be on top. When they find out what I do, most of them disappear."

Selena laughed.

"Israeli men aren't the only ones with fragile egos."

"You sure you don't want one drink? One won't hurt you."

"I shouldn't…"

"I'll make it weak," Rivka said.

Later, Selena was back in the room with Nick. They were getting ready to go to bed.

"Rivka is nice, isn't she," Selena said.

"Yes, she is."

"I can see how you would be attracted to her."

"Selena…"

"Don't worry, I'm not jealous. I know you didn't sleep with her. But I wouldn't blame you if you had."

"Now you tell me," Nick said.

Selena punched him on the shoulder.

"Don't be a smart ass. She told me what happened when she got shot. I'm only saying that I'm glad she was there in that hotel room with you."

"She was almost killed."

"Well," Selena said. "It may sound hard, but better her then you."

"Better if neither one of us had gotten shot."

Selena changed the subject.

"I keep thinking about Alan. No one was supposed to start shooting at us. I can't get away from this, and I? Even when I think something is going to be simple. It's like one of those old biblical curses."

"Hey, come on. It's not that bad."

"No? Try telling that to Alan, or Gideon. And now there's the baby. I don't think I'll ever feel safe again."

Nick came over and put his arms around her.

"You're safe with me," he said.

Later, after they'd made love, Selena lay awake listening to Nick's deep breathing.

You're safe with me, he'd said.

She thought back to all the times she'd been with him and come close to being killed. Whatever else being with Nick was about, it wasn't about being safe. Somehow she didn't think it ever would be.

What does that mean for the baby?

Selena pushed the thought aside. She wasn't ready to go there, not yet.