seemed less than impressed. They were more interested in Eli lying prostrate on the floor. 'What happened to him?'
'This is the patient I told you about,’ said Ignatius. ‘We got his medication wrong and he went a bit wild. It took several of us to restrain him, poor man. The doctor here has given him something to calm him down. The sisters were just about to get him cleaned up and off to bed when you arrived. I apologise most sincerely for the trouble we've put you to.'
The soldier bent down to take a closer look at Eli. 'How long has he been a patient here?' he asked.
'About two months.'
The soldier nodded slowly then suddenly took a pace backwards and rattled back the bolt on his weapon. He levelled it at the priest. 'I spoke to him not more than three hours ago at the Jaffa Gate?'
'There must be some mistake,' said Ignatius calmly.
'I don't think so,' said the soldier. 'I remember him well enough. He was with another man.'
'It’s a case of mistaken identity,’ said Ignatius. ‘If you give me a moment I will show you this man's admission papers.’
'Fetch them,' said the soldier. 'In the meantime I'm going to call my officer. Go with him,' he said to his companion.
Ignatius held up his hands and said, 'Please! Show some respect. This is a church. There's no call to defile it with guns. I'll only be a few moments. You have my word.'
'On you go,' agreed the soldier reluctantly.
'Perhaps you’ll allow the doctor here to help me,' asked Ignatius. ‘He knows where everything is. It will be quicker.’
The soldier nodded and waved them both away with the barrel of his gun.
Ignatius and Stroud left the room.
After five minutes, the soldiers grew impatient: one went to investigate. He found an open window leading into the lane at the back of the building. There was no sign of Ignatius or Stroud. They had to wait until Eli Aswar came round however, to find out that Benny Zur was missing too.
FIVE
Kansas City
USA
Macandrew looked anxiously at his watch. Karen Bliss was late and he was becoming impatient. He lifted the phone and was just about to hit the third number of her extension when a knock came to the door and he put it back down on the rest.
'Come in.'
'Sorry, I got held up,' said Karen. 'It's always the same when you're in a hurry.'
Macandrew nodded. ‘All set?'
'Lead on,' said Karen, holding up the portable recorder she was carrying so that Macandrew could see that she hadn't forgotten.
They started out along the corridor.
‘You're nervous,’ said Karen.
'What makes you say that?'
'You checked that you had your keys twice when once would have been enough. That tells me your mind was on something else the first time.'
'God save me from psychiatrists,' said Macandrew. 'Do you analyse Jeff’s behaviour like this?’ he asked, referring to Karen’s husband, also a doctor.
'Can't help it,' smiled Karen, 'If he’s feeling guilty about anything, I’ll know it before he does.’
They reached the surgical recovery suites and Macandrew checked with the head nurse about Jane Francini.
'Nurse Leiden is with her at the moment. She's showing signs of coming round.'
Macandrew and Karen entered the room and found a young black nurse trying to reason with Jane Francini and coming off second-best.
'Mrs Francini, you're in hospital. You've been very ill but now you're getting better. Just take it easy, will you. Relax.'
'Stop calling me stupid names,’ stormed Jane. ‘I want my mother. Where is she? Why isn’t she here?’
Macandrew stayed in the background while Karen switched on her recorder, adjusted the levels and approached the bedside. She nodded to the nurse to step aside and took her place.
'There's obviously been some kind of mistake here,' she said soothingly.
‘Yes . . . a mistake. Have you seen my mother? Why isn’t she here? Did she send you?'
'I'm afraid not,’ said Karen. ‘But maybe I could find her for you. What's your name?'
'Emma.'
'And your last name,
'This is the patient I told you about,’ said Ignatius. ‘We got his medication wrong and he went a bit wild. It took several of us to restrain him, poor man. The doctor here has given him something to calm him down. The sisters were just about to get him cleaned up and off to bed when you arrived. I apologise most sincerely for the trouble we've put you to.'
The soldier bent down to take a closer look at Eli. 'How long has he been a patient here?' he asked.
'About two months.'
The soldier nodded slowly then suddenly took a pace backwards and rattled back the bolt on his weapon. He levelled it at the priest. 'I spoke to him not more than three hours ago at the Jaffa Gate?'
'There must be some mistake,' said Ignatius calmly.
'I don't think so,' said the soldier. 'I remember him well enough. He was with another man.'
'It’s a case of mistaken identity,’ said Ignatius. ‘If you give me a moment I will show you this man's admission papers.’
'Fetch them,' said the soldier. 'In the meantime I'm going to call my officer. Go with him,' he said to his companion.
Ignatius held up his hands and said, 'Please! Show some respect. This is a church. There's no call to defile it with guns. I'll only be a few moments. You have my word.'
'On you go,' agreed the soldier reluctantly.
'Perhaps you’ll allow the doctor here to help me,' asked Ignatius. ‘He knows where everything is. It will be quicker.’
The soldier nodded and waved them both away with the barrel of his gun.
Ignatius and Stroud left the room.
After five minutes, the soldiers grew impatient: one went to investigate. He found an open window leading into the lane at the back of the building. There was no sign of Ignatius or Stroud. They had to wait until Eli Aswar came round however, to find out that Benny Zur was missing too.
FIVE
Kansas City
USA
Macandrew looked anxiously at his watch. Karen Bliss was late and he was becoming impatient. He lifted the phone and was just about to hit the third number of her extension when a knock came to the door and he put it back down on the rest.
'Come in.'
'Sorry, I got held up,' said Karen. 'It's always the same when you're in a hurry.'
Macandrew nodded. ‘All set?'
'Lead on,' said Karen, holding up the portable recorder she was carrying so that Macandrew could see that she hadn't forgotten.
They started out along the corridor.
‘You're nervous,’ said Karen.
'What makes you say that?'
'You checked that you had your keys twice when once would have been enough. That tells me your mind was on something else the first time.'
'God save me from psychiatrists,' said Macandrew. 'Do you analyse Jeff’s behaviour like this?’ he asked, referring to Karen’s husband, also a doctor.
'Can't help it,' smiled Karen, 'If he’s feeling guilty about anything, I’ll know it before he does.’
They reached the surgical recovery suites and Macandrew checked with the head nurse about Jane Francini.
'Nurse Leiden is with her at the moment. She's showing signs of coming round.'
Macandrew and Karen entered the room and found a young black nurse trying to reason with Jane Francini and coming off second-best.
'Mrs Francini, you're in hospital. You've been very ill but now you're getting better. Just take it easy, will you. Relax.'
'Stop calling me stupid names,’ stormed Jane. ‘I want my mother. Where is she? Why isn’t she here?’
Macandrew stayed in the background while Karen switched on her recorder, adjusted the levels and approached the bedside. She nodded to the nurse to step aside and took her place.
'There's obviously been some kind of mistake here,' she said soothingly.
‘Yes . . . a mistake. Have you seen my mother? Why isn’t she here? Did she send you?'
'I'm afraid not,’ said Karen. ‘But maybe I could find her for you. What's your name?'
'Emma.'
'And your last name,
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