in Israel.”
Cutler’s handshake was firm and dry, but Ethan saw an undercurrent of unease rippling like a cloud shadow behind Rok’s eyes as he watched them. The Israeli reminded him of a bird of prey, hawkish and alert.
“Come,” Cutler said, “let me pour you a drink. Iced tea? Cola? We’ve much to discuss.”
Rachel wasted no time, speaking as soon as Cutler had handed her a glistening glass of Coke and ice as they sat down around the table.
“Has there been any word at all from Lucy?”
“Alas, no,” the ambassador admitted as he handed Ethan a glass and sat down. “We have contacts across the government and security services working on this but so far there hasn’t been a lead.”
Rachel’s face fell, and Ethan realized that she had placed too much hope in this meeting with the ambassador. Cutler caught the look on her face and leaned forward in his chair.
“Don’t worry. We’ll find your daughter no matter how difficult it might be. I apologize for Israel’s inability to act more decisively at this time.”
“The Knesset dare not take the chance of broadcasting your daughter’s disappearance for fear of upsetting the delicate balance achieved with the Palestinians in the current peace negotiations,” Rok said. “I know how much this must distress you.”
“Media attention could increase our chances of finding Lucy,” Ethan pointed out, “either through word of mouth, the bait of a ransom, or even terrorist abductors seeking media sympathy by releasing Lucy.”
Rok shook his head. “That is not a chance that I would like to take with my family, Mr. Warner.”
“And if Lucy’s abductors are trying to influence the peace process?” Ethan challenged. “If you ignore them, and the process goes ahead, they’ll have no further use for her.”
“Again,” Rok said, “an assumption, not an analysis, Mr. Warner.”
“We don’t have the time for indecision or analysis,” Rachel snapped. “Right now we don’t even know if Lucy’s still alive.”
“She is alive,” Cutler said. “This was an organized abduction. In Israel there is always a motive, always a statement to be made.”
Ethan saw Rachel take a breath, controlling herself.
“I understand that it’s quite unusual for there to be no word from abductors regarding a Western captive,” she said.
“It’s downright unlikely,” Ethan chipped in. “Abductions achieve nothing if there’s no political or financial gain.”
Cutler took a thoughtful sip of his drink before replying.
“It’s a problem, all right, but insurgent groups have no illusions as to the ability of Israel’s intelligence services and special forces to liberate Lucy if she is found. They may be laying low.”
“I agree that Israel’s security forces are capable,” Ethan said, “but Israel is a large country and much of it remains sparsely populated. There are thousands of square kilometers of terrain and Lucy could be concealed anywhere out there in the deserts.”
“We do not have the manpower to search for her there,” Rok said.
“What about the excavation site Lucy was working on? That could harbor some clues. Could we visit it?” Ethan suggested.
Cutler was about to answer, but a gruff reply came from behind them.
“That will not be possible.”
Ethan turned in his seat to see a man with severely cropped brown hair, dressed in khaki combat fatigues and a dark-blue beret. Rok stood as the soldier strode into the room and stopped at the opposite end of the table.
“This is Spencer Malik, head of security at Munitions for Advanced Combat Environments—MACE. He is responsible for security in the area where Lucy disappeared.”
Malik nodded curtly but remained silent. Ethan glanced at Malik’s stubbled jaw and defensively folded arms. He looked more like a mercenary than a trained soldier.
“Why can’t we go to Lucy’s dig site?” Ethan asked.
Malik met Ethan’s gaze, the rest of his body remaining as still as though carved from rock.
“The Israeli Air Force is conducting low-level flight training operations from Ramon Air Base in the Negev Desert. Dr. Morgan’s excavation site is within the training area near Masada, and off-limits to civilians.”
“I thought that the area around Masada was used as a tourist destination?”
Malik nodded. “The Masada complex lies outside of the practice range, which is concentrated in the canyons to the west, but sometimes the aircraft have to fly overhead at low level.”
“Lucy found something before she disappeared,” Ethan pressed. “It could be relevant to the reason why she was abducted.”
Malik shook his head.
“Not until the exercise is over in three weeks’ time.”
“The area could have been pulverized by Israeli bombs by then,” Ethan pointed out.
“Such is the price,” Malik replied, “of living and working