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“He’s still on the island. But I’m finding that no one wants to talk about the guy.”
“Milo Willis?”
“Still working it.”
“Uri Stribbe?”
“Same answer.”
I allowed a heartbeat of silence, then took the plunge: “Joe Benjamin. What do you know about him?”
“You asked me that on Monday.”
“I’m asking again.”
“When did you talk to Benjamin?”
“Yesterday.”
“Why?”
“I’ve got time on my hands, so I took a shot at getting the Hebrew inscription translated. The rabbi and his wife refused to get involved. I thought Benjamin might be willing to help.”
“Was he?”
“Yes.”
I told Monck about thehamotziblessing.
“The fragment came from a bread knife?”
“It could have.”
“Does that square with the marks you saw in the bone?”
“No.”
More silence as we both chewed on that.
“Something’s off with Benjamin,” I said.
“And this insightful character analysis is based on—?”
“He lied to me. To us.”
“I’m listening.”
I decided not to mention the odd invite for a spin on the bike.
“Benjamin claimed he hadn’t interacted with the Stribbes in ages. When we talked to Adeera later that day, remember what she said?”
Monck shook his head.
“?‘Thatchazeris only helpful when he wants something. Then he has no shame.’ That comment bothered me, so I called Adeera to ask the last time Joe had been in the presence of either her or Uri.”
Monck said nothing.
“Benjamin had been to their condo two weeks earlier.”
