Jimbo

Yonatan and Matan are pulled even further into the mysteries in Paris.

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Chapter 16

We awoke the next morning and enjoyed breakfast with Herbert and Judy before he quickly left for work. I had mentioned something about it being Columbus Day when Herbert abruptly excused himself from the table and left the apartment. I wondered what had triggered that reaction? We were having a pleasant conversation up to that point.

"You see, Yonatan, the year 1492 was not a good one for Sephardic Jews. Herbert is Sephardic and I am Ashkenazi."

I looked at Judy but didn't understand the significance of what she was saying.

"Let me give you some family history which will help you understand who and what we are. It is important. You talk about Columbus as if Ferdinand and Isabella were benevolent rulers and funded wonderful explorations. Most Americans know that part of the story but they don't know that also that year a great diaspora of Sephardic Jews happened in Spain. Jews had to either convert to Christianity or leave the country. Some Jews converted to Catholicism for public display while hiding their Judaism. Other Jews converted and through the years their families left behind their Jewish faith and became Catholics.

Herbert's family left and ended up in North Africa. They had to leave behind everything they owned. They arrived in Morocco and had to rebuild their family wealth. Thankfully, it was still safe to be Jewish in Morocco at that time. Thousands of Jews left. It was yet another exodus for our people. Thousands more stayed and betrayed their faith. She smiled at Matan. "It is believed that the family married into a Berber tribe and that is where Matan got his red hair. We love his red hair." She walked around and kissed Matan on the top of his head.

Eventually, Herbert's family left Morocco for Portugal. It was still safe to be a Jew in Portugal at that time. Many also left for Brazil and Chile. His family name was Jenes- Osorio and you will still find a lot of Jews with that last name. From Portugal, Herbert's family eventually moved to London. Once again, they had to build stability and wealth in their new country. The family name was anglicized to Jenner. They hoped that people wouldn't immediately know they were Jews. They were trying to assimilate. Yes? You understand?"

I nodded my head.

"Herbert's family decided he was to be a doctor. They sent him to Vienna to study. That is where great medical research was being done at that time. Herbert was still in high school but his parents knew he needed to learn German to get into medical school. All of the great medical texts were written in German. He was like a sponge in school. It wasn't like the English Boy's School where he was always the odd boy out. In Vienna he was honored for his academic brilliance. Many of the great teachers were Jewish. Herbert was quite bull headed and was so focused on school that he didn't pay attention to what was happening in the world around him. He wasn't alone in that myopia. He didn't honor his parents when they told him to come home. He was too focused on school. For the first time in his life, he was happy and fulfilled. He was walking to his rooming house one night when he was caught up in a Nazi raid."

Tears came to Judy's eyes, but she continued.

"He told them he was English and they had no right to arrest him. He became quite bullish when confronted by their prejudice. He had a broken jaw and a concussion when they released him the next week. He became a Zionist at that point. He started working underground to help Jews leave Europe. He knew German, English, Portuguese and a rudimentary knowledge of French which was valuable. His student visa was revoked but he didn't care. When he was picked up the next time he was classified as a spy. I don't know how he survived the horrors of the camps he was sent to. He was very bright and knew how to work the system but so were many other people who died. It was the will of the Creator of the Universe that he survived. When the war ended, he was a skeleton who found his way back to London. His parents were astounded that he was alive. There was much rejoicing. Herbert slowly recovered and said he wanted to become a lawyer so that he could help people in trouble. He was so very English in thinking that a nation built on the rule of law would be the shining example to those disenfranchised through the country's benevolence. It didn't take him long to change his mind after seeing how the British government treated Jews after the war."

She was frowning and staring at the wall. She cleared her throat and looked at Matan.

"My family history is a bit more complicated. My grandfather was a great physician and researcher in Vienna. He was world renowned for his work in the field of trauma; both physical and mental trauma. He started his work during the Great War. He helped the returning soldiers. Apparently, his work was very profitable and he and grandmama lived quite well. My father was born in Vienna. The family surname was Feldsher which meant that my ancestors worked in the medical field. I don't know how many generations were physicians because all of those records were destroyed and all of the people who would know were killed. My grandfather was killed by the Nazis. My father escaped and ended up in Paris. He married my mother who was French. We were captured by the Nazis and my father was sent to a separate camp from me and my mother. I was then sent to a camp for children where they did experiments on us. After the war, I tried to find my parents and then I discovered they had both died. I was an orphan. I went back to the house where my mother lived and discovered papers that had information on who my maternal parents and grandparents were. My father took nothing with him when he left Vienna for Paris thinking he would go back. He never returned. I know practically nothing about my father's family."

"I finished my secondary studies in Paris before I went to London to study medicine. The great medical universities in Austria and Germany had been destroyed during the war. It was only because I had been accepted into University that I got a visa to enter Britain. I met Herbert in the British Museum on a Sunday afternoon. We were both looking at the Elgin marbles. Ahhh, he was so handsome. I spoke limited English and he was very helpful at translating for me. We agreed to meet the following Sunday. After several weeks of this he asked if I would like to go to a caf‚ for dinner. He was so shy. His family was middle class and had retrained most of their wealth during the war. They were not used to sharing it, even with their son. I was poor on the best of days and destitute the rest of the time. I remember it was raining that day. Of course, it rained on most days in London. We walked with my arm in his. We found a pub and he went to order dinner for us. It was the first night I ever kissed Herbert.

At that point her face was shining and I could see the young girl again.

"Herbert's family were adamant that we were not to marry. He was Sephardic and I was Ashkenazi. I was penniless. You would think that after World War II that the Jewish people could get along and support each other. That was not the case. We married anyway. We knew we were destined to be together. Herbert finished law school and I finished medical school. We could have stayed in England but decided to emigrate to the United States to start a new life there. After many years of trying, Matan was born and we thought we would spend the rest of our lives in Virginia."

She smiled at Matan. She reached out and held his hand.

"When we arrived in the United States it was not easy. Herbert had to study and sit for his bar exams. I had to sit for medical exams. We were young, happy and poor. The most important thing was that we were happy. One day, a gentleman appeared at the law office where Herbert worked and asked to meet with him. Herbert was taken aback because the man was black. It took a lot of courage for that man to walk into a white law firm in Norfolk and ask to meet with a lawyer. Herbert took him into his office and offered him a beverage which Mr. Reed graciously accepted. They were both looking at the other trying to ascertain if there was enough trust for an honest conversation. Mr. Reed then told Herbert he was a Sephardic Jew who lived in Suffolk and that his family was originally from Ethiopia. Sephardic Jews from Ethiopia were highly revered and honored. Herbert told him of his Sephardic heritage and his family's exodus from Spain to Morocco to Portugal to England. Whatever reticence there had been immediately disappeared. Mr. Reed told Herbert that he owned a large parcel of land in Suffolk that was ripe for development. Herbert thought he was going to be asked to handle the land transfers and he was going to politely decline. His firm did not do that type of real estate law. Instead, Mr. Reed asked Herbert to be a partner in the project and for the law firm to be the public face for that and future developments. They would not handle the land transfers but represent themselves as the owner. Mr. Reed made clear that people would not buy property that was being developed by a black Jew. Herbert nodded and said he understood prejudice. Herbert made the decision that afternoon that the firm should represent Mr. Reed. The next afternoon I met the two of them at the property."

"The house you live in was the Manor House on the property. Mr. Reed lived there. He said that members of the Sephardic congregation owned swathes of land in that area that had been purchased after the Civil War. Money had been sent from Ethiopia to purchase the land. There was a plan to build a new city for the displaced slaves. That never came to pass and the land stayed in the possession of a few families. Mr. Reed had laid out the plans for the development and asked which lot Herbert and I wanted. I looked at him and told him I wanted the Manor House. He said it was his house. I looked at Herbert and said there was no deal unless we got the Manor House. Now, I didn't have the authority to do that but the house resonated with me. I knew we had to live in that house."

"Mr. Reed said the house was special to his people. He showed us the tunnel to the river and said originally the tunnel was to help the original family escape if there was an Indian uprising. The builder of the property was a Quaker who had been forced to leave Virginia during the diaspora of Quakers at the time of the Revolutionary War. Mr. Reed said most Virginians did not know that bit of information about the state's history. Most of the Quakers ended up in North Carolina. The owner sold it to a sympathetic friend who promised to not use slave labor on the farm. He quietly became an abolitionist and helped many slaves escape. The tunnel in the basement was used to help slaves escape on ships. A great depression followed the war and that is when the Ethiopians bought it."

"Mr. Reed said the house needed to continue as a place that was safe for all people and a place of refuge for those in need. We assured him we would honor that. The property title was to be transferred when enough lots had been sold so that Mr. Reed could build himself a new home. The title was transferred the month after Matan were born. Herbert and I were living in a one-bedroom apartment in Norfolk at that time. Mr. Reed arrived with his son and grandson for the property transfer. He told Herbert that family was important and that his children and his children's children needed to be present because it affected them. Herbert looked at them and said there would be a delay by one day. Overnight, Herbert had all of the documents rewritten and Matan, you were named as the owner of the house where you and Yonatan now live. You have always been the owner. Yonatan, I don't know if you read the custodial paperwork very closely but it mentions real property. Mr. Cohen knows exactly what that means. Until Matan is twenty-one, Yonatan, you have control of the property."

I gasped as did Matan.

"Let me finish. It gets more interesting."

We didn't know what else there was to reveal.

"A few years ago, I was contacted by a lawyer in Paris that I had inherited this building as well as a home in Provence. They had belonged to my mother's family. We sold the house in Provence but retained this for our use when in Paris. After the war, it took a period of time to sort through all of the property titles to see who owned what. There were many false claims when people thought a family line had died out and there was property to be acquired. Because my parents and my mother's parents had all died in the war, there was confusion about whether there was an heir. I was in the United States by that time. We were both starting our careers and we had just moved to the Manor House when we were notified. Thankfully, Herbert's law firm had an office in Paris and Monsieur Lambert was instrumental in making sure that I inherited the properties. He was sent by God to help us. Without him we may have lost everything. Herbert and I decided to stay in Virginia. A landlady was put in charge of the building while everything was being sorted. She became so attached we have let her continue to act as if she is in charge. It makes life easy that way. This apartment suits us fine and the rent money from the other tenants covers the cost of maintaining this big old albatross. Herbert is in the process of changing the title to the property and it will be in both of your names. We don't want to own things. We just ask that you let us live here until we die."

This was too much to comprehend.

"So here we are today. Some of this is like a tooth ache for Herbert. He wants to be done with it because it brings back all of the memories of the war, the concentration camps, and the deprivation. As he has aged the fire in his belly has switched from just caring for his family to caring about others who have suffered as we did. We live a good life and Herbert has a hard time with that. He acts like we are like the poor students when we were in University. He has no personal use for the money and property we have except that he wants you to know he was a good custodian. When Mr. Reed brought his son and his grandson to the meeting, it reminded Herbert that what we do is for future generations. We are merely the custodians. That is why he harangues on you Yonatan. He doesn't want to be bothered but he can't let it alone. He wants you to be the financial steward and to be careful with every penny. He wants you to be the custodian for future generations of the Jenner family. It is like the aching tooth that the tongue continues to gravitate toward. You have to figure out a way to get rid of his tooth ache. It is up to you. He can't solve it and neither can we. You alone have that power."

I was stunned that I was given that responsibility. How was I to get rid of his problem? It was of his making. I gave a big sigh and held my head in my hands. Judy had not finished. "Herbert and I are busy with our work. The law firm he works for has offices throughout Europe, in New York and in Norfolk. He is quite busy. We both live our life here. We planned this move for quite a long time only we thought Matan would be joining us in Paris. Matan, I apologize that we did not tell you but we saw you as only a boy, not the man you have become. I still have my faculty appointment at the medical school in Virginia and have started working at the American Hospital here in Paris. I am reaching out to researchers in Rome and Tel Aviv. There are a lot of refugees here with trauma histories. Our work is quite fulfilling. We are around Jewish people who live in the old Jewish quarter. We are also in Israel quite a bit. I feel quite at home here. Herbert spoke some French before but is rapidly becoming fluent. I grew up here and it was my primary language. I made sure that Matan learned French when he was a child. Little did I know that he was a polyglot and from learning French he easily learned other languages. Herbert and I both want you in Europe. We agreed that Brussels would be the perfect home for you because it is smaller than Paris and close enough that we can see you often. You would also not have to listen to Herbert's chastising you about money every day." She smiled when she said that. "We will also get to see our grandchildren more often. You will both be brilliant in your careers." She smiled.

"How was it decided that we would live in Brussels?" I was puzzled about the choice of that city.

"Mr. Cohen said that was where you would live. Herbert and I didn't ask any questions. We probably should have been more inquisitive but Mr. Cohen said everything was in place."

She was like Mr. Cohen in projecting our future in Brussels and that we would both have wonderful personal and professional lives.

After explaining that this was new information to us, Judy said that she was late for an appointment. She grabbed her purse, handed us a schedule for the rest of the day and headed out the door.

We sat looking at each other. We were both processing what Judy had told us.

"How much of that did you know?" I held Matan's hands and looked in his eyes.

"Practically none. I knew my parents were European but I didn't know more than that. I saw the tattoo on mother's arm one day and she told me that she and papa had been sent to camps. I am the one who put the pieces together and knew they had been in concentration camps.

"Did you know that you owned the house in Suffolk?"

"No. Of course not."

"I feel like we are in a time warp. You can't make this shit up. What else are we to learn that has already been decided for us."

"Don't go there, Yonatan. Please, don't go there."

We looked at the time and realized we only had fifteen minutes before Amit's arrival to drive us to our first appointment of the day. It wasn't memorable which turned out to be a gift. After that, Judy had set up for us an appointment with a medical team she worked with. She said we would be fascinated to learn more about her work and the work of her colleagues. We grabbed a sandwich on the fly before we ended up in an obscure building in a warehouse district. Amit said he would wait in the car. We noticed that he positioned it for a fast getaway. A financial team was present that had an affiliation with Mr. Cohen's law firm. They explained how currency could move throughout the world without regulators being aware. We watched as a transaction of one million Euros started in Vienna and moved through European and Asian markets before it ended up in an account in Guernsey at 1.2 million Euros. We were both astounded at the increased value in just over three hours.

"Gentlemen, what you saw was trading in the shadow market. Some of what happened was less than legal in those markets and if regulators knew they would be all over it. But they don't know that transaction just occurred. As had been requested, none of the funds moved through Germany. The money is now in Guernsey in a private account and regulators cannot get to that bank information. We just made the two of you, ?200,000 in three hours. Here is the account information. He handed us paperwork.

"Thank you, but that is not ours." Matan tried to hand back the paperwork.

"Ahh, gentlemen, this was a real transaction. We used your money to initiate the trading. We had to assure Mr. Cohen that we would not lose your money with this demonstration today."

Matan and I looked at each other. I found my voice. "We don't have that kind of money so I don't know where you got it."

"But Monsieur Ward, you do. This is your money. Perhaps an insignificant amount of your holdings, but yours none the less."

"Insignificant? That amount is hardly insignificant." Matan had found his voice even though it was quivering.

"Gentlemen, you have another meeting where I believe more will be explained. Your schedule for the day has been shuffled around and probably these discussions were out of sequence. This demonstration today is not the norm for us. We are highly reputable in the financial world. However, we are able to make transactions happen to protect our clients. It is felt that we will need to be nimble at all times as we manage your funds. We will never do anything without your permission. I apologize that this demonstration upset you." We still couldn't believe what had just happened. Green met us outside of the warehouse and Amit drove us to a discreet building in the financial district. We entered the lobby and Black told us to use our Israeli passports with the security staff. We were escorted to an elevator and were whisked up to the 34th floor. A receptionist was waiting for us and took us to a board room.

Matan and I sat. I was thinking of the first time we had met with Mr. Cohen in Norfolk.

The room was similar in feeling. Deep carpet, paneled walls, large conference table, windows overlooking Paris. We heard a door open and in walked Mr. Cohen and Ayal. It was deja vu.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen."

Matan and I looked at each other like this was our worst nightmare. We both stood.

"Easy on, gentlemen. This is going to be okay. I promise. How do you like Paris?"

Ayal held a portfolio of documents and didn't say a word. I swear it looked like he was wearing the same suit that he had worn that day in Norfolk.

"Let's sit and get started as you don't have much time today."

Matan grabbed my hand and held on. I wasn't going to let Ayal take him away again.

"I apologize for the change in schedule. Judy called and said you had some personal business that had to be done today at the hospital. I hope that everything is ok." We both nodded.

"I was going to meet with you before you went to meet with the financial geniuses, but we had to do that first because markets were shutting down and we needed for you to see that demonstration today."

We both nodded.

"Do you have any questions?"

We both looked at each other. I turned to look at Mr. Cohen.

"Yes, I do. What the fuck is going on?" I rarely used profane language but it felt appropriate at that time.

Mr. Cohen smiled as did Ayal.

"You made ?200,000 this afternoon. That should make you happy."

"I have ?60 in my wallet right now. That is the kind of money I am used to dealing with.

What did that man mean when he said he was using only a small portion of our money to show us the demonstration?"

I was sweating. I felt Matan's hand move to my arm and then turned my face to look at him.

"Breathe, Yonatan. Breathe. I am going to handle this, okay."

I nodded my head. He looked at me again to confirm that I was really okay.

"Mr. Cohen, what the fuck is going on?" Matan smiled.

That sounded so wrong coming out of Matan's mouth. I looked at him and starting laughing. We both got a case of the giggles. Mr. Cohen was not amused. Ayal was stifling his laughter.

"Gentlemen, this was a helpful demonstration for you because we have an important meeting tomorrow. You need to understand what happened today so you will better understand what you are told tomorrow."

I spoke up, "What meeting tomorrow?"

"I can't tell you."

I gave him 'the look'. "That doesn't work for me. Is this a meeting with the people who are making decisions about our lives?"

"Don't you trust me?"

I swallowed and then looked him in the eyes. "I thought they taught you in law school to not ask a question when you didn't already know the answer."

Mr. Cohen's was caught up short. He looked down at the table top.

"Point well taken, Mr. Ward. Let me rephrase that. I need for you to trust me. It is important that you trust me at this critical time."

"What is critical about this time?" Matan became my partner in asking probing questions.

"I can't tell you.....at this time. You will understand better tomorrow."

"I asked you a question, Mr. Cohen. If you are really my attorney then I expect an answer. If you do not answer I can only assume you are not my legal representative." I remembered how Matan had interrogated Mr. Fish and Mr. Higinbotham at Camp Falls. He was using the same technique again.

Ayal was looking at Mr. Cohen and then us. Back and forth he looked while silence enveloped the room.

"Let me make a telephone call, Mr. Jenner. This will not take long." Mr. Cohen rose and left the room.

Matan and I looked at Ayal who tried to keep a neutral look on his face. He gave nothing away and I could tell that he was between the devil and the deep blue sea.

The door opened and Mr. Cohen entered the room followed by Green and Black. He gathered his papers and said that the Chief Rabbi was waiting to meet with us. We took the elevator to the lobby and exited the building. A limousine pulled up to the curb. Amit had disappeared. Black opened a door so Matan and I could enter the car. Mr. Cohen and Ayal followed as did Black. Green sat upfront with the driver. A few minutes later we were in front of the synagogue. We went inside and Matan strode through the lobby and up the steps. He was filled with righteous anger. We reached the anteroom to the Rabbi's office. We waited a couple of minutes before we were ushered in. Again, Matan took the lead as we entered the Rabbi's office. He was unhappy and the tension vibrated around him.

There were greetings all around. It was obvious that Ayal had not been in this office before. His appraisal was cool and calculated; he didn't miss any detail. It was as if he was taking a snapshot of each and every detail. We all sat in front of the Rabbi's desk.

"Matan and Yonatan, you ask hard questions. As you should. I want you to ask hard questions because life changing decisions will need to be made very soon. Everyone will be looking to you. You asked if Mr. Cohen works for you. The answer is yes, if you decide for him to do so."

Mr. Cohen shifted in his seat and looked very uncomfortable.

The Rabbi looked at Matan and then me. It was like he was analyzing our souls. I could hear the wall clock tick.

"Tomorrow, you will take a trip. Mr. Cohen and his assistant will accompany you." I assumed he was speaking of Ayal.

"I will meet you there. It is safer for us to travel separately. We will have a meeting in Vienna. I think after that meeting everything will be clearer. I do not expect that you will have all of the information tomorrow to make all of the decisions that will need to be resolved. However, it will be the start of the conversation. So, you challenged whether you should trust Mr. Cohen. That is for you to decide. If you ask me if I trust Mr. Cohen, I will say my answer is 'yes'. Will you honor my request that you include Mr. Cohen in tomorrow's meeting?"

We were reeling. Both Matan and I nodded in agreement.

"Can we know why our meeting is being held in Vienna tomorrow?"

That question from Matan caught the Rabbi by surprise.

"Yes, you should know that we are meeting with the Chief Rabbi of Vienna and some other people. We have a meeting starting at 10 a.m. and we should be back before bedtime. It will be a very busy, long day. We will start early.

Vienna? My mother's comments came rushing back to me. I grabbed Matan's hand. He looked at me and knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Why Vienna? Yonatan and I understood we would be in Paris all week."

"The Chief Rabbi of Vienna will explain it all during the meeting." The Rabbi looked in our eyes and could see the fear. "Is there something you need for us to know?"

Matan asked that Black and Green be invited to join us in the meeting.

I related my mother's dream. Mr. Cohen rolled his eyes. The Chief Rabbi stood and walked to the windows. Nobody said anything while he stood looking at the beginning of the sunset.

He returned to his seat and pondered before he spoke.

"Gentlemen, I believe that you will be in danger in Vienna tomorrow. God sends messengers in many forms. We would be spitting in the face of the Creator of the Universe by ignoring this angel he has sent to us. We will not be so arrogant. Yonatan, we are grateful for the gift of your mother."

Green told the Chief Rabbi he would be in touch with his Viennese contacts and a new location would be identified for the meeting. He said he was concerned that someone had leaked information. When Mr. Cohen asked for specifics, Green told him it would be revealed when we arrived in Vienna the next day. Green said his team would be working through the night to put all details in place.

The Chief Rabbi thanked everyone and told them he would see them in Vienna the next morning. He asked that Matan and I stay for prayers. Everyone stood up to leave. I knew that Black and Green would wait in the outer office to accompany us to the dinner that evening.

We moved our chairs like we had the previous evenings so we all faced the windows and the setting sun.

"Yonatan, you and Matan should remember to honor those who came before you. People made great sacrifices so they could leave the world a better place. We are custodians for those who are yet to come. None of the gifts of the universe are ours. They are only for our safekeeping and nourishment until the second coming of God. You need to think about how your work will reflect the glory of God and how you are preparing this for the next generation. I have seen the two of you in a muddle this week. Your brains are scattered as you process the many things which are being revealed. You need to be prepared for what God has decided for the two of you. You have to be ready to say yes. You must be your authentic selves. I see multiple people living in your bodies. I admire your ability to be three people in the same body but I must ask; wouldn't your lives be simpler if you were just Matan and Yonatan? Do you really need to be Mason and Jimbo? Do you need to maintain the Native American identities? It must be hard for you. We use language to define ourselves and the world. I need to know how to define you. Think how much simpler your life would be if you would claim your Jewish identity. Would that help in your decision making? I need to know who I am talking to and even now it is not always clear. Before our meeting in Vienna tomorrow, think about who you are and who you want to be. I already observe this mystical communication that the two of you have. I haven't seen it in many people during my lifetime. The two of you together are a gift to us from the Creator of the Universe. I will pray tonight that you gain unity of spirit of two people becoming one. If you finalize this joining of spirit while here this week then the trip will be successful. One last thing before you go to your dinner party: evil comes in many disguises. Don't be deceived when evil presents. Remember, that together you are strong."

Matan and I smiled thinking of Whitman.

We left the synagogue. Black accompanied us to the dinner. He said that Green was working on logistics for the next day. He asked why we had not disclosed the information that my mother had given us before this afternoon. I told him that first, he would have dismissed it and second, that Vienna was not on the itinerary we were given and we didn't want to distract from everything happening in Paris. He nodded his head in agreement.

The dinner party was a huge success. Herbert and Judy were present and were overwhelmed by the eminence grise who had gathered to honor Matan. We had seen the list of invitees but it was entirely different when we were face to face. Matan took it all in stride as if this was the most normal thing in the world that these people had gathered for his seventeenth birthday. I was overwhelmed as Matan introduced me to some of the great authors and thinkers in Paris. Finally, the fatigue overwhelmed us but we did not leave until Matan bade each and every person a good night and a heartfelt thanks for attending.

It had been a long day. Herbert and Judy were full of questions. We tried to answer knowing that we still didn't know some key pieces of information which were needed to tie everything together. We were sitting in the kitchen having a cup of tea when Judy looked at us.

"I only have one question and perhaps you can share what you know."

We both looked at her waiting for her to continue.

"What is the business that takes you to Vienna tomorrow?"

We both spluttered. Herbert turned over his tea cup which rolled off the table and shattered when it hit the floor.