Because Vivi was decrypting a memory stick that Elad had hidden in Eva neni’s bathroom, Balthazar thought. Instead he answered, ‘You must ask her that. She is not a police officer.’
‘I will. The owner, this Mishi guy, he is Jewish, right? Was this an anti-Semitic attack?’
Balthazar shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’ The main dangers in District VII were being overcharged in a tourist restaurant, losing a wallet to a pickpocket or accidentally getting into a drunken brawl with a British stag party. Serious violent attacks in Budapest were rare outside mafia disputes, those against Jews even rarer, and gunfire almost unheard of. ‘I hope not. It would be the first of its kind.’
Ilona’s gaze sharpened. ‘Still, all this is taking place right outside the building where Elad lives – and the day after he disappears. That’s not by chance, is it?’
Balthazar took a sip of his water before he answered. She was right, of course. ‘We don’t know. We are working on that. But it may be a coincidence.’
Ilona sat back. ‘A coincidence. I don’t believe in coincidences. Not when an Israeli has gone missing. OK, Detective. Let’s get down to business. What have you got for me?’
Balthazar had told Sandor Takacs that he was meeting Ilona. Sandor had warned him not to share anything important with her, at least until Balthazar and Anastasia had a much clearer idea of what was going on and how and why Elad had disappeared. Israel was a friendly country, and an ally of Hungary, but the interests of the Budapest police and the Jewish state were not necessarily the same. Balthazar had decided that he might trade a few snippets with Ilona, depending how the conversation went, but overall, he agreed with Sandor. In any case, as his grandfather had taught him, only family gets things for free.
Balthazar said, ‘We have what you have – the CCTV footage of Elad in the city before he disappeared.’
Earlier that morning Vivi had managed to find several recordings of Elad on Wednesday afternoon, video of the last time he had been seen, from the municipal network. Vivi had decided to try working with Anastasia for a few days’ trial. If it worked out, she would join the state security service full-time. If not, she would go back to her room at Javitas, once the police allowed the bar to reopen.
The video showed Elad walking to Astoria, then down Rakoczi Way and over the Elisabeth Bridge to the Buda side. From there he vanished. Downtown was reasonably well covered by cameras – especially the area around the synagogue and the nearby headquarters of the Jewish community – but there was much less coverage in Buda, where the population was spread much thinner. Anastasia had sent the footage to the Israelis as soon as it was ready.
Ilona drummed her nails on the salvaged wooden table. ‘I’ve seen it. It shows him taking a walk then disappearing. The footage was taken on Wednesday. Today is Friday. Where did he go next?’
Balthazar said, ‘We don’t know. We would like to, obviously. We are working on it, as fast as we can.’
‘Try harder, please.’
Balthazar picked up another cracker and ate it in one go. Ilona looked at her watch.
Now his voice turned businesslike. ‘Sure, we can do that, but what can you share with us? Your organisation has far more resources than the Budapest police. We could make more rapid progress if you would share the information you have on Elad. His background, his education, army service and so on. The more information we have, the more potential leads we can explore. We haven’t received much from your side. In fact, we haven’t received anything. Nobody has even replied to our request.’
Ilona said, ‘The diplomatic service of the State of Israel is fully cooperating with our Hungarian partners. We are looking for the information you have requested.’
Balthazar took a drink from his glass of mineral water then looked around the room. Her bodyguards, two very fit-looking, shaven-headed Israelis in their twenties, stood nearby, one in the near corner, the other in the far corner. One of the bodyguards was watching Balthazar and Ilona, sensing the rising tension, while the second was scanning the room and the staircase that led to the upper bar. Diplomats in Budapest were usually protected by Hungarian police officers from a special squad. Clearly, the locals had been ditched.
He put his glass down slowly, and let the silence play out. Silence, he had learned from countless interrogations of suspects, was probably the most underrated technique in an investigator’s armoury. Endless television cop series showed police officers yelling at suspects or threatening them to get information. But saying nothing often yielded far better dividends. People started to babble to fill the quiet, especially when they were concealing something.
Ilona blinked first. ‘Have you been to the museum, to see Erno Hartmann? Does he know anything more about Elad?’
‘This morning.’ Balthazar paused. ‘I met a friend of yours on the way.’
‘Who?’ she asked warily.
‘Shoshanna Cohen. She had somehow managed to get lost, a few yards from her front door.’
Ilona’s smile faded completely. ‘I have no idea who that is or what you are talking about.’
Balthazar took another cracker and ate it in one go. ‘If you say so.’
‘I do. What did Hartmann tell you?’
The fencing continued. ‘That Elad was investigating what happened to the wealth and the assets of Hungarian Jewry after the Holocaust.’
‘We know that. He had dinner at the embassy a while ago, when he first arrived.’ She leaned forward again, her eyes focusing on Balthazar. ‘Did Hartmann mention any companies in particular that Elad was investigating?’
Yes, said a voice in Balthazar’s head, Nationwide. The one that is somehow connected to your prime minister’s visit next week. But something told him to hold back. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘none in particular.’
‘Any specific names or dates?’
Balthazar shrugged. ‘No. It was just general stuff about what happened after the war.’
Ilona gave him a look that clearly said I don’t believe you. She carried on talking. ‘Look, Detective, this is all very badly timed. Our prime minister plans to announce a substantial investment programme, a new joint high-tech hub in Budapest and Haifa, and all the usual agreements on education and tourism.’
‘I know. Believe me, we want to find him and wrap this up quickly as much as you do.’
‘Good. Then we are on the same page.’ She turned the charm back on, smiling and leaning forward once more. ‘Balthazar, I wanted to tell you, our Ministry of Justice is launching a pilot scheme soon, liaising with friendly police forces. The plan is to bring promising young officers to Israel for two weeks. A one-week placement at a station in Tel Aviv, and one week touring the country. Flights, hotels, all expenses paid and a per diem as well of course. No need for receipts.’
She paused, then continued, ‘The ministry has asked all our embassies to nominate potential candidates.’
Balthazar smiled inside. Not bad. Ilona was upping her game. ‘That sounds very generous. I am sure that our international liaison department can give you a list of suitable candidates,’ he replied, his voice deadpan.
Ilona’s smile faded. ‘Thank you for your time.’
Ilona looked around the room, caught the eye of both her bodyguards and held up the index finger of her right hand. Balthazar watched the bodyguards ready themselves as Ilona spoke. ‘You should know, Detective, that earlier today we informed Reka Bardossy that Jerusalem is now considering if the prime minister’s visit should still go ahead.’
‘Why?’ asked Balthazar. A cancellation would be a disaster for Reka – and could even hasten the collapse of her tottering administration. And if Reka’s government collapsed, there would be chaos – and no Virag Kovacs Music School in memory of Balthazar’s half-sister. All of Reka’s personal projects would be ditched by her successor. Ilona had just thrown a grenade into the mix.
Ilona put her jacket on and readied herself to leave. Her manner turned icy. ‘It is out of the question for the prime minister of the state of Israel to pay an official visit to and announce a partnership with a country where one of our citizens has just gone missing and where gunmen are opening fire on Jewish-owned businesses. This is on you, Detective – you and your partner, Miss Ferenczy. You have until Sunday midday, Detective, to find Elad Harrari.’
She stood up, gestured at her bodyguards. ‘No Elad, no visit.’
