The Moses Legacy - Adam Palmer [129]
Daniel thought about this for quite some time. Then he remembered. ‘The snorkel! I wondered why you needed it. And then when we jumped into the water, you had it but didn’t use it. You’re a competitive swimmer and if anything I would have needed it. I reckon it has a one-way valve and a stopper. You must have rolled up the papyrus and put it in there.’
Gabrielle smiled. ‘You’re very clever, Daniel. You’ve got it all figured out.’
‘Look, I don’t care about your seedy little academic secrets,’ said Sarit. ‘What you professors get up to in your ivory towers is the least of my concerns. But that’s the border crossing ahead and I need to stay focused, so I’d be grateful if you two would cool it.’
Chapter 104
Goliath had made it into Israel and the Sea of Galilee lay ahead of him, illuminated by the light of the three-quarter moon.
Senator Morris had told him that it was the main national reservoir for the State of Israel. It had been greatly depleted over the past ten years due to drought and this was evident from the low water level and the marks around it. But that was no concern of Goliath’s. The suffering of Israel meant nothing to him. Indeed he was now going to put them out of their misery.
He knew that any place in the lake was as good as any other. It was fresh water and it would bring the spores to life, producing the bacteria that would reproduce and multiply and be drunk by the Israeli population until they were all infected.
He wasn’t sure if the purification process for the water would kill the bacteria but even if it did that was no matter. Fish from the lake, including the famous ‘St Peter’s fish’ – unique to the Sea of Galilee – were a staple to many Israelis, especially in the north.
Once in the food chain, it would spread.
So he drove to the lake. He wondered where St Peter had operated from. That would have some symbolism, he thought. But he didn’t know where that was and in any case it would be hard to find in the dark. Finally he set his sights on a point ahead where the road came closest to the lake itself.
That was where he would do it.
Chapter 105
While Daniel and Gabrielle remained in the car, Sarit had gone into the terminal on the Jordanian side and there had been some frantic talking and gesticulating. They had signalled some people over from the Israeli side and a whole group of them were engaged in earnest conversation, dominated by Mediterranean-style gesticulation which could variously be a sign of anger, concern or just a desire to be heard.
Gabrielle sat there in tense silence. But Daniel felt betrayed. He wanted answers.
‘The only thing I don’t understand is why.’
‘I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out. I like the idea of cutting your ethno-religious tribe down to size.’
‘Ethno-religious tribe?’ asked Daniel, aghast.
‘Your snobbish little closed shop whose members think they’re the bee’s knees and that you can only join by maternal inheritance. Only it’s all built on myth. The descendants of a smooth-talking Syrian soldier who helped a usurper steal the Egyptian throne from his brother. His son, a murderer, adulterer and incestuous pervert who slept with his daughter and then married his granddaughter to steal the throne? So much for your holier than thou, ethno-religious club.’
‘Except that your version is an even bigger fake, isn’t it?’
‘Maybe, but it fits the character of your people. I should have known even as a kid that you’d never be interested in a shiksa.’
Daniel noticed the tears welling up in Gabrielle’s eyes and he realized that there were things in her heart and mind that had been buried there for a long time.
‘Is that what it’s all about? Some unrequited schoolgirl crush?’
‘Don’t flatter yourself, Danny! Any feelings I had for you died a long time ago.’
He was tempted to remind her about