Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

8 Kerry Greenwood
‘The dead are with God,’ said Rabbi Elijah, not turning his
head.
‘But the concerns of the living are with the living.’ She turned
the quotation back on him. She had not spent three hours’ hard
reading for nothing. ‘He who saves one man saves a nation. I
cannot bring back Shimeon Mikhael, but I will save Miss Lee
from the gallows. And I need your help.’
‘How can I help?’ At least he had stopped and was looking
at her again. ‘I go nowhere, see only my students.’
‘I have some papers, found on the dead man.’ She thrust them
at him. ‘No one can read them. It is thought that you might.
They must contain a clue.’
He cast a glance over the red and gold parchments, shaking
his head, then his attention was riveted by a line of Hebrew.
‘This, maybe, I can read. Where did you find this?’
‘In the pocket of a man called Simon Michaels, Shimeon
Ben Mikhael.’
‘Shimeon is dead?’ murmured Rabbi Elijah.
‘Shimeon is murdered, don’t you read the papers?’
‘The papers? No,’ he said absently. ‘We can sit in my study,
Mrs. Rabinowitz will come in. This way, Miss…’
‘Fisher. Phryne Fisher.’
Phryne walked beside Rabbi Elijah. He was looking at the
Hebrew and speaking under his breath in an unknown tongue,
a harsh and authoritative language, whatever it was. Phryne was
amazed at the success of her tactic. But she wondered about the
old man. He changed moods abruptly and his character seemed
to flicker. He seemed close to the edge of sanity, perhaps senility.
However, nothing to do but go on with the task.
They came into the lobby of a block of apartments, and he
knocked on the second door.
The staircase smelt of urine; poverty reeked from the dilapidated
building.
‘Coming, coming,’ yelled someone behind the blistered door.
‘Oh, it’s you, Rabbi, what can I do for you? Did you like the
latkes I left for you last night?’