Fire in a Haystack: A Thrilling Novel (Legal Mystery Book Book 1) by Erez Aharoni Read Free Book Online Page A

regret dearly.”
    Alush twisted his face, “Let it go, kid. I don’t know you, so don’t try these stunts on me. A man is dead, croaked. And someone did it to him. Do you understand? If the guy who died is a British citizen, I’ll soon have the British embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the entire police department upper chain of command around my neck, so let’s get to it.”
    “You said earlier that it’s not yet clear whether he was murdered or committed suicide,” said Ofer, understanding there was no point in trying to get friendly with the interrogator who was facing him.
    “Who knows? Do you know? How many dead bodies have you seen in your life?” Alush’s face reddened.
    Ofer grew silent just as someone entered the room in a jumpy gait without knocking on the door. Just like Alush, he was wearing civilian clothes. Faded jeans and a white T-shirt. Even before he opened his mouth, it was clear to Ofer that both officers carried the same genes. 
    “This is Benny Dadon, an interrogator at the unit,” said Alush, even though no explanation was necessary. “You’d better give him the right answers. I’m the bad cop and he’s the badder cop,” he added and laughed.
    They both started firing questions at him.
    “Let’s start from the beginning. This time, try to be more specific. When did you reach the hotel?”
    “Six o’clock in the evening. Precisely.”
    “Why did you go there?”
    “I needed to pick up Jacob Rodety.”
    “What did you do when you didn’t see him?”
    “I called the room. You can check with the receptionist. There wasn’t any answer. I asked the chambermaid to open the door for me.”
    “And she opened it?”
    “Yeah, she opened it.”
    “Just like that?”
    “Where would you like to spend the night?” Dadon barked in a voice that did not carry good omens, while writing down the questions and answers in a white notepad.
    “Don’t you know hotel staff is not allowed to open the rooms to strangers?” Alush raised his voice as well.
    “Look, I had to get Rodety to the office. So… how can I say it…?”
    “So? So what? Get to the point.”
    “The truth is… I gave her… money… pocket money.”
    “You paid her? Are you serious?” Alush raised his voice and whistled his S’s with deliberate intensity, as if the two hundred Ofer paid the chambermaid had been taken from his own pocket.
    “You bribed the chambermaid to open the room for you?” Dadon echoed Alush’s amazement.
    “No, of course not. I didn’t bribe her. I just gave her two hundred. It was nothing. A gift. She’s a new immigrant. I just thought I should give her something symbolic,” Ofer tried to explain with growing unease.
    “Why didn’t you tell me that from the start?” Alush grumbled.
    “I didn’t think it was relevant, or that important.”
    “You let us decide what’s important. I’m asking you again, when was the last time you saw Rodety?” Dadon continued the interrogation.
    “Last evening.” 
    “What time did you leave him?”
    “Around eleven o’clock at night.”
    “Where? In the hotel?”
    “No. A little later…” answered Ofer and sweat began to trickle down his back. “I need to go to the restroom,” he said, trying to buy some time by addressing the urgent pressure in his groin area.
    “You can go afterwards. What do you mean ‘a little later’? Where and when did you two part ways?” Dadon persisted.
    “In… well, what does it matter? Listen, I’ve got to tell you, there’s some crazy mistake here. I’m just an intern in a law firm who was running an errand. What do you want from me?” his voice became hoarse.
    “Listen, kid. Maybe you didn’t get it, so I’ll explain it to you one last time. The rules of the game are that we ask the questions and you answer them. Got it?” Dadon shouted. His throat bloated and his eyes bulged.
    He’s not the type of man I would grab a beer with in my spare time , a thought passed through Ofer’s