The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem (27 page)

“
El Dio que me mate,
may God kill me!” she screamed, losing control of herself. “Senora Franco says that Ephraim killed Matilda, and you're asking me which of the girls ran away from home? Ask your daughters yourself who ran away from home, who went to the Ingelish and told lies about her mother and made her mother ride in the Ingelish officer's jeep to the Ingelish police so they could question her like a criminal. Ask, ask! If you don't know, ask Becky. It couldn't be Becky mi alma who went to the Ingelish police? Maybe you, Rachelika? Didn't you, querida, tell the Ingelish that your mother threw you out of the house? Tell Papo, querida, tell him if it was you!”

Rosa's rage frightened Gabriel. He had never seen his wife so angry. Of course he'd guessed right away which of his daughters was the culprit and fixed Luna with a hard stare. She had withdrawn into herself, not daring to look at him, her eyes filled with tears. Gabriel didn't say a word. He went to the clay water jug and poured a glass for Rosa. “Drink this,” he told her gently. “Drink and we'll go back to bed. Perhaps Senora Franco is mistaken. Perhaps she saw somebody who looks like Ephraim. And you,” he commanded Luna, “go straight to bed. I'll deal with you in the morning.”

Matilda Franco's funeral was held in the dead of night, for in Jerusalem the deceased had to be buried immediately. That same night, the British police came knocking on the Ermosas' door and searched the house. Once again Rosa was taken to the Russian Compound. This time Gabriel went with her and told the policemen that his wife hadn't seen her brother for years and that he personally opposed the Lehi thugs and wouldn't have helped his brother-in-law even if it meant leaving him in the street. Of course that wasn't true. He would have risked his life to help Ephraim. But right then he said whatever was needed to get his wife out of this mess.

Rosa sat for hours in the interrogation room. The British interrogator tried to extract details about Ephraim from her, and she repeated that since he'd left Jerusalem for Tel Aviv she'd had no contact with him.

“He's a filthy murderer, this brother of yours,” the officer said, “him and his whole gang. He murdered an innocent young girl.”

“But how do you know it was Ephraim who murdered Matilda?” she burst out. “It could have been anyone!”

“Mrs. Franco testified under oath that she saw him. We don't have any doubt at all that your brother's the murderer,” the officer replied vehemently. “All we have to do now is find him, and when we do, I will be present in the gallows room when he's hanged.”

*   *   *

At the first opportunity, when Gabriel went to the shop and the girls about their business the next day, Rosa hurried to Sara Laniado's house. “Dio mio, Rosa, why have you come? It's dangerous,” Sara said. “You mustn't come here. We mustn't be seen together.”

“Senora Sara, do you believe it was Ephraim, do you believe that Ephraim killed Matilda?”

“Yes, querida, I do. Before she was killed he and Yitzhako were here. They had something to eat and drink and sat around, may God forgive me, but I heard them talking. I heard them say that this would be the end of the putana who went with the English.”

“You heard and didn't say anything?”

“What could I say? I shouldn't have listened, God forgive my sins, but how was I to know they'd kill Franco's daughter? Eliyahu and I had already gone to bed, and about ten minutes later I heard the shots and the shouting started.”

“How, how has my little brother become a murderer?” Rosa was numb with pain and grief. “And why Matilda? We've known her since the day she was born.”

“Rosa, you must go now,” Sara said. “Go back home and don't mention Ephraim to a soul. Pray that the English don't catch him and Yitzhako, because if they do, they'll hang them. Don't come back here until it all blows over. Stay in your house with your husband and daughters, and don't tell anybody what I've told you.”

“Where have you been?” Gabriel thundered when she got home.

“I went to talk to Sara Laniado. Her son's with Ephraim.”

“Don't you dare go and see Sara Laniado again. Don't even leave this house. There's tension in the market and around the neighborhood. I want you to stay home and keep an eye on the girls. Keep them home from school for the next few days. And Luna shouldn't go to work either.”

“But Papo, I can't miss work. Mr. Zacks will fire me.”

“You!” Gabriel roared. “Don't you dare say another word. Shut your mouth and be quiet!”

“How is it,” he turned to Rosa, “how is it you didn't tell me she'd run away from home and you found her at the police station?”

“It was a long time ago, Gabriel, I didn't want to bother you. It happened and it's over. She was just a little girl.”

“And what is she now?” he shouted, pounding the table with his fist. “Her family's in the middle of a tragedy and all she can think about is that Mr. Zacks will fire her? Selfish child!”

“Didn't you hear what Papo said?” Rachelika said to Luna when she asked her to go and tell Mr. Zacks that she was sick. “I'm not going anywhere. I've had enough with all the shouting and Mother crying, so for once in your life behave like a normal person!”

“Rachelika, I'm begging you. I'll do anything you ask. I'll even let you wear my dresses. You've got to, you've just got to help me!”

“Who wants your fancy dresses anyway? I've had enough of you! All you do is make trouble. You go against Papo all the time, against Mother. I'm not going to any Mr. Zacks. As far as I'm concerned he can fire you!”

“In your dreams he'll fire me. If you won't go and tell him I'm not coming into work, I'll go myself.”

“Go, and we'll see how Papo ties you to your bed so you can't move!”

Luna didn't dare go to Zacks & Son without her father's permission. She stayed home for three days until Mr. Zacks himself showed up at their house.

“Is Luna in?” he asked the surprised Rosa.

“Welcome, Mr. Zacks, please come in,” she said politely and sent Rachelika to fetch Luna.

“Mr. Zacks? Here in our house? But I'm not dressed. I don't want him to see me looking shabby. Tell him I'll be out in a minute,” Luna said to her sister and hurried to change, fix her hair, and put on some lipstick. When she appeared in the doorway Rosa's breath caught in her throat. She was lovely, the beauty queen beyond all doubt. Her dress clung to her hips and accentuated her curves, and her hair was meticulously arranged. An ear-to-ear smile was smeared over Mr. Zacks's face. He too was captivated by Luna.

“Are you sick, Luna?” he asked gently.

“No, she isn't,” Rosa answered in her place. “But her father thinks she shouldn't work, she should stay at home.”

“Stay at home?” asked Mr. Zacks, amazed. “Isn't that a waste? Luna loves her work. Aren't I paying her enough? Because if that's the problem, then there's no problem. I'll be happy to give her a raise of a few lirot.”

“That isn't the problem, Mr. Zacks,” Rosa said. “The problem is that my husband doesn't want her working for someone else. We've got our own shop, so if she wants to work she can work for us.”

“I'll never, ever work in the market!” Luna burst out, opening her mouth for the first time since Mr. Zacks arrived.

Rosa was close to slapping her daughter, but she held herself back.

“Is there a problem, Mrs. Ermosa? Is there a problem with Luna working at Zacks & Son?” The man's voice shook her from her thoughts.

“With all due respect, Mr. Zacks, I don't know you,” she replied coolly. “And I can't negotiate with you. If you want to talk about Luna's work, go to our shop in the Mahane Yehuda Market and speak to my husband.”

“No! Don't go!” Luna said. “My father's stubborn. If you go, he'll be even more stubborn. Give me a few more days. I'll talk to him. I'll fix this. But please, Mr. Zacks, in the meantime keep my job for me.”

“No problem, Luna, your job's waiting for you, but not for long. I need somebody in the shop, I can't be without a saleslady.”

*   *   *

When Gabriel came home from the shop in the evening, he was like a bear with a sore head. He ignored the food that Rosa set on the table and went straight to the bathroom. When he came out, he sat down in his usual chair and buried his head in the newspaper.

“Aren't you eating, querido?” Rosa asked.

“The whole market's talking about your borracho brother who murdered Matilda Franco. I've lost my appetite!”

“But how do they know it was my brother? Who can swear they saw him?”

“Senora Franco saw him. Isn't that enough for you?”

“All right, so what do you want me to do, Gabriel? Am I to be responsible for my brother as well?”

“No, of course not! You're barely responsible for your daughter. You're so responsible you didn't tell me she'd gotten lost and you'd found her with the police, that's how responsible you are.”

Rosa began to fume. “She didn't get lost, the street girl, and no, nobody found her. She went to the police on her own and told the Ingelish lies about her mother who leaves her alone in the yard at night and doesn't let her into the house! She drove me crazy with worry, and she was rude to me in front of the damned Ingelish. She made me a laughingstock in front of the bastardos!”

“How did she go to the police, Rosa? A ten-year-old girl goes to the police on her own?”

“Maybe a ten-year-old girl doesn't, but your dear daughter did. As soon as you left for Beirut she started making trouble. She threw herself on the floor and started shouting like una loca until all the neighbors came to their windows. I asked her to come inside but she, nada, she went on shouting and crying as if I'd killed her, and all I did was what? It was me who went to Beirut and left her? It was you, so what could I do? I took Rachelika and Becky inside, gave them something to eat, and she still hadn't come in. When I went outside to look for her, I couldn't find her and began searching with the whole neighborhood.”

“And how's poor Matilda Franco connected with all this?” he asked harshly.

“She happened to come home with her Ingelish officer and saw that we were looking for Luna, so she offered for the officer to help us. She came with me in his jeep to the police station, and that's where we found your daughter talking with the Ingelish policeman, telling him I'd thrown her out of the house. Yes, husband, that's the kind of daughter you have, one who tells lies about her mother to the Ingelish!”

Gabriel made no further comment. He folded his paper, got up, and went to the bedroom. Rosa returned the food Gabriel hadn't touched to the pots, took off her apron, and went outside. It was the first time that she'd dared to raise her voice to Gabriel. She sat down on a stool in the yard, resting her back against the wall of the house, and inhaled the fresh, chilly Jerusalem air. She'd known that Gabriel wouldn't take her not telling him about Luna's misdeeds without a fight, even though it had been a long time ago. And she'd also known that Luna would continue giving her a hard time. But her worries about Luna paled in comparison with her concern for Ephraim. She couldn't bear the thought that if, God forbid, the cursed Ingelish caught him, he would be hanged. She would not let that happen. The scene of Rachamim hanging at Damascus Gate would not play out again! She had to help him, get in touch with him. She rose from the stool, walked toward Sukkat Shalom, and knocked on Sara Laniado's door.

Sara opened the door, frightened. “May you be healthy, Senora Rosa, my heart dropped into my shoes. I thought it was the English who'd come looking for Yitzhako again.”

“Forgive me for startling you, but I can't sleep. I don't know what to do. I have to know what's happening with Ephraim.”

“Shhh, stop talking nonsense, Senora Rosa! Now isn't the time to be looking for him. Better to leave him to hide until the English give up searching for him. If you seek him out, you'll be putting him in danger. How do you know they're not following you? I told you not to come here. You're putting us all in danger. If they think we're in contact, they might accuse Yitzhako of murdering Matilda too.”

“Well, how do you know it was Ephraim and not Yitzhako who killed her?” Rosa asked assertively.

“Everybody knows! Senora Franco saw him running away. Even if Yitzhako was with him, nobody saw him. So why put him at risk for nothing? God help you, Senora Rosa … I beg you not to come here again. Don't endanger Yitzhako and all of us.”

“But what if Ephraim needs help? What if he has nowhere to hide?”

“And if he doesn't, where could you hide him? Under your bed? Your husband will throw you and him out of the house. You'll lose your husband and your girls. You'd better go home, sit tight, and then we'll see. Be well, Senora Ermosa, go now and swear you won't come here again.”

Sara hustled Rosa out the door, and with head bowed she stepped into the street. Even Jerusalem's clear air couldn't relieve the suffocation she felt, torn between her loyalty to her husband and girls and her fear for her brother.

The following few days did nothing to lighten her mood. Wherever she went, people were whispering behind her back, and she couldn't ignore it. As she went to the grocery, Matilda's two brothers turned and spat behind her. A different time Becky came home crying and told her that some children had bullied her and pulled her hair and shouted that her uncle was a murderer of Jews. Luna and Rachelika didn't even leave the house. Rachelika helped Rosa with the housework, and Luna was very quiet and stopped complaining about losing her job.

Even her neighbor and best friend Tamar avoided her. Rosa decided to put an end to the tension and knocked on Tamar's door.

“What have I done to you that you're acting like this?” she asked Tamar.