Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 34 of a new online serial novel, If Anyone Is Listening, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

Steve ignored the booming voices coming from the megaphones and turned over to the other side. He glanced for a moment out the only window in the hut, and then his gaze moved to the door. They wouldn’t burst in and kill him; that much was clear. Because if they did that, they’d never get to his security code, and then the dumb computer experts at the banks would have to continue groping their way in the dark. Let’s see if they’d find a solution.

“Steve?” Rudy approached from the other side of the room with a cup. “Do you want a hot drink?”

Steve threw off the blanket and stood up. “I heat my own water.”

“You don’t trust me?” Rudy sat down on the mattress that had just become available and sipped from his cup.

“I don’t trust anyone.”

“So why’d you bring me to be here with you?”

“Because I had no other choice.” He filled a little pot with water and turned on the fire beneath it. “Tell me, while I was sleeping, was a new lecture posted?”

“No.”

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 33 of a new online serial novel, If Anyone Is Listening, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

“Moni has turned himself in.”

The message popped up in front of the CEO of Centrabank, Jean Preisler, a second after he took the first sip of his ice water.

He picked up the phone to call Roy, nearly choking on his drink. “You’re not serious!” he said. “Where is this information from!?”

Roy chuckled. “Don’t get too excited—he didn’t actually turn himself in. He just informed us of his exact location. He’s in Pennsylvania, in one of the remote villages where the Amish people live.”

“And is he really the brain behind the hack? So he’s also a genius, in addition to being so charismatic?”

“According to his message, yes.”

“That’s strange. The Amish people don’t even use computers. They’re anti-technology.”

“You’d be surprised—there are exceptions among them, too. In any case, as we speak, the FBI is very close to there, but he warned them that he is barricaded inside his cabin, and he’s armed, so they shouldn’t even try to storm the place. At this point, they’re only going to negotiate with him.”

“Sounds like he’s totally nuts.”

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 32 of a new online serial novel, If Anyone Is Listening, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

“How are you, Shimmy?” Gedalya asked as he paced up and down his office, from wall to wall. “What are you doing there all this time?”

“I’m letting a bat-robot analyze my behavior,” Shimmy said, and then added theatrically, “Which is why I’m trying to behave nicely, of course.”

Gedalya chuckled. “Very important. Where are you now?”

“In Yang Yang’s complex. I’m just waiting for the mess with my passport to get sorted out, and to see when a flight will depart to Israel. I’m not the only Israeli who is stuck here; I’ve met a few others in shul. They tell me it’s going to happen in the next few days, b’ezras Hashem.”

“That’s great! And what’s with our Tanchum?”

“It came out really good. Now the factory is waiting for the final payment, and then they’ll send out the shipment.”

“Well, they’ll have to wait,” Gedalya said grimly. “I’m pretty sure you’ll get to Israel before the Tanchums do.”

“I guess so.”

“And tell those Chinese guys to be a little patient, until I’m able to put together the money. I hope it will work out within two weeks.”

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 31 of a new online serial novel, If Anyone Is Listening, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

“If Ruchi is wearing her jewelry?” Yudi parrots his father-in-law, from the doorway of the room. “I don’t think so, because it annoys her. She sometimes puts on a necklace, only for Shabbos. But nothing else.”

“So where is everything? This jewelry box is completely empty.”

“Maybe the jewelry is in the dresser drawers?” Yudi suggests as he steps into the room.

“No,” his father-in-law says as he opens and closes one drawer after another. “There’s no jewelry here. And she has lots of beautiful pieces, doesn’t she? Your parents sent her jewelry during the engagement, we bought her things here and there, she got something when Isamar was born… Let’s call the house and ask if she has it with her.” He turns to Yudi. “Do you want to call? Or should I?”

“She probably threw it all out of the window. Downstairs.”

“Who, Ruchi?”

“No, the CPS lady.” Yudi looks at the open window. “So that if the aide would meet her on the way to the front door, she wouldn’t see what she was holding.”

***

“You didn’t make a mistake,” Uncle Yankel responded after a second of silence. “It’s this number. But I get a message that I have no access. Maybe the line has been cut off?”

“It hasn’t been,” Tzippy replied. “I called myself and I heard the different options.”