Book of Nathan (14 page)

“Because the coded part of the disk includes the English
translation and
directions
to Henri’s hiding place,” I guessed, enthralled by what lay ahead.

“You’re right,” Silverstein confirmed. “Supposedly the
directions to the scrolls are encrypted along with the complete translation of
the book.”

Since Silverstein had not invited me to sit, I was still on
my feet separated from the billionaire by his desk. I felt appropriately
inferior. “Since you bankrolled a lot of Kurios’s operations, you must have
some idea of what the book says,” I conjectured.
 

Silverstein puffed himself up. “Shortly before Benjamin
died, he predicted that the
Book
of Nathan
would prove to be the most important document of our time.
He was betting his credibility on what’s in that book.”

I had no idea why Silverstein was giving me so much
information. No matter. I wanted more. “You pumped a lot of money into Kurios’s
operations. Why wouldn’t he tell you what was in the book?”

Silverstein gave me another ocular MRI. “A promise.”

“A promise?”

“A promise Benjamin made to Le Campion. You see, Henri
demanded secrecy. He didn’t want the book’s contents disclosed to anyone until
Benjamin could orchestrate an event where it would get worldwide attention.”

“The Citrus Bowl revival.”

“Exactly.”

“And Kurios was so honor bound that he wouldn’t even talk to
his inner circle?”

Silverstein paused to relight his cigar.

“Apparently so.”

“He kept you totally in the dark about the
Book of Nathan
?”

“Not totally.”

I had perfected my interrogation skills quizzing homeless
men. The right information doesn’t fall into your lap. It’s all about knowing
what questions to ask. “So, Kurios did slip you some information?”

“Information might not be the right word,” corrected
Silverstein in a surprisingly matter-of-fact tone. “More like a hint, actually.
Benjamin inferred that the book would resolve one of the most divisive issues
mankind has ever had to deal with.”

My skin tingled. I tried not to show my excitement, but it
bubbled into my next question. “Did he tell you what that issue happened to
be?”

“Not directly, since that would have broken his pledge to
Henri. But he did leave a trail of large crumbs.”

“And?”

Silverstein used another pause to keep me in suspense. “It
seems the
Book of Nathan
includes God’s definition of when life begins.”

Now it was my turn to blink. “Excuse me?”

“You’ve heard of ensoulment?”

“The point in time when the soul enters the body?”

“Yes. It’s at the core of an age-old debate.”

“You mean the dividing line between the pro-lifers and the
pro-choicers?”

“Exactly,” Silverstein confirmed. “The Bible as it currently
exists isn’t clear on ensoulment. Is it something that happens at conception?
Three months into a pregnancy? At birth? According to Benjamin, the
Book of Nathan
answers the question and finally settles the contentious argument about
abortion.”

I pictured my parents listening to this conversation. The
last thing they needed to judge the legitimacy of an abortion was a religious
text. To them, an abortion was far more acceptable than irresponsible or
accidental reproduction, and there wasn’t a scripture ever written that would
have changed their minds. I wondered if Silverstein knew I shared many of my
parent’s thoughts. I wasn’t one to march around preaching the importance of
protecting a woman’s right to choose, but if pressed, I’d be quick to argue
that a decision to abort or go full term should be based more on common sense
than religious hoopla. I would usually toss in a caveat—that abortion is a
lousy type of birth control that unfairly penalizes women more so than men. But
these were the views of an agnostic that I had learned a long time ago ran
counter to America’s religious mainstream. To the vast majority of people, the
Book of Nathan
’s
definition of ensoulment
would be
big
news—so big that I was still skeptical.

“Out of nowhere, a missing book turns up and just like that,
the abortion debate is over?” I asked. “No matter what the
Book of Nathan
says,
a lot of people will blow off the message.”

“Exactly what Henri feared.” The banker leaned forward until
his biceps pressed against the surface of the desk. With just his head and
shoulders exposed, he looked like a talking bust. “Which is why he wanted Dr.
Kurios to be the messenger.”

“Could Kurios have pulled it off?”

Silverstein blew out a cloud of smoke. “We’ll never know,
will we?”

“Nope,” I concurred. “Of course, if the missing computer
disk is found, somebody might take another shot at making the book public.”

“That’s a possibility.”

“Which I assume is why you want the disk.”

“Let’s just say it would be a way to recoup some of my
investment in Benjamin’s good work.”

I was getting a better sense of Silverstein’s determination.
It had little to do with educating mankind. “And if you did get the disk?” I
asked.

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“On a careful review of Le Campion’s translation.”

“In other words, if the
Book
of Nathan
lines up with your point of view about—what did you call
it?—ensoulment, then you might look for another Benjamin Kurios to spread the
word.” Even I was surprised by the bluntness of my words.

“Something like that.”

“So, what is your point of view?” I asked, not expecting—and
not getting—much of a response.
 

Silverstein turned his chair until he had a sideways view of
the woman captured in oil on canvas. He locked on to the painting for several
seconds and then stood up, walked around his desk, and positioned himself in
front of me. “Let’s get back to Mr. Zeusenoerdorf. I think he may know more
about the missing disk than he’s admitted.”

“So, what you want me to do is grill Zeusenoerdorf about the
Book of Nathan.
Whether
he actually killed Kurios is secondary.”

“More information about the disk may prove helpful to Mr.
Zeusenoerdorf.”

“I want you to know that I’m in this to figure out if Zeus
is innocent or guilty. The only reason I’d dig around for the disk is to find
out what happened in Orlando.”

“Whatever your motivation, keep our business relationship in
mind,” Silverstein advised. “If you learn anything about the disk, I’ll expect
you to notify me before you talk to anyone else.”
 

Silverstein had put me in his pocket without my knowing what
happened. No wonder the man was a billionaire. “And if I should forget?”

The short man glowered. “That would be a serious
misjudgment. There would be consequences.”

I was tempted to tell the little man that a dozen years at
the Gateway had made me immune to threats. But I didn’t want to risk cutting
the cord to someone who had the connections and resources that could help
Zeusenoerdorf. “Okay, I hear what you’re saying.”

“I’m pleased that you do,” Silverstein guided me toward the
library door. Halfway across the room, I put on the brakes.

“Who else might want Benjamin dead?” I asked. “Or maybe
another way of asking the same question—who else might want the
Book of Nathan
disk?”

Arthur surprised me with a fast comeback. “
Quia Vita
.”

“
Quia Vita
?”

“Yes.”

“The medallion we found not far from where Kurios was
killed—that
Quia Vita
?”

“Yes.”

“The medallion might have no connection to what happened to
Kurios,” I proposed. “We found it in a gutter. Anyone could have lost the
thing.”

“That’s possible,” Silverstein conceded. He walked back
behind his desk and ground out what was left of his cigar, glancing once again
at the painting of the young woman. “On the other hand, the medallion might be
pointing you—us—in a very important direction. What we know for certain is that
Quia Vita
has its reasons to be concerned about what’s in the
Book of Nathan.
”

“Isn’t
Quia
Vita
an ultra pro-life group?”

Silverstein nodded.

“Wouldn’t that put them in the same corner as Kurios? I’m
guessing Benjamin was against abortion since he was as Christian as they come.”

“Check his writings and sermons,” Silverstein suggested. “He
was more flexible on that issue than
Quia
Vita
would have liked him to be.”

“Meaning what? Kurios might have endorsed abortion if the
procedure were done before the soul showed up in a fetus?”

“He might have. Yes.”

“So, your hypothesis is that since
Quia Vita
couldn’t be sure about what was on the disk, they didn’t want Kurios to go
public with the
Book of Nathan.
”

“A more logical theory is that Mr. Zeusenoerdorf murdered
Benjamin,” replied Silverstein. “But if there were to be a line-up of other
suspects, I would move
Quia
Vita
to the front.”

“Would
Quia
Vita
have actually killed Kurios in an attempt to get the computer disk?”

Silverstein raised his eyebrows. “Considering what’s at
stake, anything’s possible.”

“You know, your line of reasoning points to another
suspect,” I noted.

“Who might that be?”

“You.”

Silverstein jaw tightened and he straightened his slightly
hunched back. I could feel what he wanted to say—that I was nothing but a
low-end homeless shelter director who had the audacity to get in the face of a
billionaire. But Silverstein buried his irritation behind a chuckle that told
me he had high hopes that I could shake out some useful information from Miklos
Zeusenoerdorf. “I’ll grant you that I want to see what’s on Le Campion’s disk,”
he said, “but if that doesn’t happen, so be it. I’ll write the whole business
off as an investment that didn’t work out. The disk is far more consequential
to
Quia Vita
.
It may contain information that could jeopardize its existence.”

“I know nothing about
Quia
Vita
,
Mr. Silverstein.” It was a fact I was sure he already knew. “I have no
connections to the organization at all.”
 

“But you do have connections to Mr. Zeusenoerdorf.”
Silverstein pulled out another cigar, clipped its end, and fired it up.
“Perhaps you should pay him another visit. Ask him specifically about the disk.
Dig as deep as you can.”

Talking to Zeus again wasn’t such a bad idea, except it
would mean making another trip to Orlando. And since Doug had Twyla and me
attached at the hip, that wasn’t going to happen. I said I would give the
suggestion careful consideration.

“Be sure to stay in touch,” Silverstein ordered just as
Abraham Arcontius appeared. After a quick handshake, I was back in the foyer of
Silverstein’s mansion. Doc and Maurice were waiting for me at the front
door.