"Here is the fountain that brings water from springs into the city. Once there is three springs, but now only one. And you cannot drink the water." He pulls close to the ornate columns and bolts upright. "Look at that! What is he doing here?"
He's staring at a lithe young man pulling a green plastic bucket from the pool. Water splashes over the pail rim as he carries it to a silver Mercedes parked on the sidewalk.
"He is the Palestinian spy for the Israelis. I know him. He is the greatest thief in all of Israel. He brushes by you and you don't feel nothing, but your watch and your wallet and your gold rings-all is missing." He quickly checks to see that his Rolex is still on his wrist. "He is hired by the
Israeli government to tell what is going on in the West Bank, and it don't matter how many complaints the police get about missing money or the stolen passports, he goes right back to the street."
The young man has stunning dark eyes, tightly curling black hair, and the chiseled features of a Byzantine icon. He concentrates on pouring water over the Mercedes hood.
Sol's stare bores into him. "Even ifhe don't know what the Arabs do on the West Bank, he gives the information to the Israelis anyway. And they pay him for that lying."
He eases the van by the young Palestinian. "Now I take you to the Church of the Annunciation. It is the only church ever built for Christians by Jews."
"Why would they do that?" Megan looks slightly shocked.
He gives her his scowl. "It is not for the faith. It is for the money. But what does it matter why it is built? It gives the Christians something to see where nothing is before. And the stained glass windows is very nice."
