Past Lives Read Online Free PDF Page B

broke out in a sweat: he could feel it running down his face but he couldn't wipe it away. He was filled with foreboding. Something awful was about to happen, something awful . . . had happened.
    'Your name?' asked the voice.
    'Ishmael Hamadi.'
    'Where do you live, Ishmael?'
    'Beer Sheva.'
    'Tell me about yourself. What do you do? Do you have family?'
    'I'm a camel driver. I live with my wife Ruth. We have two sons, Saul and Eli. Ruth's mother stays with us too – she’s blind. Her father used to live with us but he died two months ago. He was eighty years old.'
    'Do you own your camels, Ishmael?'
    'No, they belong to Zachariah. He owns more than a hundred but I am in charge of three other drivers. Zaccharias trusts me.'
    'Have you ever heard of someone called the Nazarene?'
    'The one the Christians follow?'
    'Yes.'
    'He died a long time ago!'
    Ignatius nodded to the Stroud who administered another injection.
    Benny appeared to have some kind of convulsion. He sat bolt upright with fear etched on his face and cried out in anguish but the moment passed and he slumped back down on the bed. Stroud indicated to Ignatius that he could continue.
    'Your name?'
    'Ibrahim Dwek.'
    Whereas Ishmael had spoken with a coarse accent, Ibrahim Dwek spoke in cultured tones and told of his life as a librarian at the Temple in Jerusalem. He wasn’t married and lived with his widowed mother Nesta and his sister Shula. Ignatius made notes while keeping up a string of questions as he gradually built up a picture of Dwek’s life. 'What do you know about a teacher from Galilee, the one the Christians follow?'
    'Jesus of Nazareth? He’s long dead but people still speak of him and he has a big following.'
    'Are you or any of your family or friends, followers?'
    'No.'
    'A little more, please, Doctor.'
    In response to the look of doubt that appeared on Stroud’s face, Ignatius whispered, 'He hasn't been put under any real stress.'
    Another small injection was administered and Benny's skin became pallid and his breathing laboured. There was a vague chemical smell on his breath which made Ignatius recoil slightly. 'Tell me who you are and where you live,’ he asked in his even, reassuring tones.
    'James. I’m from Caesarea.'
    'What do you know about Jesus of Nazareth, James?'
    ‘ He died that we might live forever.’
    Ignatius exchanged glances with Stroud. 'You're a follower?’ he exclaimed.
    No reply.
    ‘ You do know him?'
    ‘ The Romans crucified him the year I was born.’
    The disappointment in the room was almost palpable. 'Why did you say what you did about living for ever?
    'I met a man in prison.’
    ‘ You were in prison? Where?’
    'The Roman prison in Caesarea.'
    Ignatius suddenly became very excited. He had to work at keeping his voice calm. 'You were in prison in Caesarea where you met a man who told you about Jesus of Nazareth?’
    Ignatius did not blink as he waited for a reply. He was almost too frightened to take a breath. When no reply was forthcoming he said, 'The man who told you these things, he came from Tarsus, didn’t he?'
    'Yes, Paul of Tarsus.’
    Ignatius silently mouthed the words, 'Saint Paul.'
    'Tell me about your time in prison,' he said hoarsely.
    A tremor started in Benny’s hands, which quickly spread to his whole body and he became very restless. His words didn’t make sense any more.
    ‘ Another injection,’ said Ignatius.
    ‘ Not possible,’ said Stroud. ‘There’s none left.’
     

THREE

    Kansas City
    USA

    Macandrew left Tony Francini with Saul Klinsman still trying to pacify him while he went to examine Jane. What the hell did Francini mean by ‘not his wife’? One of the nurses saw him as he approached the recovery suite and came over. She said. 'Mr Francini was here Mac; he was very abusive.'
    'I've just seen him,' replied Macandrew. 'What's going on?'
    The nurse shrugged and looked uncomfortable. 'Mrs Francini seems totally disorientated. She's conscious but doesn't recognise any of the