Page 76 of The Little Liar

“Yes!” Fannie said. “Where is she now? Please! I need to find her!”

The old man shook his head. “They drove her out of Hungary a long time ago. They ruined her reputation. She couldn’t work.

“I read somewhere that she is living in New York City. She has a shop there, I think. A hat shop, or something.”

Fannie’s head dropped.New York City?She began to cry.

“What is it?” the old man asked.

“Nothing. I just... I wanted to find her. I wanted to thank her. And I needed to ask her about somebody, a boy I knew, a boy I saw that night. I think he was working with her.”

She looked up at the old man’s face. “I think he was the one who saved me.”

The wind blew hard. The old man wiped his eyes with his handkerchief.

“Do you know what the Talmud says about saving a life?”

Fannie nodded. “If you save one, it’s as if you saved the whole world.”

“That’s right.” He crossed his hands. “How old are you?”

“Thirty-eight.”

“My daughter’s age.” He gave a sad smile. “Had she lived.”

“I’m sorry. This must be very hard to hear.”

“Oh, no, my dear. You’ve given me more joy than you can imagine. You survived. You beat them. One life saved. As if the whole world was saved with you.”

He placed his hand on hers. “Do you have children?”

“A daughter.”

“The best revenge,” he said, grinning.

He looked at the river, then glanced up at the sun. He put away his handkerchief and rose to his feet.

“Would you come to my office with me?” he asked. “It’s not far from here.”

“Why?” Fannie said.

“I want to help you find what you’re looking for.”

***

Fannie went to the old man’s office, on the second level of a carpet factory. He introduced her to several of his workers and showed her a photo of his daughter when she was a child. Before Fannie left, the man went to a closet, opened a safe, and filled an envelope with enough money for a plane ticket to New York City. I mentioned this story has fortuitous twists. Certainly, this is one of them.

When Fannie initially refused his kindness, the old man smiled and insisted, saying he had saved the money for a reason, and that this made him feel as if he were helping his own child, who died with her dreams unrealized.

Fannie hugged the old man as she left. He recited a blessing over her head. Then he added, in a final whisper that made her shiver: “Tell the world what happened here.”

She left the building dazed. Three weeks later, she was walking down a street in New York City, holding a piece of paper and searching for an address.

Part V

She Laughs, She Lies

In the Bible there is a story about Abraham and Sarah. When they were both in their nineties, they were visited by three strangers, who were actually angels of the Lord. Sarah was inside, preparing food. Meanwhile, outside, one of the angels gave Abraham some stunning news.