Excited states in 98 Cd, two proton holes from 100 Sn, were identified and studied for the first time, using in-beam spectroscopy with highly selective ancillary detectors. The structure of the ͑pg 9͞2 ͒ 22 two-proton-hole spectrum below a T 1͞2 0.48͑16͒ ms isomer is deduced and compared to shell-model predictions. A tentative I p ͑8 1 ͒ assignment, as suggested by systematics, yields a strongly reduced B͑E2, 8 1 ! 6 1 ͒ 0.44͑ 120 210 ͒ W.u., corresponding to an effective proton charge of e p 0.85͑ 120 210 ͒e, which is at variance with existing theoretical predictions. [S0031-9007(97)04116-1]