by Kishan Paul
The satellite phone in his jean pocket vibrated. He pulled out the ear bud and pressed the cell to his ear. “Yeah?”
“The kids are all fast asleep,” Leanna said. She’d come in the day before, and as much as he hated asking for her help, he was glad he had. He trusted her and knew she’d keep his sister and niece safe.
He dug into the duffle a second time and grabbed a small gaming controller and the rest of the pieces to the remote control rifle system. “Did the kids give you any problems?”
Leanna went along with the coded story. “Nope, perfect little angels.”
Eddie screwed the weapon onto the base of the stand as he listened.
“What are you up to?” she asked.
He connected the camera to the top of the rifle. “Nothing much. I’m still in bed.”
“Did I wake you?”
“Nope. I was up.” The wiring fit smooth into the battery pack. “Doing some light reading.”
“Good book?”
“It’s a dark read.” He turned on the receiver and pressed the arrows on the remote control. Eddie smiled as the gun moved accordingly. “But I like it.”
“Is it the book you told me about the other day? I’ve heard the heroine’s easy to fall in love with.”
He stared at the balcony and the two tiny figures on it. “Yeah, I’m noticing the same.”
The gates to the entrance opened behind him. He looked over his shoulder as the bright lights of a car flashed across the lawn. “Well, I should get back to the book. It’s getting really good.”
“Okay. Let me know how it ends.”
Eddie didn’t bother responding. He hit disconnect and slipped the phone back in his pocket.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
PREPARING FOR COMPANY
Ally sat in the chair Shariff slid out for her and watched him set the cups for the tea. With Alyah and the child safely off the property, the path she couldn’t see before had emerged. Hope fluttered its wings deep within her stomach. Farah had the ring. Eddie would find his sister and the baby and get them to a safe place, even if it killed him in the process. Reviewing the mental checklist of lives relieved the heavy weight she carried. Now the only thing she needed to do was to keep herself alive. She eyed the man pouring her chai. That required convincing him she cared.
She stared at the plate of food in front of her and picked up an orange colored sweet and showed it to him. “Ledus were your brother’s favorite.”
The steam of the fresh tea swirled up when Shariff poured her a cup. “Must run in the family. It’s mine and my father’s, too.”
She returned it to the plate. “He smashed one on my face. It was the moment he told me he killed Umber.” She looked over Shariff. “One of the boys he’d adopted.”
Shariff paused mid-pour before topping off his cup with the sweet cream drink.
“I’ve detested them ever since,” she said.
He sat beside her and squeezed her knee.
She reached for her tea and took a sip. A warm mix of sweet cream, cardamom, and a hint of ginger exploded in her mouth. “Was your big brother like your father?”
His smile faltered as he looked out in the distance. “Unfortunately, yes, which is why I would sneak away and wander the grounds whenever either was around. They were both arseholes.”
“And when I meet the asshole today, what am I supposed to do?”
He nodded and grabbed a snack from the plate. “You’re a bit of a miracle to him. Up until a few months ago, the world believed you died in the explosion. And now here you are, a survivor of the unsurvivable.”
Their chairs were positioned so close to each other that when he leaned back, his knee hit hers. “He wants to know if his precious son survived as well.”
Ally grabbed a banana from the pile. “And you want me to…?”
He smiled and pressed his hand to his chest. “Rip his heart out piece by piece.”
She peeled down the protective layer of the fruit. “I do that by telling him I murdered his son.”
Shariff grabbed a slice of apple from the plate and bit into it. “Yes.”
He left out the part where his father would then proceed to kill her. She took a bite of the sweet, white meat and forced it down her throat. “You’ve gone to a lot of trouble to rip his heart out. Risked your life, your freedom to please him. A man who sent you away at six years of age and never looked back until you were valuable enough for him to care about.”
Shariff reached over, grabbed the orange ledu, and popped the entire thing in his mouth. “And it will all be worth it,” he mumbled through his food.
“From the way you describe her, your mother wasn’t like him. Which means you don’t need to be like him either.” Ally took another bite of her breakfast and pretended not to notice the way he tensed.
He laughed and grabbed his teacup. “And that served her well, didn’t it?”
“It gave her you.” She turned and watched him finish off the drink. “Do you really think your brother’s and father’s lives turned out better? Love is a powerful force, Shariff. It’s what makes this life worth living and dying for. Look at Sayeed. There wasn’t a soul on this planet who loved him.”
“Not true. There is a soul who loved him. Still loves him.” He waved at the driveway. “Speak of the devil.”
The motors of the gate buzzed as it opened a second time. She tensed until she saw the servants walking down the path to the house.
He reached for her free hand in her lap and weaved his cold fingers through her clammy ones. “Getting nervous, are we?”
“I’m supposed to confess to murdering Sayeed, and we both know your father will then kill me. I think I’m allowed to be nervous.”
She watched the people downstairs while he laughed. The woman in floral yellow met the group of servants and gave them their morning orders, rushing them to start their work because Shariff’s father would arrive very soon. “You still haven’t told me what else you want me to do.”
“Nothing more. You’ve already done the rest,” he said. Ally stiffened when Shariff squeezed her knee. “Have you met Parsa?”
She raised a questioning brow at him. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.
He pointed his cup at the woman in yellow below. “She has been with my family since I was a baby.”
“I’ve seen her around but no.”
“She mentioned you paid Bhaabi a visit yesterday, and how the poor woman’s been nervous ever since.”
Ally felt his eyes probing her, scanning for a reaction. She kept her features as relaxed as possible.
His grip on her palm tightened. “The odd part was after your chat with Bhaabi, she asked Parsa to schedule a car and driver. Any reason why she would do such a thing?”
Her body chilled. Ally shrugged and took another bite of her banana.
“Alyah doesn’t speak English.” His brows lowered. “Do you by any chance speak Urdu?”
“Not a word.” She tossed the peel on the table. “I think my presence makes her jumpy.” She smiled. “After all, I was dead to her until a few days ago.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Of course.” He rose from his seat and poured her and himself another serving of chai. “The problem was finding someone who would come so early.”
Ally stared at her drink, her fingers digging into her skin.
“Fortunately, I called a friend of mine to drive them.” He picked up his cup and looked over at her. “Do you remember the man who met you in the German airport?”
Her heart pulsed inside her ears as his words sunk in.
His phone rang. Shariff pulled it out and glanced at the screen as he talked to her. “Well, he happened to be in town and was kind enough to drive her, which means you’re off the hook. Your third task of getting rid of Alyah Bhaabi is being completed as we speak.” He rose to his feet and flashed her the still ringing device. “Excuse me, I have to take this.”
Getting rid of Alyah
Bhaabi? Numb, Ally stayed in her seat long after he’d left the balcony. The sound of the gates started up again. She rose to her feet and walked to the barrier. The same car, which drove away with Alyah and Aadam pulled into the drive and parked. Bashar climbed out of the driver’s seat. She grabbed the railing for support at the sight of him. He looked up at her and smiled before opening the back passenger door.
The world began to spin around her and her knees weakened. She leaned against the barrier for support. Parsa rushed to the vehicle. She reached in and lifted Aadam out of the car. The boy wrapped his little arms around her neck and his legs around her waist. His tiny voice filled the courtyard as he talked about his trip.
Ally scanned the vehicle for additional passengers, her pulse rising each time she found nothing.
“Chacha! I ate ice cream for breakfast!” Aadam squealed.
Shariff wandered onto the driveway and took the happy child into his own arms.
While the child described his early morning treat, the car drove away.
“Sara Mommy,” the child waved.
Unable to respond, Ally helplessly watched Shariff carry the child inside as two other cars pulled up. Doors opened and their occupants exited. The first man to climb out caught her attention and made it impossible for her to look away.
Razaa.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
ALYAH AND AADAM
The morning sun chased away the darkness long ago. Now, from her third floor window, Ally could see everything, including Razaa. He stood in the courtyard wedged between the car and its open door, scanning the space, most likely searching for Shariff. The dark aviator glasses he wore made his emotions impossible to read. But she knew when he noticed her, because he stared in her direction for a while before looking away.
Her heart sank. His presence meant either he didn’t believe her story or he didn’t care. She leaned forward, searching the car. What did his arrival mean about Farah and the baby? And what happened to Eddie? More questions she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answers to.
An older man in a black suit climbed out of the second sedan. He was bald, for the most part, except for the gray hair, which circled around his ears and the lower part of his head. A well-trimmed white goatee covered his mouth and chin. The high collar of his charcoal-colored dress shirt poked out over his suit jacket. She’d bet money his shoes were shiny black leather. Thinner than Sayeed, he looked much like an older version of the man who tortured her for two years and still terrorized her dreams.
His driver walked to his side and put a hand on the old man’s arm, guiding him along the gravel path. The black handle of a gun sat above the waistband of the driver’s jeans.
Rizwan’s serious face morphed into one of joy when Wassim walked out with Aadam in his arms. The old man put his hands on the child’s cheeks and kissed his face. “I am your daada,” he said between kisses. “Do you know how happy I am to finally meet you?”
The shy child shook his head but did not respond.
“Do you know my trunk is filled with gifts I brought for you?”
A second later, Aadam was on his feet, holding his grandfather’s hand. The little boy grinned from ear to ear while the driver pulled out package after package from the back of the car. He stood on his tiptoes assessing his stash, unaware that if his uncle had his way, he would never have a chance to play with any of the toys.
The patio door behind her squeaked. Ally turned to find Shariff leaning against the threshold, arms crossed. “You should keep your door locked. You never know what kind of maniacs could sneak in.”
She didn’t respond.
“I was coming here to tell you that your father-in-law has arrived, but I see you already know.”
She rested her back against the railing and copied his pose. “Why aren’t you down there greeting him?”
He watched her intently before finally answering. “I’ll go when I’m ready.”
With a quick prayer for courage, she forced out her question. “And Alyah?”
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “My father doesn’t care if she shows up or not. All he cares about is his grandson. And meeting you, of course.”
“Her husband and son are going to ask about her.”
He flashed her a tired smile. “Wassim already has. He seems to think you scared her off.”
The sad reality was she had tried to do just that. “The man who dropped off Aadam today, the one who was waiting for me in Germany, you know he helped Sayeed kidnap me?”
He nodded. “I do.”
“He’s going to kill her, isn’t he?” she asked as the faint breeze sent wisps of her hair flying against her face and lips.
“My father would have done it anyway.” Shariff approached her and tucked the loose strands behind her ear. “Soon Wassim will join his wife. He has plans to raise Aadam on his own.” He searched her eyes. “I fully intended to kill the child too. But as you see, I didn’t. I’m not sure if it was your constant yapping or if the little shit was growing on me.” He brushed the tear that ran down her cheek. “I knew you’d be happy.”
Hate rose up her throat. Ally swallowed down the bitter taste and tried to hide the emotion from her voice. “Alyah’s death will never make me happy,” she whispered. “He will grow up without his parents, like you and I did. Don’t let that happen.”
“I have no control over his outcome.” He stared out into the horizon. “And it’s too late.”
She thought about the man who kidnapped her all those years ago and the hate in his eyes. “Did Bashar kill my husband and Amir?”
Shariff’s brows rose but he didn’t answer.
Ally grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. “I’m going to be dead in a few hours. I’d like to leave this earth knowing what happened to them.”
An emotion flashed across his face. “Not yours, but he is the reason your friend is a widow.”
She nodded. “Razaa killed my husband?”
“In a roundabout way, yes.” Shariff rested his elbows on the railing and looked over the grounds. “But I don’t want you to die hating him too much. Poor kid showed up at my door six months ago, looking pitiful. He claimed to be one of Sayeed’s adopted sons and begged for my help in finding his brothers. So, I introduced him to one of my dearest friends, Bashar.
“As you know, Bashar is not a fan of yours. The man was quite content with the idea of you dead. Once he heard Razaa’s story, it didn’t take him long to realize it wasn’t the case.” Shariff nudged her arm with his elbow. “You looked very lovely in your sister’s wedding, by the way.”
Fear tightened its grip around her chest at the thought of them staring at pictures of her family. She’d put so many people in danger by returning home.
“He took Razaa to the States and convinced him the only way he’d get his brothers back was by shooting your husband dead.”
Ally clenched the iron railing, bracing herself for the rest.
“Unfortunately, he walked in front of the car and stood there. He confessed to me later that he couldn’t do it and regretted ever agreeing to the plan in the first place. The poor kid’s had nightmares about it ever since.”
A sad smile tugged at her lips. She had been right.
“Don’t worry, though. After today, I’ll keep my promise and help him right the wrong and find his brothers.”
She thought about the young man two floors below her. “Is that why he’s here? Because you promised him you’d find his brothers?”
“No. He’s here to bear witness to your murder.”
Ally shook her head. What Razaa was about to do would not right his wrongs but add to his growing list of sins. His pain blinded him, and by the time he would realize what he’d done, it would be too late. “And what happens to Farah and her baby?”
Shariff looked her over for a long while before responding. “I promised him that they would be let go once this was all finished.”
Ally met his gaze. “And he beli
eves you?”
“He and I have a lot in common. I intend to keep my promises to him.”
She prayed they would never find the boys. The thought of them under Shariff, or his father’s control, sent another wave of fear shooting through her.
He moved closer, placing his hands on either side of her. “Do you have any concern for your own life?”
Ally’s stomach twisted. From the way he stared at her mouth, she knew what he was about to do. She gripped the iron bars behind her and willed herself to remain still. When his lips pressed against her mouth, her fists tightened.
He pulled away, only to return a second time. His desire pushed against her stomach. The bitter taste of acid rose within. She swallowed down the nausea and turned her face.
He kissed her cheek. “You were right. One taste of you will never be enough. And now I will never know just how sweet you must taste.”
“Shariff!” A male voice called from somewhere in the house.
“Ahh, the beautiful sound of my name falling from my father’s lips.” He kissed her cheek one more time before stepping away from her. “Why don’t you stay up here for a little bit? Let’s get the happy reunion part down before we tackle the rest.”
Ally stayed on the balcony long after Shariff left. Aside from the two cars, the courtyard below sat empty, like her brain. She had no plan for escape. There was nothing more she could do for anyone. The realization didn’t sadden her; it made her numb. So numb, that all she could do was stare out at the blue horizon and see nothing.
A fantasy floated through her head, one she didn’t bother pushing away. It was an alternate reality, a what could have been version of her story. In this tale, David still lived. He waited outside beyond the trees and fences. An army of men he’d somehow convinced to help stood beside him. She smiled at the idea of him going toe-to-toe with them, most of whom could very well break his neck and not break a sweat in the process. For her, he would have done it and more. The beautiful part of the story was he’d succeed. He always did, and somehow, someway, they’d be together again.
