“Magic squares?”He has our immediate attention.
“We used to mess around with them in math class.You know—all the rows, columns, and diagonals must add up to the same total.Though”—he frowns—“these ones have repeating numbers, which any purist will tell you is cheating.So not the cleverest puzzles after all.”
He disappears back out the door.Aliah and I don’t have to say a word for her to immediately start texting Daryl while I rip open the manila envelope and pull out a sheaf of papers.
It takes me a second or two to understand what I’m seeing.And when I do, I feel sorry for Sabera and her family all over again.
CHAPTER 31
STACI AGREES TO MEET MEat the same coffee shop as before.The caseworker doesn’t sound surprised to get my call.Understanding now what she was hinting at earlier, I suppose she isn’t.
Once again she’s seated near the back, her side-swept hair artfully shielding her acid-scarred face.She already has a mug of coffee steaming before her.I pause at the order counter long enough to pour myself a glass of water, then head over.
Staci watches me approach.Her expression is carefully composed.I don’t blame her.
“I know,” I state without preamble, “about Sabera’s hospitalization—the seventy-two-hour psych hold.”
Staci continues to study me.
“And I know the other piece of the puzzle.Sabera’s pregnant.Were you ever going to say anything?”
“I couldn’t.”
I puff out an exasperated breath.“What a fucking mess.”
Staci’s turn to sigh.“Exactly.”
I TAKE Aseat, opening my messenger bag and withdrawing Kurtz’s special delivery.I make a show of spreading out Sabera Ahmadi’s medical records.I want Staci to see that whatever concerns she had about protecting her client’s privacy don’t matter anymore.
Staci’s gaze flickers to the fanned pages.She doesn’t bother asking where, why, when, or how.Most likely, she doesn’t want to know.
“According to these reports, Sabera suffered some kind of mental breakdown while on a city bus.Started screaming hysterically, tearing at her hair, lashing out.The responding EMTs described her as ‘speaking in tongues.’Except it wasn’t gibberish, was it?It’s just how a gifted polyglot might sound to people who are used to hearing only one language at a time.”
Faintest nod.
“First thing the ER docs did was test her for drugs, which, in this day and age of bath salts and meth heads, makes sense.Except the tox screen came back negative.Even her blood alcohol level—zero.I wondered about that, given some of the things people have had to say.Sabera seemed stressed, distracted, tired.At times smelled of booze, maybe even slurred her words.But no drugs, no alcohol.Just a cocktail of various psych drugs and antidepressants.
“Because Sabera has had mental health issues in the past.Postpartum, to be specific.And once more, she has baby on board.”I can’t help myself.My tone isn’t just intent, but borderline angry as I lean way forward.“Did she know?Was it planned?Did she talk to you about it?”
“She never said a word.”
“And Isaad?Did he know?”
“I wish I had more answers.I don’t.”
“But you knew!You were the one who was called to the ER, so you knew about the baby!And then Sabera went missing, andthenIsaad took off.Dear God, were you ever going to tell someone that there’s a whole other life at stake?”
I sit back.I’m getting heated, which doesn’t help anything.I’m just so frustrated.And tired.And frustrated!
I’ve read the illicit medical reports half a dozen times already.Maybe, if I review the documents thoroughly enough, they will make some sense.Maybe, if I dissect every word, the riddle that is Sabera Ahmadi will finally unravel.For now, I can only shake my head.
Staci takes a sip of coffee.The mug trembles in her hand.She’s not nearly as unaffected as she pretends.That, as much as anything, helps me calm down.It can’t be easy to be a caseworker.Taking on such an immediate and intimate role in the lives of total strangers, while having to remain separate at all times.God knows I couldn’t do it.Obviously.
“Sabera suffered some kind of episode,” Staci finally allows.“She was taken to the ER where she presented in a dissociative state.According to the psych consult performed by Dr.Cindy Porway, she appeared to be experiencing some kind of severe PTSD episode.Possibly a threat to herself and/or others.She recommended an involuntary psych hold.”
Sabera’s infamous missing days.Which apparently coincided with her distraught visit to Aliah’s deli.So something had already gotten Sabera agitated; she went to see her friend, where she apparently recovered enough to board a bus for work…
And promptly went berserk.
