Daryl’s brow furrows.“I don’t…”
“From the very beginning, Aliah was too interested in Sabera.Come on, they’d only known each other for a matter of weeks.For that matter, Sabera is merely one of how many female refugees Aliah’s helped over the years?Why the passionate advocacy on Sabera’s behalf?Why the immediate dislike of Isaad, whom even the neighbor, Nageenah, didn’t think was that bad?When Sabera was hospitalized after her nervous breakdown, Jamil was the name she kept repeating.A great love that ended tragically.”
“Sabera had a nervous breakdown?”
“First few weeks she was here.”
“Seriously?”
“We’re getting somewhere, Daryl.These cases, they’re almost always about secrets, generally held by the people we thought we knew the best and could trust the most.Okay, so Aliah is related to Jamil.Now we need to learn everything else she decided not to tell us.Can you search her email for Jamil’s name?Were they in direct contact?”
Daryl goes to work.I resume admiring swirling patterns.
“Umm, got something.From a university address—”
“Iknewit!”
Daryl doesn’t bother asking.“Messages go back a coupla years.Intermittent at first, then a whole bunch leading up to August 2021.”
I wait, while he skims through.
“Jamil is the son of her cousin?”he asks.
“I would assume so.”
“That would make him a second cousin.Huh.These read more like notes from a favorite nephew.Hmm… first emails are pretty routine.Lots of exchanging of well wishes and give regards to.But then, going into 2020—Jamil’s asking dating advice.‘Met someone special, brilliant, amazing.A fellow student, you’d like her so much, Auntie…’” Daryl skims again.“Now we’re January 2021, US is starting to draw down troops… He’s worried.Wait!”
Daryl stops short.“He’s heartbroken!Broke up with dream girl.He discovered something… She was using him?Nothing was as it seemed…”
“Dream girl got a name yet?”
“Nope.Very few names.Maybe worried about being monitored?”
I have no idea.
Daryl returns to clicking, reading, clicking.“Dream girl is back!”
“But of course,” I mutter.
“Realized she had her reasons, they’re on the same side after all—”
“What side?”
“Sounds like revolution.Existing government too corrupt, concerns about stability once US military presence is gone—”
“No shit.”
“Need more dramatic progress…” Daryl clicks away.Then: “Fuck me.”
“What?”I sit up too fast, head promptly spinning.But the darkness of his tone…
Another moment as Daryl peers at the screen, eyes scanning.“Sabera!Jamil identifies his sweetheart as Sabera, but with no last name.And he’s attached a photo!”
He turns the monitor.An image appears, a headshot of a shy young woman wearing a dark blue hijab.Sabera Ahmadi smiling into her lover’s camera lens.There’s something about her look that makes both Daryl and me catch our breath.Is there anything more innocent than young love?Is there anything more haunting?
“Why include a photo now?”I ask, though I already fear the answer.
“He’s worried about a spy in their midst, danger mounts…” Daryl’s voice fades out as he glances over at me.“Essentially, Jamil is writing, should the worst happen to him…”
