The Moon of Masarrah

by Farah Zaman

  After they had gazed their fill of the model ship, they drifted off in different directions to look at the memorabilia. The charred and blackened remnants of sail, blankets, and crockery were easily recognized as items salvaged from the burnt vessel.

  “Come look at these daggers,” Layla called out, her nose pressed to a glass case. They all crowded around her scrutinizing the weapons. The curved bronze daggers were identical in design with pearl-encrusted hilts. Zaid counted nine of them total. They were lying on a white satin background next to their scabbards, also adorned with pearls. The caption on the glass case read, “Ceremonial khanjars carried by the crew of the Yuhanza.”

  Layla pointed to one of the daggers and said, “Look at the third dagger from the left. Do you notice anything different about it?”

  They stared at the khanjar in question. Adam said finally, “No, I don’t see anything different. It looks just like the rest.”

  “Look at the blade,” Layla entreated and obediently, they stared at the khanjar again.

  “There’s a mark on it,” Zaid tilted his head as he squinted down at the khanjar. “It’s about an inch long and carved by something sharp. It looks like the English letter K.”

  “That’s it,” Layla said triumphantly. “It’s strange…”

  She was interrupted mid-sentence by a steady, tap-tapping sound. Startled, they looked around and saw a little old man with white hair and beard coming towards them. He was carrying a thick wooden walking stick which was hitting against the tiles to produce the tap-tapping sound. Upon sighting them, he stopped in surprise and thumped his stick with a loud bang. With his other hand, he waved a fist at them.

  “Black-hearted baboons,” he cried out in a high, quavering voice. “Spawn of Satan. Bloodthirsty pirates. Get off my ship.”

  The teenagers exchanged looks of alarm as the old man bore down upon them.

  “He’s loony,” Adam said in an undertone.

  “Villains. Buccaneers,” the old man screeched in a frenzy. “You’re not taking my ship. I’m going to fight you to the death.” Holding up the walking stick like a sword, he began slashing at the air as he moved towards them with surprising swiftness.

  “Run,” Adam urged and they all raced out of the room, flying past the exhibits and now empty office, and out the front door. They finally came to a stop in the courtyard, panting heavily as they tried to regain their breath. They looked back warily towards the museum but there was no sign of the old man.

  “Who…in…the…world…was that?” Layla said breathlessly.

  “I think we just had the pleasure of meeting Hud Tabibi’s father,” Adam made the connection. “Remember Grandpa telling us that his father had Alzheimer’s? It has to be him.”

  “Poor man, he must be really sick to take us for pirates,” Zahra said sympathetically.

  “He must have seen my eyepatch and Adam’s cutlass,” Zaid grinned and they shared a light moment of humor after their scare.

  “What do we do now?” Zahra asked. “He might come after us if we go back in.”

  “Let’s have a seat and discuss what to do,” Adam pointed to the wooden benches under the date palm.

  After they were seated, Zaid said, “We can’t go back while the old man is there. We can probably explore the area a bit before Luqman comes for us at five.”

  Layla said, “Before we head off, I must tell you about that dagger with the K mark on it. Aunt Hanifa wrote in her journal that the night before one of his voyages, she found the Captain cleaning his khanjar in the study. As she watched him, he asked her if she would like to carve her initial on it. She was delighted and said yes. Since she and Aunt Hafza’s initials were the same, she said that she would put her middle initial K, which stands for Kamilah. He gave her his penknife and she carved an English K on the blade, telling him that whenever he saw it, he would remember her. I’m sure that the K we saw on the dagger was the one she made.”

  “That’s odd,” Adam mused. “Didn’t Grandpa say that they threw away the Captain’s dagger in the bay? How can it be the same dagger when it should be lying at the bottom of the bay?”

  “It could be that the Captain’s dagger got switched with someone else’s dagger on the ship,” Zaid said. “They were all identical, so it could easily have happened.”

  Layla shook her head emphatically. “The Captain would have known at once if his dagger had gotten switched and wouldn’t have hesitated to get it back. He certainly wouldn’t have come back from the voyage carrying the wrong dagger for Aunt Hanifa to find.”

  “Then what could the explanation be?” Zaid asked.

  “It could be,” Layla said slowly, “that he was killed by someone who had a dagger just like his.”

  “But only the crew of the Yuhanza had identical daggers,” Zahra said with wide eyes. “Surely you don’t think one of them murdered the Captain?”

  There was a long moment of silence. Then Adam said, “I think it’s possible. I always thought it strange that the rebels would stab the Captain with his own dagger. It would have made more sense if they had shot him.”

  “Why would one of his crew murder the Captain though?” Zahra asked.

  “I thought about that as I was looking at the daggers,” Layla said. “All sorts of ideas flew through my head. But there was only one that made sense.”

  “What was it?” Zaid asked.

  “Think,” Layla said succinctly. “What did the Captain have that someone might kill to lay his hands on?”

  “The Moon,” Zahra gasped out.

  Adam said excitedly, “I think you’re right. Grandpa said that none of the crew knew about the diamond but one of them must have found out about it, followed him home that night and murdered him so he could steal it. The Captain must have already hidden it, so the murderer couldn’t find it. That’s why as he was dying, he told Grandpa it was hidden in the house.”

  “The murderer,” Layla went on, “must have taken the Captain’s dagger in exchange for his own. Even if he did notice the K, it wouldn’t have meant anything to him since Aunt Hanifa and the Captain were the only ones who knew about it. By the time the murderer or his family donated the marked dagger to the museum, Aunt Hanifa had long been dead.”

  As a worrisome thought occurred to Zaid, he said, “If the murderer was someone who knew that the stone was hidden in the house, what if he searched and found it at some point after the Captain’s death?”

  As they looked at each other in dismay, Adam rallied their spirits by saying, “As Shaykh Sulaiman said, the Moon of Masarrah would have turned up somewhere if that was the case. It wouldn’t have been missing for so long. What’s the use of having a famous stone if no one knows you have it? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Didn’t that article we read in the library say that the Sultan of Brunei might be the secret owner?” Zahra said.

  “It’s all guesswork to create sensation,” Adam scoffed. “Do you think Shaykh Sulaiman would have kept on searching if he thought the Sultan had it? And why would the Sultan even want to hide the fact that he had such a famous diamond?”

  “I see your point,” Zaid admitted.

  “So the search continues,” Zahra said.

  “Absolutely,” Adam replied.

  “I wonder which of his crewmen could have murdered the Captain,” Layla mused.

  Adam said, “I say we embark on an investigation to find out who it could have been. What do you think?”

  “Good idea,” Zahra said approvingly.

  “I’m with you,” Zaid agreed.

  “Me too,” Layla nodded.

  Chapter Ten:

  The Faithful Five

  The next morning when they met in Moss Haven, Layla showed them the entry in the journal where Aunt Hanifa had written about carving her initial on the Captain’s dagger. It read:

  Dear Journal, tomorro
w Papa will be going away on another voyage. I know it is foolish of me to feel sad, especially when he loves the sea so much and it is our livelihood. But we miss him awfully when he is away. Indeed, the house feels dull and empty without him. I especially feel sorry for Mama. Each time Papa goes away, I can see the light go out of her eyes, only to return when he comes back. Papa says the time will fly by so fast that before we know it, he will he home again, with lots of beautiful gifts. I asked him if he thinks of us when he is in the middle of the ocean, and he told me he does all the time.

  Earlier today, I saw Papa cleaning his khanjar in the study. He said that it had gotten a bit tarnished and he needed it to look shiny and new again. It is a fine-looking weapon but could be so deadly with its sharp blade. As I admired the beautiful hilt made of pearls, Papa asked me if I wanted to carve my initial on the blade. I was delighted and told him yes. But then I realized that Hafza also has the same initial as me. I know it was a bit selfish, but I decided that I would carve the initial of my middle name, Kamilah. Papa then gave me his penknife and I carved a large ‘K’ in English, on it. I told him that whenever he looks at it, he would remember me. He gave me a hug and said that he did not need to look at a khanjar to remember me, that each day he wakes up he thanks Allah for his precious jewels, meaning his children. He also said that he would cherish his khanjar more than ever, and that the ‘K’ I had carved on it was going to be our little secret. Oh, I will miss him so!

  Yusuf and Hafza play with their toys but I write in my journal. My best friend Najah laughs at me. She says that someone might steal it to read. I tell her that I do not have any dark secrets, so even if someone reads it, I will not be embarrassed. I am feeling sleepy, so I will go to bed now. I want to wake up at the crack of dawn to see Papa off. Oh, how we will miss him!

  “That’s so sweet,” Zahra sighed. “She writes so well. “Did you come across anything yet about the Night of Catastrophe?”

  Layla shook her head. “No, she wrote about there being trouble in some quarters and the fear of a civil war. She didn’t write in the journal again until a year after the Captain’s death. Here, I’ll read it to you.” She flipped through the pages until she found the entry she was looking for. Then she began to read.

  Dear Journal, it has been quite a while since I took a pen to your pages. Nearly a year has passed by since our dear Papa’s death. Even though the terrible grief has subsided a bit, we still miss him so much and feel his loss keenly. Indeed, during the past year, I could hardly summon the will to share my thoughts with you. The great blow that had befallen our family was so much more than any inadequate words could express. But the dark cloud of sorrow that hung over us and so shriveled our spirits gradually began to lift away little by little. I can now look back at that dark period in our lives with a measure of calm and acceptance. From a Hadith, I have learned that when a child is in the womb of its mother, the angel comes to blow the breath of life into its soul and record its life span. I understand now that Papa’s time was up, and he has returned to Allah. I no longer feel bitter and angry as I did in the early days. Mama has been so wise and strong throughout this ordeal. Although it was incredibly difficult for her, she never lost faith or patience. Indeed, she was the glue that held our family together during those terrible days. She told us that she takes comfort in the knowledge that one day, we will all be united with Papa in the Garden of Paradise, providing that we have faith and live good and beneficial lives.

  Layla came to a stop and closed the journal. There were a few moments of eloquent silence.

  “It’s so touching,” Zahra wiped away a tear. “And so hateful if one of his own crewmen murdered the Captain.”

  Adam said, “If there are nine khanjars in the museum, except for the one lying at the bottom of the bay, then we have to find out which of the crewmen donated the marked one. I wonder if Hud Tabibi noticed the mark and remembers who gave it. If he can tell us that, then the mystery is solved.”

  Layla said, “If not, then we have to find out all we can about the men’s movements that night and try to figure out who could have been the murderer. We know of Nuh Tabibi and Qasim Ahmed so far. We’ll have to ask Grandpa who the others were and see if we could speak to their families. We could pretend it’s because of our interest in the voyages of the Yuhanza.”

  “Why don’t we go back to the museum tomorrow?” Zaid said. “We could take another look at the dagger and check out the artifacts that we didn’t get to see.”

  “I’ll ask Grandpa,” Adam promised. “For today, we will begin searching the walls for hidden nooks. Anyone has any ideas where to start?”

  “Why not start in the great hall?” Zahra said. “It’s the closest spot to where the Captain was murdered.”

  “What if anyone sees us searching?” Layla said.

  “Two of us should search while two of us act as lookouts,” Zaid said.

  “Okay, let’s get started right away,” Adam said. “There’s not a moment to lose.”

  Back at the house, they did a quick reconnaissance of where the rest of the household was. Maymun was still busy in the kitchen preparing lunch and the twins were in the living room playing with an assortment of cars, airplanes and blocks. Both Mr. Horani’s and Luqman’s cars were gone from the courtyard, which meant that they were out.

  “Alright, Zaid and I will start searching the great hall,” Adam said. “Layla, you keep by the front door in case Grandpa and Luqman returns. Zahra, you stay in the passageway and keep an eye on Maymun and the twins.”

  “If you see any movements in this direction, call out our names,” Zaid said.

  “Okay, we got it,” Layla said.

  It took the youths fifteen minutes to check the walls in the great hall and determine that nothing seemed out of place. Next, the youths acted as lookouts while the girls searched the dining room. Being a smaller space, it was not long before they too indicated that there was nothing to be found.

  “Well, let’s move on to the living room,” Adam said.

  “Hassan and Hakeem are still in there,” Layla reminded him. “They’re playing games on their iPads now.”

  “We’ll search anyway,” Adam said. “They probably won’t pay any attention to us with their eyes glued to their iPads.”

  It was Adam and Zaid’s turn to search while the girls kept watch in the passageway. The youths were so immersed in their task that it was a few minutes before they realized that Hassan and Hakeem were watching them with great interest.

  “Why are you poking at the walls?” said Hakeem.

  “Are you searching for something?” Hassan asked.

  “Oh no, it’s the Inquisition,” Adam muttered. Aloud, he said, “Don’t mind us, you guys. Go on with your games.”

  The twins ignored Adam’s directive and continued to stare at them.

  Finally, Hassan said solemnly, “Are you looking for the…,” he halted abruptly when Hakeem gave him a sharp nudge.

  “What have you two been up to?” Adam looked suspiciously from one identical face to the next.

  Just then, Layla called out, “Adam, Zaid.”

  The next moment, they heard Maymun’s voice in the passageway.

  “There you children are,” she said. “Can one of you take up a lunch tray for your aunt? She’s got cramps in her legs, poor thing, and your grandfather is not back yet.”

  “I’ll take it up,” Adam offered.

  The search for that morning came to an end as Adam took up Aunt Hafza’s tray and they all prepared for lunch. After the meal, Layla and Zahra volunteered to pick up the tray from Aunty Hafza’s room, using the opportunity to pay her a brief visit. Her room was cool and dim inside, the curtains drawn close together with just a slight gap in the center to let in some light. Through it, they caught a tiny glimpse of the blue waters of the bay. Aunt Hafza was reclining against the pillows, her eyes closed. She had eaten all
of her baked fish, carrots and rice, they noted. As if sensing their presence, her eyes fluttered open.

  “The pain is gone now,” she murmured. “But so tired…so tired.”

  “Aunt Hafza, can we stay with you for a few minutes?” Layla asked, bending close to the old lady’s ear.

  “Yes, dear,” Aunt Hafza replied. “It’s so nice of you girls to come.”

  Zahra perched on a nearby chair and Layla, after sitting at the foot of the bed, leaned over and asked, “Aunt Hafza, can you tell us about the old days when the Captain was alive and went on his voyages?”

  “Those were such happy days,” Aunt Hafza said with a wistful smile. “We were young and carefree and had not yet learned of the trials and tribulations of this world. We were busy with our schooling, friends and books, but we missed Papa when he was away. When he came back, we were always overjoyed because he brought back the most beautiful gifts for us. He wouldn’t give them to us right away but would hide them and then leave us a clue where to find them. Sometimes, he would write the clue during his voyage so he could hide it as soon as he came home and set us on the trail right away. We used to have a lot of fun searching for both the clue and gifts.”

  A thought occurred to Layla and she asked, “Aunt Hafza, did the Captain bring back any gifts for you from that last voyage?”

  “If he did, the rebels probably took them because we found nothing. Or he might have hidden them with the diamond he told Yusuf about. Of course, we’ve never been able to find that.”

  Layla and Zahra shared a look. They both thought that Aunt Hafza would be very surprised to learn that they were looking for the Moon.

  “What kind of gifts did the Captain usually bring for you?” Zahra asked.

  “He usually brought jewelry for Mama and for us children whatever took his fancy.”

  “So the Moon was definitely for Great-Grandma Saffiyah,” Layla remarked to Zahra. “He must have gone to that jewelry store in Ghassan to get her a gift when he ran into the fence’s cousin.”