by Holly Rayner
Before she could finish the pitcher, the waiter returned and asked if she wanted anything else. Lily shook her head, thanking him before he nodded and slipped the bill on her table and walked away. She stared morosely at the bill, realizing that she had no money, no cell phone, and no way to pay for what she had just ordered.
Why was her life such a mess?
“Perhaps you left your wallet in the car?”
Lily looked up to find a handsome gentleman sitting one table over and sipping his own iced tea. His eyes had a familiar glint in them, though she couldn’t quite figure out why. Chances were, she was delusional and seeing Atnan everywhere she looked.
Sitting back in her chair, she ran a hand over her eyes as she tried to think of a response.
“I…” she began, but she couldn’t find the words to finish.
The man nodded. His dark hair was perfectly coiffed, his button-down shirt covered by a sleek, dark vest.
“Please, say no more,” he said, waving to the waiter.
The boy returned, and the man handed him a wad of cash, gesturing toward Lily’s table. The waiter nodded with enthusiasm, bowed to Lily, removed her check from the table, and then dropped off another full pitcher.
Lily looked at the man across from her. She was too tired to smile, and she imagined she had to look like a strawberry after so much time in the sun without sunblock. What must he think of her?
“Thank you,” she finally breathed, and he waved a dismissive hand.
“Think nothing of it. It is my pleasure to help a lady in distress.”
“I am not in distress,” she protested, though even she had to admit she had no real argument there.
The man lifted a skeptical eyebrow, his eyes combing over her appearance briefly.
“Of course not. Forgive me. Would you mind if I joined you? It has been a long time since I’ve spoken English. It would be good to practice.”
Lily could hardly deny the man who had rescued her from a dine-and-dash situation in the middle of the desert. The truth was, past that moment, she had no idea what she would do or where she would go. She nodded, and the man quickly scooted over to her table and took a seat across from her.
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss…?”
“Hawthorne,” Lily said, taking another large sip of her iced drink as her head began to pulse with a deep, pounding ache. “Lily Hawthorne.”
The man grinned as though he had just solved a puzzle he had been working on for quite some time.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hawthorne. Might I ask what brings you so far out into the desert with no shoes or money?”
Lily stared at him. The back of her neck tingled in warning. She gave him her best smile in spite of the raging pain just behind her eyes.
“I was on a caravan trip with a few other travelers—a pilgrimage, you might say—when I got separated from my group in a sandstorm. I imagine all my supplies are out there with my camel somewhere.”
He tsked and leaned back in his chair as he continued to watch her.
“That is quite a shame. I myself often find that I lose important things just when I need them the most. Fortunately, today has brought one major clue.”
He reached into his pocket and set his police badge on the table, letting her look at it while she took in exactly who he was. As overheated as Lily had been, her blood froze as she looked at the badge and then up at the officer.
“Officer Tahan, I presume?”
He grinned, catlike, still sitting back in his chair.
“Ah, so we can be honest with one another now, can we, Miss Hawthorne? That is good. I prefer blunt honesty when it comes to dealing with criminals.”
“You think I’m a criminal?” she asked, scooting back. If she had to make a run for it, she would, no matter how exhausted she was. She wasn’t going to be imprisoned by this man, by Atnan’s brother! He was watching her with a bored sense of concern.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’m afraid I have already called for backup, and they’ll be here momentarily.”
To prove his point, he pulled a radio from his pocket. Lily sat back in her seat, defeated.
“Why are you chasing me? All I wanted to do was try out a new life in this country. I haven’t committed any crimes.”
“You mean besides being involved in a hit-and-run accident and that pesky little illegal status you have going on?”
“How do you know about that? My name wasn’t even attached to the car!”
“You underestimate how skilled my research and investigative team is, Miss Hawthorne. But you are correct about one thing: you are not important in the slightest. You know who I’m after, and I’m going to find him now—with your help, of course.”
She glared at him and crossed her arms.
“You won’t get anything out of me. Atnan is a good man!”
“And yet here you are, barefoot, sunburnt, penniless, and alone. I imagine if he was so good to you, we wouldn’t be where we are at this very moment, now would we? Besides, you must ask yourself just how far you really thought you would get as a white girl on the run with a wanted felon. For someone who wants to become an educator, you’re not very bright, are you?”
Lily felt ready to launch at him from across the table and punch him in his stupid, pudgy face. Unfortunately, at that moment, a series of officers burst through the café door, startling the other patrons as they stormed over to Lily, two of them grabbing her arms.
“It doesn’t have to be this way, Lily. You can comply with us and tell us what you know, and we can show you a much nicer time. Or you can continue to be difficult, and we will be difficult. What’s it to be?”
Lily glared at him, refusing to speak. While she’d had her doubts about Atnan, there were two sides to every story, and until she heard Atnan’s, she wouldn’t give him up to anyone. She’d realized her mistake far too late.
Nodding, Kaveh gestured for the guards to take her away, and they pulled her roughly by the arms. Her toes barely touched the ground as they led her, scared and panicking, into the back of a cop car. They slammed the door behind her before speeding away from the tiny desert village, presumably back toward the capital.
Lily realized, then, that Atnan had been right. She would have been safer with him, no matter what he had supposedly done. If she’d had any water left in her body, she would have cried the whole way there. As it was, all she could do was rest her forehead against the dirty glass window and watch the world pass her by.
Chapter Thirteen
As time passed, the stark desert landscape gave way to a smattering of plant life, before transforming again into the lush greenery that filled Al Yibri’s capital city. Lily watched with forlorn eyes at the streets she had once thought of as so magical, so alluring. From behind the caged bars of her automotive prison, they had a whole different sense to them.
The cop car pulled into the station, the driver turning off the engine and exiting. They had been silent the whole way there, for which Lily was grateful. She was hardly in any condition to have a conversation with anyone, much less her new captors. She could feel bruises blossoming on her arms from their rough touch, and she had a brief flashback to the gentle way Atnan had held her close.
She had been such an idiot.
Lily heard muted voices outside the car, and she waited, shaking and afraid, as footsteps approached the car and the officer’s face peered in at her.
“Come on, out with you.”
She scooted toward the edge, hoping that if she was obedient, they might not manhandle her like they had before. She was soon disappointed, as the officer grabbed her arm in the same place he had before, dragging her from the garage and into the station.
The police station was air conditioned, which was heaven on her burnt toes. Otherwise, there was nothing at all nice about it. The walls were a stark white color, the light from above blinking in and out due to a faulty bulb. She felt heavy stares on her from every d
irection, and she fought back a resounding shiver. Men were being booked in several corners, but even those officers stopped berating their captors to stare with open mouths at Lily.
She had to be quite the sight. Not only did she look different than anyone else in the building, but she was disheveled, barefooted, and covered in dried, salty sweat, her skin bright red from the hot sun. Ignoring all the glances, Lily kept her eyes steadfastly on the ground, trying her best to keep up with the officer’s brutal pace.
Finally, he stopped in front of a door, unlocked it, and tossed her inside.
“Interrogation room,” he said in accented English.
Lily fell to her knees and glared up at the man. Glaring appeared to be her only defense, and she wondered if it was the best one. Would they really treat her better if she acted the part of a sweet school teacher?
Somehow, she doubted it.
She was still on the ground when the door opened again and Kaveh stepped in. For a moment, there was a flash of concern in his eyes, but he quickly masked it, hardening his stare.
“I told you we could do this one of two ways. You shouldn’t choose the hard path with us, Miss Hawthorne. You will find it very difficult indeed.”
“Indeed. I’ve heard how you treat your prisoners. There is nothing I could do to be treated any better, and you know it.”
Kaveh placed a hand on his heart, mock wounded.
“You’re telling me that we have a less-than-stellar customer service report from the criminals we keep in line? I’m hurt.”
“Don’t patronize me,” she hissed.
He stared down at her for a moment as though considering something. Then, he reached down a hand for her to take.
“Come now, Miss Hawthorne, let us at least be civil with one another. I understand that you might be experiencing some level of Stockholm syndrome after a few days with my brother, but I can assure you that he is in no way the man he might have led you to believe he is.”
“Oh really?” she asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.
She stared at his hand, which was still held out for her to grab. Glancing at the table behind her, she pressed her palm into the ground and forced herself up on her own before she limped to the metal chair behind her and took a seat.
Kaveh shrugged.
“You know, you are not the first seduced captive to come through these doors and defend Atnan to the bitter end. It gets sadder every time, I have to say.”
“You’re a liar,” Lily spat, trying her hardest to focus as her head continued to pound. What she wouldn’t give for a cold shower, a handful of painkillers, and a cool bed, with Atnan by her side. She longed to see him more than anything, but she knew there was a chance she may never do so again. He had been on the run for quite some time. He wouldn’t endanger himself just because she had been stupid enough to break into his private office and assume the worst. He probably hated her for doing so in the first place.
Kaveh walked around her slowly, menacingly, doing his best to intimidate her. She hated to admit that it was working. When he finished his circle and faced her again, it appeared he was ready to try a new tactic.
“Your visa has been expired for well over a week now, Miss Hawthorne. You knew very well that was the case, yet you stayed on here, trying to seek employment without the proper paperwork. Why?”
She stared up at him, wondering just how long she could prolong her fate by talking. She supposed it was worth a shot.
“I didn’t have the money for the work visa, so I figured I would try another way.”
“Did you think that our country turns a blind eye to lawbreakers?”
“I didn’t think, obviously. Why else would I be sitting here?”
Her blunt honesty took him aback, and Kaveh stared at her with hard, dark eyes, trying to puzzle her out. She cleared her throat, which was as dry as desert sand.
“Besides, you might want to ask yourself why the chief of police is so deeply involved in a case about a girl without a valid visa. I imagine there are worse crimes going on that require your attention.”
Kaveh placed rough palms on the table and leaned in to leer at her.
“We have several witness statements that detail your departure in my brother’s—” he paused, correcting himself. “—in the Sheikh’s car. Clearly he is still arrogant enough to drive a flashy vehicle around town as though he is impervious to justice. He will soon learn that that is not the case.”
“Tell me what exactly his crime is, then, and I will let you know if it’s bad enough for me to share my previous whereabouts with you.”
Kaveh watched her carefully, looking to call a bluff. When her gaze didn’t waver, he turned to pace the room like a caged animal.
“The Sheikh is responsible for several crimes, above and beyond the hit-and-run you were involved in last week. He was caught harassing a woman in a public square. She pressed charges, and instead of manning up and confessing his crime, he fled like a coward into exile. Our father left the pursuit to me, and I imagine, based on his indifference at my efforts, that he’s likely glad that his son is still free. I assure you, it won’t last much longer.”
Lily watched him as he turned to face her once again, trying to discern if his case was strong enough to turn her opinion of his brother. She didn’t blink as she continued to look up at him, her expression bored.
“I don’t really see what that has to do with me. I think you should release me. I am happy to go back to America where I belong. Clearly, trying a new life here was a mistake, but I don’t think it is one that should be punishable by imprisonment, do you?”
Her marked omission of Atnan in her statement spoke louder than her words. She would not break, no matter how many ways Kaveh employed to get her to.
Seeing this, his eyebrows narrowed in anger.
“You refuse to comply?” he asked, his voice dangerously low.
“Comply with what? I couldn’t tell you where Atnan was even if I tried. You’ve reached another dead end, officer.”
His hands shook for a moment, and Lily wondered if he would strike her in his anger. Instead, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a shiny pair of silver handcuffs before slamming his palm against the door. He walked over to her and grabbed her arm to force her to stand, which she did, painfully.
Her whole body ached, from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet. As he slapped the metal shackles onto her wrists, she mentally made a note of another bruise to count whenever she had the time. A pair of burly guards opened the door and walked in, awaiting Kaveh’s order. He turned back to face Lily.
“Your refusal to talk will cost you more than you know. You will be held in custody until a decision is made as to whether to imprison or deport you. Perhaps during that time you might come to a change of heart regarding this matter. Good day, Miss Hawthorne.”
He waved a dismissive hand at her, signaling the guards to take her away. Both of them came toward her, and she thought about fighting back and running for the nearest American embassy. She doubted they would be terribly sympathetic to her plight.
Feeling utterly defeated, Lily allowed herself to be led to the door, casting one last glare at Kaveh before stepping out into the hallway. A commotion was happening down the hall just out of sight. Lily kept her eyes on the ground as she tried to hide her tears, but when she heard a familiar voice, she looked up.
“Where is she? Where are you keeping her?”
Atnan forced his way through a pair of guards, who looked unsure about how to act as their Sheikh barreled down the hallway. When his eyes landed on her, he let out a cry of relief.
“Lily.”
To her embarrassment, she did cry then. A hard sob tore from her chest as he strode down the hallway, glaring at the guards holding her arms.
“Release her. That is an order!”
The two large men glanced at one another.
“Brother. Here I was, interrogating your mistress, and then you decide to turn yoursel
f in, all on your own. That’s very kind of you. Saves me a lot of work.”
Atnan gazed past Lily’s shoulder, presumably at Kaveh.
“We need to talk, now. Have your guards release her and I will speak with you just like you want.”
Kaveh came into view, standing to Lily’s right as he watched his brother, surprised.
“Far be it from me to ask questions when our most wanted walks in making requests,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Still, he nodded at the guards, and one of them pulled a key from his belt before releasing Lily’s hands. She rubbed her wrists as she struggled to stand, her feet on fire.
Noticing this, Atnan reached for her, supporting her as she leaned into him. He glared at his half brother.
“What did you do to her?” he hissed.
Kaveh shrugged, stepping back toward the interrogation room.
“Her condition is entirely her own doing. She was so desperate to get away from you that she ran into the desert alone and half dressed. You certainly have a way with women, Atnan.”
Lily lowered her head, ashamed. She should have trusted Atnan. She should have at least confronted him about the stories before just running in fear. What had come over her?
Atnan half-carried her with him into the room, and she was grateful he didn’t drop her then and there.
“You would belittle a frightened woman and refuse to treat her afflictions simply to get back at me?”
Kaveh barked out a laugh, turning to face his brother as the door closed behind them, sealing them inside.
“How dare you give me advice on how to treat a woman, Atnan? You are a shame to our family. The fact that our father hasn’t hunted you down himself makes the shame all the more apparent.”
“You know I was falsely accused. Why do you continue to perpetuate this lie?”
Lily felt Atnan’s heart pounding in his chest. His voice was laced with anger, hurt, and confusion.
Kaveh slammed his fist against the table, glaring up at Atnan.
“It was not a lie! You molested Asha in front of an entire crowd of people. Dozens of people were there to see it! Not only did you shame yourself and our family name, but you shamed me. You knew how much I loved her!”