Page 29 of Deadly Betrayal

When the phone rang again, Shahram answered.His fingers trembled as he put it on speaker. “Bale.”

“Agha Shahram, how are you?”

Kaden had to give the guy kudos. Hissister-in-law had virtually disappeared from his home, yet therewasn’t a single note of anxiety in his tone. He couldn’t say thesame for Shahram.

“I am well, Agha Khalid. How are you? How areyour wives? The children?”

Kaden snorted. He’d almost forgotten how longand convoluted greetings could be in this part of the world. Azitashot him a look. Feeling bad for having ratcheted up the stress, hesmiled, and she relaxed. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help herbrother do the same. Shahram’s voice shook more and more with eachquestion Khalid asked.

“Agha Shahram. Azitakhanomwas not inher room this morning. Do you know where she might be?”

Shahram bit his lip so hard, Kaden could seea pearl of blood form on the pale skin. “M-maybe she had to go towork early?” Kaden groaned at the obvious lie.

“No one has seen her at the clinic.”

Shahram rolled his hand, his eyes imploringthem to give him more ideas.

“Stick to the plan,” Kaden muttered throughgritted teeth.Fucking dumbass.

“Honestly,agha. Azita and I haven’tspoken in many months. I have no idea where she could havegone.”

Azita went stiff and covered her mouth andhissed,“Khodaya!”Oh God.

Khalid barked out a laugh that was startlingin its bitterness. “Do not take me for a fool. I know she went tosee you a few nights ago. I also know you had a guest last night.I’m pretty sure it was her.Haramzada, tell me where yoursister is. Now.”

Even Kaden knew that word: bastard.

Every drop of blood drained from Shahram’sface. “Okay. Okay. We’re at our father’s sister’s home. Herdaughter called yesterday. Our aunt is on her deathbed, and shebegged to see Azita and me before she passed.”

“Azita didn’t mention any of this yesterdayevening.”

“She didn’t know. I drove over to your houselate last night to get her. Azita didn’t want to wake you.”

There was a moment of silence before Khalidspoke. “Your car is still parked at your building.”

Panic flashed in Shahram’s eyes as he glancedaround the Corolla as though he’d find answers in a hidden corner.Kaden caught his gaze in the mirror and mouthed, “Broken.”

Shahram closed his eyes. “There’s somethingwrong with the engine. I didn’t want to have any problems on theroad, so we hired a car and a driver for the trip.”

“How thoughtful of you. May I speak withAzita, now?” Khalid said, his tone implying it wasn’t a request,but rather an order.

“S-she is with our aunt at the moment. I’llhave her call you. Is this number okay?”

“Bale. When do you anticipatereturning to Kabul?”

“It shouldn’t be more than a few days. Ouraunt doesn’t have much time left.”

“Aren’t you staying for the funeral?”Khalid’s deceptively soft tone was familiar to Kaden. It was thetone an interrogator used when he knew he had his victim by theshort hairs.

“I… I don’t know.” Shahram’s voice wobbledand rose at the end, making it sound like a question. Kadenclenched his fists on his lap. Khalid would have to be a moron notto see right through Shahram’s bull, and if Kaden knew anythingabout Khalid, it was that the man was far from stupid.

Khalid stared incredulously at the phone longafter the call had ended. He wanted to squeeze the donkey fucker’sneck until his face turned purple and his eyes bulged. How dareShahram lie to him? Did he really think Khalid had bought hisridiculous story?

His little fiancée was up to something. Hejust hoped it wasn’t something that would get her killed, or worse,force him to kill her. His stomach rebelled at the thought. Heenjoyed his wives, but not like he would enjoy Azita.

Allah save him; he cared too much for her,his new fiancée.

Azita was too smart for her own good. Heryears in Tehran had led her to believe she could do anything. Well,she probably could, but she shouldn’t. Women in Afghanistan hadlost many rights since the Taliban takeover, and though things wereslowly improving, they were far from how they’d been before thewars started. Why just recently, the president publicly supported astrict Islamic code promoting segregation of males and females, andallowing for instances in which husbands were permitted to beattheir wives. Though Khalid had threatened to beat Azita if shecontinued to disobey him, that was for her safety, not hispleasure. He believed that a happy home started with a happy wife,or wives, in his case.