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St. George’s Hospital

Adara said, “It has nothing to do with you, Ali. If that’s all you have to say to me, go away.”

He said, his voice louder, his anger clear, “Ah, I see. My sister on trial for attempting cold-blooded murder has nothing to do with me. Our family’s reputation will soon be destroyed, I will be destroyed, and it has nothing to do with me? If I strangled you right here, right now, few would blame me, least of all our parents.” His breathing became harsher as his anger grew at her silence. “What is wrong with you, Adara? You’re smart, you took a first at Oxford, you had everything a woman could want! Why would you do something as insane as this to me, to our family?”

Adara breathed slowly, in and out. She said only, “I was betrayed.”

“Women who live like you, doing just as you please, are easily betrayed! Allah help me, I didn’t think you were such a fool.”

“You were betrayed too, brother.”

That drew him up. “By whom? Who betrayed me, except you?”

His voice was bitter, disdainful. “And you? You will be an old woman with no teeth before you are ever released from prison. You will have no family, no friends.” His voice was quiet now, as if he was whispering in her ear. “At least tell me why you wanted to kill Elizabeth Palmer. Why should it matter to you if I know? The officers told me she’d only returned to England because of the attempted kidnapping of her mother.” He paused. “Wait, you were responsible for that, too, weren’t you? The countess, the wife of Sebastian, Lord Camden, a bloody earl! Have you gone completely insane? Embroiled yourself in some sort of twisted jihad? What?”

Adara remained silent.

Adara’s voice held only indifference. “I have no reason to tell you anything.”

He sighed, said in a quiet voice, “I must know what this is about, so our father and I can know how best to proceed.”

Contempt was thick in her voice. “I’m not telling you anything. Can you not figure it all out yourself, since you, Ali, are such an intelligent man, so committed to your faith, so honorable, so holy? You were given everything, our father and mother worshipped you, bragged about you incessantly. I’ve heard them recite that drivel so many times over the years I wanted to throw up. I always knew I was smarter than you, but nothing was given to me, I had to make my own way.” She gave an ugly laugh. “Yes, I failed, but at least I tried. There’s nothing more to say, brother mine. You want to know what this is all about? If you’re so smart, Ali, why don’t you figure it out?”

Rome said, “John, there is another matter that concerns me. Revenge. Do you fear for Khaled Aziz’s life?”

John said, “You know something. Where are you going?”

Rome and Elizabeth walked out of the conference room without answering him.