Page 36 of Kiss Her Goodbye

“Could she have met someone?”Detective Marc pushes.“Another man who could put a roof over her head?”

Nageenah shrugs as if to say she has no idea.Aliah once more cuts to the chase.“When?She worked, and when not working, she watched her daughter.When would she have the time to meet this fictional someone?”

“That’s not true.”

Aliah turns to Nageenah with a frown.“Now what?”Because apparently all bad news is Nageenah’s fault.The younger woman eyes the older one coolly, before stating:

“A couple of afternoons a week, I watched Zahra for her.Few hours here, a few hours there.Sabera said it was so she could buyfood, take care of household chores, but I never saw her return with any groceries or store items.She left on the bus and would return three hours later, always empty-handed.”

“That doesn’t mean she had a lover!”

“It doesn’t.But there was more to Sabera’s life than work and home.What that was, I don’t know.”

“You saw her returning,” I ask abruptly.“Could you gauge her mood?Did she seem perkier, more carefree, hell, relaxed?”Because having just spent time enjoying the company of a very sexy man, the relaxed part stands out to me.Until, of course, the weeks became months and my natural-born terror reared its ugly head.

You’re afraid of being happy, he told me.And I totally agreed with him.

“I don’t know.”Nageenah furrows her brow.“She seemed… like herself.Serious.Tired.Worried.But who isn’t?”

“What would her husband do if he found out she had a lover?”Detective Marc again.“Does he strike you as the jealous type?A man capable of violence?”

Nageenah lowers her gaze to the floor, while Aliah does the honors.

“In Kabul, Isaad was a man of great respect.But living here… He’s just another refugee.He’s not used to such things.And he is a man with a temper.I once saw him throw a pomegranate against the wall with such force it splattered.”

I can’t help myself.“Why throw a pomegranate?”

“Because there’s nothing in this world as good as a Kandahar pomegranate,” Nageenah states seriously.“And sometimes, it’s not the big differences between Kabul and here that are too hard to take—you expect them.But little things, say, a piece of fruit that looks and smells like home, but tastes wrong… Some days, that feels like enough to break you.”

“Or causes a grown man to have a temper tantrum,” I mutter.“Do you think Isaad still wants to be married?Like you said, his life has also undergone a great change.”

“He is respectful,” Nageenah begins, while Aliah snorts.

“He is controlling.The fruit may be different here, but getting to feel powerful by bossing around a vulnerable young woman… I am sure that never gets old.And certainly isn’t something he’d want to give up anytime soon.”

“I have seen him look at her with genuine warmth,” Nageenah counters.“Isaad is moody to be sure, but I think he has affection for his wife.It’s just… When he grows frustrated, he can be quite intimidating.I don’t blame her for finding that difficult.”

“How is Isaad as a father?”Detective Marc switches gears.“Does he seem interested in his daughter?”

“He dotes on Zahra,” Nageenah answers immediately, voice firm.“He takes care of her at night while Sabera works, has even learned how to cook, clean.These are big steps for a man of his years.And I’ve watched him play with Zahra.He creates little games, puzzles for her to solve.She is very clever, and he delights in that.”

“She is his favorite student?”I fill in dryly.

Nageenah gives me a look.“Maybe.But most likely, none of her schoolteachers will ever be able to keep up with her, so it’s good she has such a parent at home.”

“How smart is she?”Detective Marc wants to know.

“She’s been reading since she was two.Can already do all sorts of math in her head.And she has a very good memory.Extraordinarily so.”

“Did she see the man who tried to abduct the other child?”Detective Marc perks up.“Because if her memory is that good…”

“None of us saw anything.There’s no view of the parking lot from this room.”

“White male,” Detective Marc rattles off.“Wiry build.Speaks with a British-like accent.Sound like anyone you’ve seen around here before?”

Nageenah shakes her head.“What if he comes back, tries again?”

“I can ask for more patrol cars in the area.”