Chapter 41

Jawad Sahib and his father are leaving after dinner tonight,” Bilal told me later that afternoon, as we finished cleaning up from lunch. “You should be safe to grab a book if you want to then.”

I thanked him and dried my hands before walking over to the servants’ verandah. It was empty today. I exhaled and rubbed my temples. Helping Hamid rush to prepare a last-minute lavish lunch for Khan Sahib had left me tired. I wanted to sit down for a moment to catch my breath, but Mumtaz had asked Nabila to clear the teacups from the main verandah, and I knew she was still putting away the dishes from lunch. The sooner we put the house back in order, the sooner all of us could rest.

The flowers swayed in the cool afternoon breeze as I strolled through the garden toward the bushes bordering the main verandah. Just then, the sound of voices drifted over to me. I paused by the bushes. They were male voices coming from the other side, steps from where I stood. It had to be Jawad Sahib and his father.

“What did you want me to do?” Jawad argued. “He gambles more than he can pay back and then threatens me? Why should I have been the one to let it go? What is our reputation worth if we take disrespect like that?”

“Well, thanks to you, we now have federal investigators poking their noses in our business,” Khan Sahib said.

“They won’t find anything! My men took care of it.”

“Let’s hope you’re right for both our sakes.”

“I know I’m right. My men enforce all my debts, and they’re meticulous. They wouldn’t harm the hand that lines their pockets.”

“Which one took care of this one?”

“Rehan. I only trusted it to him.”

“Tell him to move the body farther out after the investigation dies down. I’m not comfortable with it so close to home.”

Their voices stopped.

A door opened and shut in the distance.

Tightness squeezed my chest. I knew Jawad Sahib’s men threatened people and destroyed property. But they killed people? Fozia had said one of his officers was demanding more money. Was this the danger she faced if she couldn’t pay?

I backed away from the bushes. Only then did I realize I wasn’t alone.

Nabila was staring at me. Her expression was somber.

“Nabila,” I began. How much had she heard?

She shook her head furiously and pressed a finger to her mouth.

“Don’t say a word,” she whispered, gesturing to the balconies and windows all around us. “You never know who is listening.”