“You haven’t mentioned Suha in a while,” he said, keeping his tone light, as though her answer didn’t affect him.
Rahma coughed once. “Yes. Well, I was trying not to remind you that your goal is to get rid of me.”
“I’m not—” As’ad stopped. That had been his exact goal since the beginning. He amended his statement. “I am concerned for your safety and reputation.”
She gave him a look that he couldn’t interpret. He rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, then shifted the topic.
“Will you tell me exactly why you don’t trust this Hadia?”
“Gladly.” Rahma rubbed her hands together. “First off, she’s mean to little kids.”
“A grave failing,” he remarked dryly.
“It is when she’s been put in charge of the orphaned ones.”
As’ad couldn’t disagree with that.
“And it’s worse because she pretendsnotto be. None of the adults would believe us when we reported the things she would say. We were told off for badmouthing an adult when we probably misunderstood what she said in the first place.”
How well could he remember similar incidents of his own. “Childhood is rough,” he empathized.
“Yeah.” Rahma rubbed her hands down the sides of her tunic. “I’m sure mine wasn’t that bad, though.” She didn’t use the words, but he caught her reference to his time in the orphanage.
“You may be . . . passionate about justice,” As’ad started, “but that can’t be your only reason for suspecting the woman of nefarious doings.”
She had smirked while he scrambled to find the right descriptor, but now her face took on a serious expression.
“Of course not. My suspicions have been simmering in the background for years.” Her sigh sounded disgruntled. “But I didn’t do anything until it affected me personally.”
“What specific things did she do?” he asked to shake her from her self-condemnation.
The woman at his side played with one of the curls that defied the containment of her braid. “It wasn’t only things she did. Some of it was things that happened.”
“For example?” he prodded.
“A few years ago, she went on a trip with the two little ones she was caring for, then came back without them.”
“Where did they go?”
She shrugged. “West. Hadia was close-lipped about the whole thing. Only said that their relatives wanted ’em.”
“Are you thinking that trip was to Jabal?”
“I am now.” Her lips turned down. “Not too long after that trip, she started traveling more. A lot more.”
As’ad ran over various scenarios that could include traveling. Most of his ideas were criminal in nature.
“She said she was visiting her own family. But she started wearing fancy clothes, and her house is full of really nice things now.”
“Is her family wealthy?”
“That’s the thing!” Her arms flew out to the sides. “Until a few years ago, she always talked about howbeingfrom an orphanage had prepared her fortaking careof orphans.”
“She could have extended family that she hadn’t met yet,” As’ad said doubtfully.
Rahma gave him a look he completely agreed with.
“But why would they give her money and make her travel all the time?” he questioned. “If they liked herthatmuch, wouldn’t they want her to live closer?”
