After his morning prayers, Ali returned home to find Amanah pacing along the tiled walkway just outside the drawing room windows.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBVBnkN8fs
As Ali secured the heavy main gate behind him and walked towards the bungalow's entrance, Amanah stopped in her tracks.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb1dsQsKo0
“Ali...” she called out.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoB6J249YV
Ali followed the sound of her voice and paused.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyltuAxzoYo
“Amanah, what are you doing out here at this hour?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8r9AOct2e
He looked around at the dim surroundings.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumJBc0ZOFb
“Get inside.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8E6bF22q68
His voice carried a clear edge of authority.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7a8AcmKLW
“The temperature has dropped into the single digits, and the sun isn't even up yet.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0FildZhv5
He glanced towards the dusky sky. A pale plume of mist escaped his mouth with every breath.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcvTNBj453
Amanah rubbed her hands together, her shoulders trembling against the chill.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfItdiSgyVO
“I was waiting for you.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzLt11g29e
Ali sighed.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafNFPzyxBN
“You could have waited inside.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XzO4Z70oa
Amanah raised a hand to cut him off, her voice trembling slightly from the cold.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7nVm0z6xD
“No more lectures, please. Just listen to me for a moment. It's important.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldu5Y9SxkU
Ali let out another resigned breath.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4tg1j5Hyc
Amanah tightened her heavy Kashmiri shawl around her shoulders.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAZDVA7B1r
“So...” Ali fixed his sea-green eyes on her. “Speak.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBthHgmag7X
Amanah blurted it out.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxopge001Lw
“This Neelofar Usmani... I'm sure someone erased her.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdTrdzAFT3
She moistened her dry lips.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNba2lquzpJ
“She might have been killed before she could return from Glasgow.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpJsgnQrXA
Ali was already beginning to dismiss the conversation.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmslj9Vsgo
“I think, Amanah, I need to catch up on a short nap.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoU5KpGVm77
He glanced towards the stairs.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiGqfaOvw4
“I suggest you do the same.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9sG4Qr5u8
Amanah lightly caught his arm before he could move away.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdgBeu3oYB
“To be more direct... I suspect your Mr Raza Haider got her killed.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxV60h5Ap0z
“What?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tzTkUN89J
Ali stared at her in disbelief.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrjxI2Emp9
“Amanah... are you even thinking before speaking?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0iq6TfcCM
He sounded exasperated.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FcL3K8QWX
Amanah spoke after carefully weighing her words.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1B9t6JqYa
“I think we should remain open-minded about that possibility.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tnf0hgat4
She paused.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8eIGU4dcX
“Killing Neelofar would have removed someone who could have challenged his claim to that title.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK44YiWJcIg
She looked directly at him.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPQtn5c6fe
“That coveted title.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdS5BkqZXYx
Ali sighed, running a hand over his face.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRvrZmAUQx
“I simply cannot envision him ever being a killer. Not during those early years, either, when he was still laying the foundations of Haideron Tech.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqEB5MUH22
Amanah considered his words.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQVyx55zvT
“Then why do you think that floating head keeps calling out his name?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdVkzhPZOh
Ali stopped breathing for a moment.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpl7XTKcZjJ
Amanah watched his face before continuing.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6z5ZznXgb
“Raza.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpjVIF5KLU
A waft of chilled air moved over them.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi6HyCsMpX
They both flinched.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbLPXRaIDL
For a moment, neither moved.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KnCzB88Pj
Then a sharp cry of birds broke across the open sky.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKROZRCF7Kz
Both instinctively looked up.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9Vf8mfvKC
A formation of birds swept across the pale morning horizon.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCVn18kMeH
Amanah continued watching them.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8VAgSVdxl
“That's strange.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBTWuLgFZA
Her eyes remained fixed on the sky.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMymNtkZE5
“Elders say unusual behaviour in animals can be a sign that something bad is coming.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcMWIm7qDP
She finally lowered her head.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tku03Z8bO
Ali stood with his arms folded, his sea-green eyes more focused now, as though he was actually considering her theory.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoNlSYI7Ka
Amanah glanced at him.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScahskAhcy
“It really startled you, didn't it? This weird connection I'm making...”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtzKwV2Wdm
Ali remained silent.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1Ww6SOEwF
“But haven't you suspected, more than once, that Mr Raza Haider might have some link to that mysterious drifting head in the first place?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4cCnxV1iu
Ali slowly turned towards her.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxdQjzWKw3
He couldn't deny it. Amanah knew that, at least not fully.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDu1dDd30f
“Amanah... how did you even make that connection?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9ahI6nPM9
“I've been considering it since we returned from the café,” Amanah said flatly.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA09E9zJ5E
Ali rubbed his temple.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a2DtDnXzH
“So that drifting head... according to what we've worked out...”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAAcZXYU64
Amanah whispered,41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC5uPp4APr
“...is Neelofar.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoORomNsAl
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82k6a7GWVm
“What are you two doing here at this hour?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dkoezZKhx
Mrs Samina Siddiqui’s voice made them both freeze.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8EWpH2WAP
Amanah instinctively placed a hand over her heart, trying to steady her racing heartbeat.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bhmTnV73u
Their mother walked towards them, pulling her shawl tighter around herself.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjxnsS1Enk
“It’s so cold today,” she said, looking from one to the other.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K4WkMdU4S
Her eyes settled on Amanah.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnUlnHsEbP
“Look at you. Just a shawl. Where are your socks? And your sweater?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoBtHrfO3z
Amanah glanced down.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFJDEwxauU
“I... forgot.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaiqN6Ejg4
“You forgot?” Samina repeated.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcaSpyr4QV
Then she turned to Ali.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFRoIqiQbR
“And you...”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAgR5qh1cm
She looked him over.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoRmQ1Sx2x
“You won’t look any less handsome if you wear a cap or a muffler.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRItWTfLGj2
Ali instinctively touched his hair.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6ILoOkIxB
“Mama...”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqYAwqt1cH
“What?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1LgvGiIrc
“Nothing.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1cFG7QsXj
Samina narrowed her eyes.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXszKhmhT1g
“Is this how you planned to spend your day off?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3ursAwTVq
“And how long have you been standing here?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6M5mQIA7Ux
Neither replied.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9OsPzNNtC
“Perhaps discussing the end of the world?”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpaQav5XCG
Amanah lowered her eyes. Ali almost smiled.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8q1SaNS7j
“And whatever you’ve been discussing, I’m sure it could have waited until after breakfast.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIZfj9ljTz
She snapped her fingers.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4snDWNqrIJ
“Come on. Quickly. Get inside before you both freeze.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bigOBWkB1
She pointed towards the entrance.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFI1kD4UGO
“Amanah, either go to your room or come with me to the kitchen. I’m making you something hot.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnc2pfYHNf
Then she turned to Ali.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtv4bGSm0N
“And you, water the garden. And set your closet.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWt88t12hB
Ali opened his mouth.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDr6dXcVGWf
“No arguments.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNSvFHbbYJ
He closed it again.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoFadGWWe2
“There are plenty of other errands waiting for you both.”41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJ1n2ZHcON
Amanah rose, still distracted by everything they had just discussed.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeq8VO7CRC7
As she followed her mother inside, she glanced back at Ali.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqndkLbYYq
He met her eyes.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtPOZXFHAl
Neither said a word.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYUW8vbZbT
As Ali began watering the garden, one question after another kept disturbing him.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAwvgWm3cK
Why had he started feeling that someone, or something, had been intruding on the privacy of their home for days?41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzCqGNlBeO
The tapping on the windows came first.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoYgfSGboc
He had repeatedly dismissed it as nothing more than the rogue winter winds.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3ygAzGu1E
Then there was the shadow.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IPWfYFGUj
His eyes moved towards the trees where he was almost certain he had seen it more than once.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR7vMlQz9h
Or perhaps it had only been his imagination.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSBWfSATc4
And now there was the garden.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWeW7FS9kL
The sudden stillness.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggwRnDSgfa
No birds.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRdd5zOKrE
No chirping.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2tfDN7wAG
Nothing.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ102PZajvQx
It had never been like this.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiG1c3X4TF
Mornings at the Siddiqui bungalow had always been remarkably lively. Birds frequented their garden, perched on the trees and hopped across the grass.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPG1DsPe82q
Their calls were usually part of the morning itself.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbN0RizdTT1
Today, there was not a single bird in sight.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErE6FpXkoC
Ali slowly lowered the hose.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fX4I5ldaN
He looked towards the trees again.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlz8VXGpFM
Maybe I’m reading too much into all of this.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTlD05M1wt
Ali shook his head.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVU8wXkfv3
He turned off the hose and stood there for a moment, breathing in the fresh scent of dewy grass and blossoms.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVHCpaB8FQ
I need to stop this.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NSAF3Rtjl
His gaze drifted back towards the trees.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndQjOEusd8
I’m letting every little thing get into my head.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiY9bv198Jv
Zipping up his warm jacket, he headed towards the entrance.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AaaO2h8sL
He did not know it yet, but none of it was insignificant.
ns216.73.216.48da2
and then Add to home screen.