Basma likes Fendi

29 | Operation Find Basma

•Bashir

Alone in my room with no one to talk to about my worries and of course the nagging feeling that Bilal and Rayyan are somewhat more than just her friends. A replay of yesterday's episode of our assembly at the police station kept haunting me.

Rayyan was the most silent among us but that didn't stop him from airing his views which only made me more suspicious with the way he spoke.

I admit I'm insecure but the way Rayyan even called her name sounded as if he was too scared to say it loud so the skies don't strike him with thunder. He stared at the floor mostly and refused to even keep eye contact as he spoke.

His voice was low and so was his head. His eyes were casted to the ground but I could see the tears gathering within and he occasionally sniffed to everyone's ignorance except mine.

"You drove her to the airport that day?"

I nodded without speaking. He stared intently before excusing himself.

"I need to make a call outside. I'll be back in a few minutes." Rayyan rose from his sit, walking to the door.

"You can't do that—not until we're done here." The inspector stated.

Rayyan willfully sits back down with a lethal glint in his eyes, his knuckles turning red from gripping the arm of his chair too hard.

He doesn't speak for the remainder of the time but I can tell he has so much to say. He texts me while we're the meeting was on going and asks if we can meet up again at his house after leaving here.

I reply with an ok and listen attentively to the inspector as he continues rambling about something he heard from Basma's family which at this point was of no use to us if they still couldn't pinpoint her location.

"Sorry to interrupt but I have a lot to say with so little time and if we can skip this lecture I'd like to start."

The inspector gruffly answered with a hum and waited for me to begin.

"Now, I'm sure not a lot of you do not know but I'm good friends with Jameel but he has taken someone precious to me and I can't sit back and watch." I sassed trying to make eye contact with Rayyan who's face doesn't show any reaction until he hears my next words, "She happens to be in a relationship with me and we were about to get married before this."

I hear a murmur from him but don't quite catch anything. So I continue with the jeering of a petty Rayyan.

"I don't know who told you that she loves you but go on."

I stop myself from lying more before it turns to a river I can't dispel. I decide to finish off with the truth I know.

"He calls me regularly whenever he travels and also notifies me before he does. This time he didn't and now he's calling me in a place he withheld from me. For the first time I had to ask him before he told me and I think I heard Basma's voice arguing with him in the background."

"You think?" The inspector hisses, his eyes stay on me and he starts on laugh, "You said you had information we need so where is it?"

"Calm down sir. I heard her speak so I'm sure it's her. I'd know her voice anywhere. Something suspicious happened too that night I spoke to him—when she started to talk he hung up and told me he'll call me back."

"Ok, how do you suggest we get him to tell you he's with her?" Bilal asks.

"I want to go there instead of just calling. He'll think it's suspicious that I'm asking so much questions so I'm proposing that you, inspector, give me some of your men and we'll leave to Morocco as soon as possible so we can arrest him."