BLOOD BY THE HAND OF GUILT

Chapter Twenty Two

Two Weeks Later

Leia stared hard at the wall which she had made her plans on, connecting people to Khalid and to the Sheik. First of all she had to do her research and she was making massive progress. She had gathered enough information about Khalid, where his yacht was, who is personal advisor was, what his personal advisor did, who his best friend was, where they had dinner, what gold clubs he was in, where he spent his weekends most of the time, even where he walked his dog.

Leia had made all the necessary connections and she was all ready for New York to put her second plan to action……getting noticed.

She needed to play her cards right well, and to do that she was going to play with his mind.

Kaia walked into the room and stared at the plans on the wall, the pictures connected to each other by pins and threads, Some pictures had writings on them.

"Goodness, this looks like a battle plan, you should have been a detective"

Leia looked on, frowned and then folded her arms touching her chin with the end of the marker.

"Something wrong?"

"The only way to get to him is if I go through this man right here"

"His PA?"

"Yep, Adnan Fareed"

"And how the hell are you gonna do that?"

"Kaia" Leia said, her eyes still fixed on the wall.

"Yeah?"

"I think its time to bring out the ice"

"Finally!" Kaia was excited.

"What's the plan?"

"Shopping" Leia said.

***

Leia was more than excited to meet Jamal. When Leia told Kaia she had found her brother Kaia threw her hands around her and cried with her.

"I'm so happy for you, when is he coming over?"

"Soon"

Leia said and narrated how everything happened and how in a twist, her brother was engaged to the daughter of her enemy.

Kaia had been skeptical about that but after hearing about Ruth, she was willing to give her the benefit of a doubt.

It was Jamal's plan to accompany his sister to New York, he had arranged for an apartment for her, everything was set and although the apartment was simple, it was lavishly decorated to serve its purpose.

"You know you cannot go by the name Leila right?"

"You have a point" The last thing she wanted was to raise the Sheik's eyebrows.

"I need to go on in as one of them, that means I need to be abreast with the Qu'uran and the Islamic religion in less than three weeks"

"You were always good at memorizing" Jamal said.

"Yes Jamal, I was"

"Anyway, let's just say I thought things ahead and figured you might need these"

Jamal opened his satchel and took out a Qu'uran and a Jewish bible.

"Thanks Jamal, you're the best"

"You might want to do something about your hair, if you ask me, lets go pitch sily black, add a few attachments and get you a make up artist, I can help with that" Kaia said.

"That would be great"

The days before she went to New York, Leia saw herself moving from shop to shop, sometimes with Kaia and sometimes with Dave, she did need a man's opinion. She bought a couple of veils and clothes online and had them delivered to her, Mostly silk. She had her hair dyes to black and had extensions added. She had a complete makeover. When she returned home with Dave dressed like an arab woman, the first words that dropped were 'wow'.

"See I told you they'd like it" Dave said.

"Yea you did" She high fived him.

"You guys have a lot to pack"

Leia had had three of her diamonds changed to cash and it had earned her billions. She got a passport with the help of a few people she had come to know through Will and had her name changed to Jazmine Asad-Samad.

Her disguise was to play the role of a rich sophisticated daughter of a merchant and sole heir to a million dollar empire, a legacy left behind by her father.

The next two weeks saw her working hard to authenticate her identity and soon it was time to roll the ball in her court.

"I'm really going to miss you" Kaia said on her last night in Vegas. She had decided to spend it with the two people who cared about her. Kaia and Dave. The day had been fun, Jamal stayed behind chatting with Ruth on Skype while they went to have fun. Kaia could tell Dave wanted so much to be with her alone and she searched for an opportunity to leave them.

"Will miss you too Kaia, now you have to promise me that you will be safe"

"I promise, I mean, I have Dave" Kaia who sat beside Dave stretched her arm around his neck and pulled him closer.

Dave had barely said a word throughout the night, and Leia watched him quietly, she too looking for an opportunity to talk to him.

"Guys, I would have to leave you, got to make a call" Kaia stood and without waiting to hear if she was permitted began to walk away. There was silence for a while. Leia scooped some salad into her mouth and picked up an asparagus with her fork and put it to her mouth and that was when he spoke.

"Don't go"

"What?"

"I have a bad feeling about this, it might sound like a perfect plan but you could get trapped and I may never see you again, it’s a silly idea, don't do this"

"Dave it is my idea, and trust me I have to do this"

He touched her arm resting on the table with his and looked into her eyes, she doing same.

"Promise me one thing"

"I'll try"

"Come back to me in one piece" He said.

Leia only smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry about me dork, I will be fine, now eat up or do you want me to help you with that?" Leia said eyeing a piece of his steak.

Dave giggled.

"Go ahead"

That night after dinner, Dave drove both girls home but knowing very well he could not be at the airport, he had to say bye.

"Ayd lovebirds, I'm going in" Kaia kissed Dave on the cheek and walked in.

"I'll miss you too Dave"

"Come here" Leia walked into his arms and he hugged her like never before, it gave her chills.

"Please be safe" He said still holding her.

"I will"

Then he broke the hug and smiled, she did same.

"Safe trip tomorrow and don't be too much trouble, come home if thigs get tight okay"

"I promise"

Then he kissed her on the cheek and turned to walk back to his car, he got to the doorand it hit him, this might be it, his mind screamed, you may never see her again, better now than never..

He turned.

"Why what is wrong?"

"I just have to do this" He said grabbed her waist and kissed her on her lips, it lasted not more than three seconds but it was worth it. Leia froze, she could hardly move even when he broke away and smiled and walked back to his car. She just stood there.

"Maybe, she was just about to make the worst decision of her life…..just maybe"