“English please, Ela. Consider our guests,” says Demir.
She nods. “Of course, Father. Shall I bring tea? I still have an hour before work.”
Demir nods, spectacles winking on top of his head. “Yes, thank you, Ela. I am sure our guests are thirsty after their long journey. Ela is a nurse,” he explains. “She works at the local hospital in the next village. I am very proud of her.”
“Oh, Father,” says Ela, blushing slightly.
“It is true,” he beams. “Very proud.”
She departs, closing the door behind her.
“So,” says Demir, placing his hands on his thighs. “My brother is in trouble again.” He shakes his head in disappointment. “He is a disgrace to our family. I have spent years contributing to our community and he does nothing but bring our good name into disrepute.”
“We think he may have hurt my sister,” Julia blurts out.
Demir looks startled.
“Dr. Norris. Please let me ask the questions,” says Detective Muhtar, clearly annoyed.
Julia ignores him. “My sister has been missing for over a week, and your brother was found in possession of her necklace.”
Demir Cevik looks at her evenly. “My brother is many things, madam, but I’ve never known him to be violent, especially against women.”
“Please show him the necklace, Detective Muhtar,” says Julia.
Leo shoots her a warning look. But Julia can’t help herself.
“Go on,” she insists. “The necklace, please, Detective Muhtar.”
“Father, is everything all right?”
Ela stands in the doorway with a platter topped with homemade cookies and tea pre-poured into traditional Turkish glasses.
“Of course, Ela. Please serve our guests,” says Demir. “Ela is famous for her cardamom cookies.” He picks up the plate and offers it to Julia. “Please, you must try one. They are delicious.”
Julia gets to her feet and pulls a flyer of Toni from her pocket. She holds it in front of his face.
“This is my sister, Toni Norris. Have you seen her?”
He frowns and shakes his head. “I have not.”
Detective Muhtar rises from the couch. “Please, Dr. Norris. This isn’t the way to do things.”
Julia turns to Ela. “What about you?”
Ela glances at the photograph and shakes her head.
“Are you sure? You don’t seem sure. Please take another look.”
“Julia,” says Leo.
“I haven’t seen her,” says Ela.
Julia looks at Demir. “How do you explain the fact that your brother had my sister’s necklace?”
He shrugs. “I do not know.”
Demir glances at his daughter and says something in Turkish. She leaves the room.
“It is not good for Ela to hear these things,” he says. “She recently lost her mother after a long illness. Ela took her care of her until her mother’s dying breath.” His eyes linger on the photo of the woman on the table. “We are both still grieving.”
Julia looks at him. “I’m very sorry for your loss, but please answer my question, why would your brother have my sister’s necklace?”
“Asen is a liar and a gambler but he would not hurt a woman. Perhaps he simply found it on the street.”
“Dr. Norris, please step outside,” says Detective Muhtar.
Julia shakes her head. “He needs to answer the question.”
Demir throws up his arms. “I do not know anything.”
She stares at him. “You’re hiding something.”
Detective Muhtar steps in front of her. “That is enough, Dr. Norris.”
Julia pauses and looks at her shoes. “Yes, yes, you’re right, Detective. Of course you are. I apologize, Mr. Cevik. It has been a stressful time. I don’t mean any disrespect. I’m just desperate for answers.”
Demir nods, clearly unhappy. “I understand.”
“Perhaps I could take a moment to collect myself and use your bathroom.”
At first Julia thinks he’s going to refuse. But after a pause, he nods.
“Ela will take you.”
44
Julia follows Ela through the small but relatively modern kitchen up a hallway and into the back portion of the house.
Ela opens a door to reveal a clean, squat toilet. “Sorry we do not have a western toilet.”
“It’s fine. Thank you.”
After Ela leaves, Julia stands at the door, heart thudding. What she’s about to do is foolhardy and most probably highly illegal but it needs to be done. There’s something off about this entire situation and Julia intends to find out exactly what it is.
She listens until she’s totally sure that Ela is gone then steps out into the hallway. She finds the first room, Ela’s bedroom by the looks of the neat single bed with the frilly bedspread. Basic with a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. All very ordinary and nothing untoward.
Julia moves on to the next bedroom, most likely Demir’s given the navy terrycloth robe lying neatly at the end of a double bed. She glances around the room. There are bookcases like the ones in the living area, full of books and magazines, organized neatly in alphabetical order. Apart from that, there’s only a small closet and bedside table. Again, all very normal.
She moves on to the third and final room located at the end of the hallway. She turns the handle. It’s locked. She presses her ear to the door. Then something. A shuffle. A breath. She can’t be sure what. Terrible things flash through her mind. Toni tied up and gagged. Drugged or beaten.
“Toni, is that you?” she whispers into the wood.
She listens again.
“Toni, it’s Julia.”
Putting some force into it, she tries the door handle again.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Julia spins round. Demir Cevik is standing there, the others behind him.
“She’s in there, isn’t she?” says Julia, trembling.
“Who? Your sister?”
“Open the door.”
Demir shakes his head, angry. “This is ridiculous. Please get out of my house.”
“I know she’s in there. Open the door!”
Demir faces Detective Muhtar. “I have finished answering your questions. I want you to go.”
Detective Muhtar pauses. Julia thinks he’s
