‘I understand.’
Sofia could feel Zahra softening. ‘What you do with the women in the square is enough. It’s more than enough and we’re so grateful that you are doing this. We can’t change Afghanistan, Sofia. None of us can individually and certainly outsiders can’t.’ She must have seen the look of hurt on Sofia’s face. ‘You know what I mean, don’t you?’
‘Of course.’
‘So please, don’t get involved in what isn’t your business and above all, don’t call attention to yourself. Just be our beautiful, generous, kind friend who helps the women in the square and the villages. That’s all I’m asking.’
‘Ah, there you are,’ said Jabril, beaming as he arrived with Minister Massoud. ‘I thought I’d lost you.’
In his sixties, Abdul Ali Massoud was a striking, even handsome man, with deep-set dark eyes, black hair, a neatly trimmed beard peppered with grey and a strong beak of a nose. Dressed in an expensive suit cut perfectly to his trim figure, he wore a crisp white shirt and pale blue silk tie. Sofia thought him even more impressive in person than he appeared on TV.
‘Minister Massoud, I believe you already know my wife, Zahra?’
The minister nodded, bowing slightly. ‘Always a pleasure to see you, Bibi Zahra. My wife speaks so highly of you. Unfortunately, she’s not well and couldn’t join us tonight. I know she’ll be upset to have missed you.’
‘Please give Tahminah my warmest wishes for a speedy recovery, minister.’ Zahra delivered the words without any warmth. Sofia wondered if the minister saw this. If he did, he hid it well.
‘And this is Dr Sofia,’ Jabril said, turning to her. ‘My partner in crime, so to speak.’
‘Ah, Dr Sofia,’ Massoud said, placing his hand on his heart as he bowed his head. ‘It’s a great pleasure to finally meet you. Dr Jabril has such good things to say about you that I’m beginning to believe you are one of your Christian saints.’
‘No saint, I assure you.’
‘My wife told me you gave a rather interesting talk yesterday,’ he said, pulling down on the snow-white cuffs of his shirt.
Sofia felt as if she’d been ambushed. ‘It’s something I feel very strongly about.’ She was not about to apologise to him too.
‘You’re a very courageous young woman, I think. Perhaps, though, this is something we Afghans must address ourselves and not something our guests need worry about.’ He gave Sofia a practised smile.
‘As I was saying,’ Jabril said, eager to get the conversation away from Sofia’s talk and back to the news about the boys, ‘Taban, who I’ve already told you about, now thinks there may be even more boys missing.’
Massoud turned his attention back to Jabril. ‘Ah yes, the woman who runs the clinic in Jamal Mina. Another courageous woman.’
‘Yes, that’s her,’ Jabril said, sounding flustered. ‘She also said that a man has been seen hanging around the boys of late near the pump house. I think it’s imperative that we act quickly and find these missing boys and this man.’
‘I agree. Have you informed our friend Chief Wasim of this new information?’
‘Not yet. We only heard about the possibility of more boys ourselves a few minutes ago but I’ll tell him as soon as I can.’
‘Good. After Dr Jabril’s phone call I spoke with Chief Wasim about the one who’s your patient’s brother, I believe, Dr Sofia,’ he said, turning back to her. ‘What’s his name again?’
A waiter arrived at that moment with a tray of hors d’oeuvres. As Jabril, Zahra and Sofia examined the tray and made their choices, Massoud stepped slightly back, ignoring the waiter when he offered the tray to him. As the man moved off through the crowd to another group, Massoud leaned back in. Sofia had been watching him. It was as if someone had flicked a switch and turned the man off before flicking him back on again with the waiter’s arrival and departure. The handsome, immaculately dressed man oozed power in every considered movement and facial expression he gave to the world. Like a finely tuned robot, Sofia thought, who wasn’t used to, and didn’t much like, being interrupted.
‘Rayi,’ she said. ‘His name is Rayi.’
‘Rayi.’ Massoud offered her the politician’s smile again. ‘That’s right. I remember now. I’ll ring our chief of police tomorrow to make sure he prioritises this investigation. Now, unfortunately, I have duties tonight I must attend to. Sometimes,’ he said, bathing them all in the glory of his smile, ‘I think it was easier being an ordinary citizen.’
And when would that have been, Sofia was thinking as the minister turned to her again. ‘I do admire your courage, Dr Sofia. Perhaps you have an admirable disregard for danger.’
Sofia could feel her shackles rising, but before she could respond, Jabril spoke. ‘We’ve already told Dr Sofia she must be careful.’
‘Wise counsel I suggest you take, Dr Sofia. Now, if you’ll excuse me.’
Massoud bowed before turning and walking away, the two men who had been standing slightly apart from their group also turning and following him.
‘There,’ said Jabril happily, ‘the minister’s on our side.’
‘He just threatened Sofia!’ Zahra sounded outraged.
‘Nonsense.’
‘None so blind …’ his wife hissed under her breath as she shook her head. ‘A leopard doesn’t change its spots, Jabril. I’m suspicious of what he thinks he can get out of this.’
Sofia felt a light touch on her elbow and turned to see Daniel. ‘I hope I’m not interrupting,’ he said. After making introductions, they talked about his visit that day to Jamal Mina until the guests were requested to find their seats. The speeches and auction were about to begin. With Jabril slipping away to his seat on the stage and Daniel and Sofia about to separate to their allotted seats, he asked if she would like to join him for a drink after the function, agreeing to meet in the Char Chata Lounge rather than try to find each other in the crowd when the auction finished.
‘So that was your mysterious man from the UN. I can certainly
