Why are there no photographs of it? - Because the Sheikh likes to keep his privacy
But there had to be reporters that have tried to take pictures? -Paparazzi? Not that he, Taib knew about it
The questioning went like that with the man somehow managing to stay vague the whole time. It was not really helpful, but then again what had Carina expected?
Finally, the farewell was pretty interesting as well: the lawyer asked her, for “security reasons”, for her ID card and made a copy of both sides. Now he has all my data – Carina thought. Without knowing exactly why, she did not feel good about that.
"These copies, dear Miss Hartmann, I have made so I can call you back if I have to. Everywhere and at any time.“ He paused for a moment and let the last word take effect for what it was: a threat.
He observed the reaction to his words and only then he continued: “What I would like to point out right from the beginning, is that any book, which may be written about His Excellency has to be agreed with him personally and in detail – in advance. If not, we will sue you personally, your house of publication, your publisher, the translator and whoever else might be involved in this project, until your very last Euro cent. Believe me, you do NOT want to undergo this. Do you understand what I say?” Again this was clearly a threat.
Carina did not bother to answer him and the farewell was quite cool under these circumstances.
She had to smile a little bit as the thought crossed her mind, that the necklace did not seem to have any influence at all on the charming Taib Riad. However, the amulet around her neck had been the reason why she had entered the building so easily in the first place. Thus she was mistaken about its influence… as soon as she had put her back to the assistant on the ground floor to go into the elevator, he had called the lawyer’s office to inform them about a visitor. However, she did not know that until she was told several months later.
Back out in the sunshine and the burning heat of the midday sun, she went into a café shop nearby, ordered one of those nice sweet Arabic desserts and thought about the discussion she had just had. What should she do now? There was not much news she had learned, where was she supposed to go now?
She abandoned her former plan to go to the Arab offices. Back then she had hoped to find a lead to the Sheikh, but had never thought of being so close in such a short period of time. She really had been lucky. If it was not for that damned lawyer. For a moment she really considered waiting until he left the building, in order to follow him. Though she disregarded the thought as it was not realistic. On one hand she did not think he would bring her to another person that was near to the Sheikh and on the other hand his threat still rang in her ears and she was well aware that this had not been an idle warning.
The last thing she needed was for someone to press charges against her or her boss. Her boss would immediately call her back to Munich.
1989 - Zarifa – A forlorn way
"You know that there is no other way, don’t you honey?“ Eleonora looked sadly into the eyes of her grandson. "Here you are in too much danger. Just imagine, he will find you one day. What will happen then only Allah knows.“
Rayan nodded hesitatingly. He had already packed, not that he had much to carry with him anyway.
Since his "death“ six months had passed by, which he had used to recover slowly, bit by bit, until he felt his former strength return.
What Eleonora had feared from the very first night, had proven to be right: his back was and would always be a terrible reminder of a horrible day.
But worse than the marks on his skin were the scars on the inside. His own father had not only tortured him, but had also sentenced him to death! Although the images in his mind were blurred because of his devastated state at the moment of reunion with his father, there was one thing that felt like it would be burned into his memory for eternity: that the only answer to his plea for help had been another harsh slap across his face. Of course he had no idea – and Eleonora neither – that the death sentence that day, which was to be by hanging the next morning, had been a trick of his father not to lose his face but to also gain time in order to spare the life of his son.
Rayan had just heard from Eleonora that almost all of his friends had been captured and he assumed they were dead.
Furthermore, he could not know that the man, who he had named Scarface, had been found dead. Someone had cut his throat. Everyone thought it had been one of the rebels during their flight, in order to avenge what he had done to their leader, but that was nowhere near the truth.
Therefore Rayan felt helpless and alone. Besides his grandparents, no further relatives were left. In his eyes he no longer had a father and he had no access to his brother, who was safely in Zarifa, a place where Rayan would never return.
Everything had changed with the death of his mother almost nine years ago.
He gave himself a start – to hell with self-pity. He was alive, strong and healthy. Moreover, he knew that his grandmother was right: he could not stay here any longer. Who knew what his father might do to her and grandpa Youssef if their trick was seen through? Therefore he started out all alone, scarcely three weeks after his 16th birthday, into an unknown future.
He was from now on an outcast, a man without homeland.
2014 - Dubai – A new path
What helped Carina in the end was pure coincidence. She took another taxi, which dropped her off near her hotel, right at the bazaar.
She decided to make the best of the situation: if she was hanging around here with nowhere to go, she was going to discover in more detail the treasures of the market.
Soon she was completely caught up within the turmoil and once again she could only feel fascination for this country.
When the German bought herself something cool to drink at one of the stands, she heard beside her a couple enthusiastically discussing an incident they had experienced this morning. Deriving from their accent, Carina thought they had to be from England.
As she spoke the language fairly well herself, she could not help following parts of the conversation. When she heard the words “warriors”, “riders”, “horses” and “rifles” she started to pay more attention. Soon after she asked the two of them directly what they were talking about. They were more than happy to explain: they had received advice from the bellman at their hotel, who had suggested that they make a trip to the meeting-place for caravans outside of the city. It was supposed to be a special highlight to observe the colourful happenings there, especially early in the morning.
Consequently they had heeded the advice and today they had been witnesses to the departing of a troop of riders that went on their way into the desert. However, they had not taken, as usual, camels, but instead they had ridden beautiful, Arabian horses. Someone had told him that they were the men of an important Sheikh. It had been an incredible sight – unforgettable! So many wonderful animals, in conjunction with the proud riders!
At that moment Carina was fully aware of where she had to go next …
2014 - Dubai – Unexpected help
Carina had asked the couple – who indeed came from England to spend two weeks of vacation here – how to find the way to the caravan market.
As it turned out the distance she had to cover was not really far: 20 minutes later she had arrived there.
It took her a while to find her way around the place but soon she had found out that there were two groups of people: those who wanted to sell her a one-day-excursion by horse or by jeep into the desert; and the others who were busy preparing a real caravan on the merchants’ paths to the next oasis, which would take