Read Online If You Were Me by Sam Hepburn - Free Book Online

slid deeper, probing for doubt.
    â€˜Anyone could pretend they’re from Al Shaab. Anyone could tell you these lies.’
    â€˜The caller gave us details of a foiled bombing attempt carried out by Al Shaab earlier this year.’ He kept his eyes on mine.
    â€˜I don’t understand . . .’
    â€˜Those details were known only to the bombers and the security services.’
    â€˜No . . . somebody is doing this to him.’
    â€˜Why would they do that, Miss Sahar? Does he have enemies?’
    â€˜Only the Taliban. He got away from them in Afghanistan. Maybe they came after him here.’
    He waved his hand dismissively. ‘They couldn’t stage something like this. It’s not how they operate. Now, we need you to tell us about your brother’s associates.’
    â€˜Associates?’ I glanced at Detective Callhoun.
    â€˜Friends, acquaintances, work mates,’ she said.
    I searched my head for names. ‘There’s his boss, Mr Khan, and he’s mentioned a dispatcher called Corella, and some other drivers – Steve, I think . . . and Liam and Arif, and someone called Geoff, and he talks to Mrs Garcia from the refugee drop-in centre. He used to talk to some men who live in our block, but he doesn’t like them and he told me to keep away from them, and sometimes he sayshello to Mr Brody downstairs, but he only shouts at us.’
    â€˜Has Behrouz visited a mosque since you’ve been in the UK?’
    â€˜No. He’s not very religious.’
    He stared at me hard. ‘Have you?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Are you religious?’
    I hung my head, ashamed. ‘No. Not really.’
    â€˜Did you notice any change in your brother’s behaviour recently, anything unusual?’
    â€˜He seemed unhappy, afraid . . . I . . . don’t know.’
    The look that passed between the two detectives made me feel like a traitor and I knew I was right not to tell them about the gun. They wouldn’t understand. They would think it was proof he was a killer.
    â€˜What do you think was making him unhappy?’
    â€˜He’s been through a lot. I told you, the Taliban tried to kill him, he wants to finish his studies but he can’t because we have no money, he’s worried about my mother and my sister. It’s not strange that he’s unhappy. It’s normal.’ My words sounded hollow, even to me.
    â€˜Did he spend time at any other properties?’
    â€˜I don’t know. I don’t think so. He works and he sleeps. He doesn’t have time to go anywhere.’
    â€˜When you lived in Afghanistan did he go away for long periods?’
    â€˜A few days sometimes, with the army. You can check with Colonel Clarke.’
    Inspector McGill dropped forward on his chair. ‘Ah, yes, Colonel Clarke. How does Behrouz feel about him?’
    â€˜The colonel was his boss. He respects him. He’s grateful that he’s sponsoring our asylum application. We all are.’ I was floundering, unsure what he wanted me to say. ‘He is kind, he came to our flat to welcome us to the UK and he brought us a television.’
    â€˜Do you know why Behrouz wanted to see the colonel?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜The day before yesterday he called his office at the Houses of Parliament. Clarke’s secretary said he was pushing to see the colonel urgently and that he got very agitated when she told him he was in New York. Then yesterday morning he called the colonel’s home and spoke to his wife, demanding to see the colonel as soon as he got back from the States. Do you have any idea why he was so anxious to see him?’
    â€˜No . . . I don’t know, maybe . . . maybe there’s a problem with our papers.’ I was pleased that I’d thought of something sensible and ordinary.
    â€˜Or,’ he said, and his voice grew slow, ‘perhaps Colonel Clarke was the planned target for