Page 113 of Rescuing You

She nodded, the movement slow but unmistakable.

“Can you tell me what?”

“Something in Europe.”

“Something bigger than finding your sister?”

“Yes.”

“Where in Europe?”

“I would guess Germany?” By her tone, she wasn’t sure. “Qasim traveled there often.”

“Just Qasim, or Hasan and Waleed as well?”

“I do not know.”

“Where else did Qasim travel?”

“I do not know.”

“Come on, Jasmine. You must’ve heard them mention something. Cities, countries⁠—”

“Munich and Berlin. And London, though not as frequently. I heard them discuss Brussels. Waleed mentioned Amsterdam. So many places. But did they go there? Were they passing through? I do not know.”

“What did they do in these places?”

“I only hear conversation as I serve them. Nothing important, no business. I am not invited to listen. Not to hear and certainly not to speak.”

Bitterness tinged the words, plopping them like mud pies on the floor.

“If you had felt free to speak,” he asked, “what would you have said?”

“What would it matter? He wouldn’t listen to me.”

He. Not they. He.

“Your father?” Was Saad Fayad more involved than Jasmine had led him to believe?

By the way she blanched, she hadn’t been referring to her father but to one of the others.

“My opinion is irrelevant.”

“I don’t think so.” Michael chose a soft tone, careful not to let it slip into patronizing. “Your opinion is relevant to me.”

Her gaze flicked past him, and now only one emotion filled her eyes. Fear.

She was dying to get away. From him, right now. To run and hide.

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t back off, either.

“They think they can force loyalty.” The words came fast. “They do not understand the word. Worshipping a god who harms and then expects devotion is as irrational as men who think they can hurt people to get them to willingly follow. They are not good people. They are not like the Christians I have met, the people who risk their lives to tell others about the One True God. Allah is not like Jesus, who loves first, last, and always. Who is compassionate even when we fail. These men you asked me about—they follow a liar and live by lies. They are fools. That is my opinion, but I am not a fool, so my opinion stayed with me. Not that they asked. Or cared.”

Those were the most words Jasmine had strung together in the entire time he’d known her.

He’d definitely hit a nerve.

“What are they planning, Jasmine?”