Page 37 of Chasing the Past

“Do you get to see your mother often?”

He set down his glass. “I do. I’m so blessed that mom and I are close.”

She tried not to react. “It must be nice to have family.”

His gaze connected to hers. There was sympathy there. “One day, perhaps you will have your own family. Children. A husband.”

Those hazel eyes that looked so much like Sashi’s. “I want to, but until I know who I am, how can I think about having a relationship? A family.”

Something came and went in his eyes before she could claim it.

Outside, the wind rattled the windows drawing his attention from her.

A tiny breath escaped. When she thought about the future and meeting someone, Eli’s face, their kiss, wouldn’t leave her alone.

Suddenly her appetite was gone.

She scraped back her chair. “I’m really tired. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go upstairs and rest.”

Eli stood as well. “No, of course not.”

She didn’t look at him as she left the room. Asal covered her mouth with her hand to keep a sob from escaping as she hurried up the stairs and closed the door to her room.

Everything that was happening was too much. Learning that Omar was a bad guy. Almost dying at his hands. Seeing that poor woman dead because someone wanted to keep their secrets.

She pulled in a deep breath and let it out, exhaustion overcoming her. It seemed the stress of the events were all catching up to her at once.

Asal went over to the bed and stretched out. Rest was exactly what she needed. And yet as she closed her eyes it was as elusive as her past. She tossed and turned and eventually slept and dreamed of trying to escape something dark and deadly. With her hand on the door she was almost free. Excitement rushed through her. Then the world around her exploded and the darkness swallowed her up.

Chapter Seventeen

“I’ve found something interesting.” Declan’s voice was a welcome reprieve from the chaotic thoughts haunting Eli.

He’d been beating himself up for asking those probing questions of Asal. His only excuse was she reminded him so much of Sashi that at times, she just about drove him crazy.

“What’d you find out?” He stood at the front of the house watching the weather as it continued to deteriorate. Eli had checked the wood supply in the basement. They’d be okay for a few days. But if the storm shut them off from the rest of the island, they could be in danger.

“I think I have a name for the person who owned the building in Kunduz.”

Eli’s attention left the troubled outdoors. “It’s not Omar?”

“No. And the name of the businessman you checked on before was an alias. The building is owned by Landon McDowell, a thirty-five-year-old businessman who has done business in Iran, Syria, North Korea. All countries the Secretary of State designated state sponsors of terrorism.”

Eli blew out a breath. He was familiar with the term. These were countries that harbored terrorists.

“And there’s another country that McDowell’s business has been focused on recently. Afghanistan.”

This caught Eli’s attention right away. “What kind of business does McDowell run?”

“He has his hands in lots of different venues, but he runs a humanitarian effort known as One World Aide. It’s based out of Oklahoma City. They supply food as well as basic needs to those who are struggling. They also provide wheat and barley for farmers to plant.”

“But you don’t believe this is a legit business effort?”

Declan was quiet for a long moment. “No, I don’t. McDowell comes from money, but he has donors providing funds for One World Aide. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get their names.”

“So, if McDowell and his people are using this One World Aide as a cover to sponsor terrorist activity. What are they planning?”

“I don’t know. I’ve dug some into McDowell’s background. His father owned several thousand acres and made it big in ranching as well as real estate. As far as I can tell, McDowell’s not political and has no beef with the government. It doesn’t make sense.”

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