Hushed Confessions | ✔

{10} Oh, Brother

Malik Idris

I knocked on the door to Sajdaa's home. Sajdaa tensed behind me as a man opened the door. He was young and about my age. He had a strong jaw that clenched at the sight of me. I could see the similarities between Sajdaa and him. His eyes narrowed at me.

"Who are you?" he asked.

I took out my police ID. "I'm Officer Malik. I need to talk to Miss Taha's guardians," I demanded in an authoritative voice.

I didn't have time for an overprotective brother stopping this investigation. Sajdaa's safety was my first priority. After seeing Dylan's body, Nathan and I concluded that it was a serial killer. Sajdaa obviously was on the killer's most wanted list, which meant we had to protect her.

I couldn't figure out what Sajdaa had done in the past to have irked such a dangerous person to attempt to kill her. Fucking hell, she was only seventeen years old. There isn't much she could have done in her seventeen years of existence.

Sajdaa's brother moved away from the door to let us in. As Sajdaa walked through the door, her brother grabbed her arm to whisper in her ear. Sajdaa's face was impassive as she nodded. Sajdaa disappeared somewhere in the house, leaving me alone with her brother. His dark brown eyes examined me. I kept my expression stern as I took a seat across from him.

"I'm Ridwan, Sajdaa's older brother," he offered a hand to me.

I shook hands with him before speaking. "I'm sure you are aware that Sajdaa was taken from school and into police custody."

He frowned, "My sister isn't a criminal-"

"Believe me, sir, I know," I chuckled. "She was only there for interrogation because her classmate went missing."

He raised his brows at me. "Why does that mean Sajdaa has to be in question?"

"I'm sure you're aware of the notes she has been getting."

"Oh you mean how you police officers didn't take it seriously?" he snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sir, insulting the police department is not in your best interest."

"My best interest," he emphasized, "is the protection of my little sister. If the police force are incapable of that then I'm going to make them regret ever doubting Sajdaa."

"Is that a threat?" I glared.

Sajdaa's older brother was beginning to get on my nerves. I understood his concern, but it was a major insult to the police force to be told that we were incapable of protecting a seventeen year old. I would never let any harm come to her. I would never be able to live with myself.

Ridwan opened his mouth, but closed it as the door opened. An elderly man, who looked like he was in his fifties, came through the door. His eyes widened as he saw my police uniform. Instantly, with a hand gripping the doorknob, he desperately looked at his son.

"Where is Sajdaa?" he asked.

Ridwan waved his father off. "With Mom."

The man let out a breath of relief before mumbling, "Alhamdulillah (thanks to God), she's okay."

I felt myself stiffened at the name 'Allah.' I was not a completely oblivious to Muslim culture. I had grown up in a very strict religious family, but that was a long time ago. That was before my family was taken from me.

The elderly man, who I assumed was Sajdaa's father, sat next to Ridwan. He had a long black beard with graying strand in it. His hair was short and mostly black. There were wrinkles near his eyes and the corner of his lips, probably smile lines.