Noon 1:00 Am
Hamid Ansari entered the police station after performing his prayers. His face was clouded with anger. He asked Constable Daniel Mercer, “Any evidence found?”
Daniel replied, “Sir, nothing substantial has come up yet that could lead us to something. But I can tell you this—Amirah and Margaret Harrington didn’t have a particularly good rapport.”
Hamid Ansari said sharply, “She’s an old, crazy woman. Focus on her sons and her husband.” His words were laced with anger, and even Constable Daniel Mercer was taken aback; there was something unusual about his demeanor.
---
Rosewood Garden – 1:00 PM
Elsewhere, Liam sat alone on a garden bench. The sky was partly clouded. Staring at a photo of Amirah on his phone, tears streamed down his face. He murmured to himself, “Despite all the terrible behavior I endured at your home, you still tolerated so much for my love. I will find whoever harmed you, no matter what, and make them pay.”
Liam then pondered who could have held a grudge against Amirah. The first name that came to his mind was Dominic. Memories flooded back—about a month ago, Amirah had told him that when Liam went to Colnbrook for work, Dominic and his friend Ethan had come to his house. Both were intoxicated, and Ethan had tried to flirt with her. At first, Amirah had laughed off their antics, thinking it was a joke. But soon, their behavior became far more sinister, filled with crude jokes and malicious comments about her.
Ethan said, “There’s no one home, you’re alone, we’re alone—why not take advantage of this?”
Amirah warned him to stay within bounds. Dominic interjected, “Btch, you don’t get money here just for handling Lydia. Stay quiet, or else.”*
Amirah, defiant, asked, “Or else what? Will you kill me?”
Just then, the doorbell rang. Edward Harrington arrived. Ethan whispered to Dominic to leave her, promising they would settle it another time. Dominic warned him, “Listen, if you tell my dad, no one will be worse than me.”
---
Saddened, Liam said to himself, “If only I had listened to her that day and taken action, perhaps none of this would have happened. Why didn’t I have the courage?” He clenched his fists in frustration.
At that moment, Evelyn Carter, Liam’s neighbor, appeared. She placed a hand on his back and sat beside him on the bench. Tears glistened in her eyes as well.
“You know, Liam, Amirah was a wonderful girl,” she said. Liam turned to her, and Evelyn looked at the sky before continuing, “I know everything about both of you.”
Liam asked anxiously, “You haven’t told my mother, have you?”
Evelyn replied gently, “How could I, Liam? I know how everyone in your house treated Amirah. She was my friend too… a sweet girl. You don’t even realize how much she endured for your love.”
Liam asked, “What exactly do I not know?”
Evelyn explained, “You know how badly your parents and brother treated her. Your mother constantly mocked her for being of a different religion, and your brother said things that perhaps I shouldn’t even tell you, to spare your feelings.”
Liam frowned, “That’s one thing, but how was my father’s behavior bad for her?”
Evelyn sighed. “You don’t know, Liam. But Amirah told me that the day Dominic and his friend misbehaved with her, she went to your father Edward for help. And instead of supporting her, he sided with Dominic. He told her that Dominic was right and that she wasn’t just here to work for money. When Amirah threatened to tell her uncle, Khalid Ansari, a former police officer, your father let it slide that day.”
Liam, tears in his eyes, whispered, “I’m responsible for this… and now, even if I wanted to, I can’t fix it.”
Evelyn placed her hand over his and said, “You couldn’t just sit here like this. If you had shown a little courage back then, things could have been different.”
Liam asked, “Then what should I do now?”
“Go. Tell the inspector everything so he can help solve this case,” Evelyn advised.
---
Liam arrived at the police station and recounted everything to Inspector Hamid. Hamid dismissed his constable and asked Liam to sit. He walked behind Liam’s chair, placing his hand on his shoulder.
“You know who I am?” he asked.
Liam flinched. “No?”
Hamid’s voice was low and steady, “The Amirah you loved… she was my cousin. I know everything your family did to her.” Leaning closer, he whispered, “Watch what I do to you and your family now.”
Shaken, Liam quietly left.
Behind the scenes: Inspector Hamid Ansari was the son of former officer Khalid Ansari. Few knew much about him, but at the station, he had built an image of a dedicated, strict, and relentless officer.
---
At Amirah’s home, Khalid Ansari and Rajiya Ansari were discussing her. Their family had always been strict. Rajiya said, “We tried to guide Amirah, but she was always stubborn, like her mother’s spoiled child.”
Khalid added, “Hamid told me she had an affair with a Christian boy… with such a girl, something like this was bound to happen eventually.”
Amirah Hussain was the only daughter of Adrian Hussain, a university professor, and his wife, a bank manager. The family lived in Jakarta, Indonesia. She was 23 and had been in the UK for only two years, where she met Liam at college. Amirah was simple and beautiful, and Liam was innocent and kind-hearted—their closeness grew naturally.
Meanwhile, Margaret (Liam’s mother) and Dominic sat together. Margaret had been trying to reach her husband Edward Harrington, but he hadn’t answered. After waiting in vain, she asked Dominic if he knew anything about the murder.
Dominic
replied coldly, “I know nothing about that sl*t,” and left.
To be continued…
Hamid Ansari entered the police station after performing his prayers. His face was clouded with anger. He asked Constable Daniel Mercer, “Any evidence found?”
Daniel replied, “Sir, nothing substantial has come up yet that could lead us to something. But I can tell you this—Amirah and Margaret Harrington didn’t have a particularly good rapport.”
Hamid Ansari said sharply, “She’s an old, crazy woman. Focus on her sons and her husband.” His words were laced with anger, and even Constable Daniel Mercer was taken aback; there was something unusual about his demeanor.
---
Rosewood Garden – 1:00 PM
Elsewhere, Liam sat alone on a garden bench. The sky was partly clouded. Staring at a photo of Amirah on his phone, tears streamed down his face. He murmured to himself, “Despite all the terrible behavior I endured at your home, you still tolerated so much for my love. I will find whoever harmed you, no matter what, and make them pay.”
Liam then pondered who could have held a grudge against Amirah. The first name that came to his mind was Dominic. Memories flooded back—about a month ago, Amirah had told him that when Liam went to Colnbrook for work, Dominic and his friend Ethan had come to his house. Both were intoxicated, and Ethan had tried to flirt with her. At first, Amirah had laughed off their antics, thinking it was a joke. But soon, their behavior became far more sinister, filled with crude jokes and malicious comments about her.
Ethan said, “There’s no one home, you’re alone, we’re alone—why not take advantage of this?”
Amirah warned him to stay within bounds. Dominic interjected, “Btch, you don’t get money here just for handling Lydia. Stay quiet, or else.”*
Amirah, defiant, asked, “Or else what? Will you kill me?”
Just then, the doorbell rang. Edward Harrington arrived. Ethan whispered to Dominic to leave her, promising they would settle it another time. Dominic warned him, “Listen, if you tell my dad, no one will be worse than me.”
---
Saddened, Liam said to himself, “If only I had listened to her that day and taken action, perhaps none of this would have happened. Why didn’t I have the courage?” He clenched his fists in frustration.
At that moment, Evelyn Carter, Liam’s neighbor, appeared. She placed a hand on his back and sat beside him on the bench. Tears glistened in her eyes as well.
“You know, Liam, Amirah was a wonderful girl,” she said. Liam turned to her, and Evelyn looked at the sky before continuing, “I know everything about both of you.”
Liam asked anxiously, “You haven’t told my mother, have you?”
Evelyn replied gently, “How could I, Liam? I know how everyone in your house treated Amirah. She was my friend too… a sweet girl. You don’t even realize how much she endured for your love.”
Liam asked, “What exactly do I not know?”
Evelyn explained, “You know how badly your parents and brother treated her. Your mother constantly mocked her for being of a different religion, and your brother said things that perhaps I shouldn’t even tell you, to spare your feelings.”
Liam frowned, “That’s one thing, but how was my father’s behavior bad for her?”
Evelyn sighed. “You don’t know, Liam. But Amirah told me that the day Dominic and his friend misbehaved with her, she went to your father Edward for help. And instead of supporting her, he sided with Dominic. He told her that Dominic was right and that she wasn’t just here to work for money. When Amirah threatened to tell her uncle, Khalid Ansari, a former police officer, your father let it slide that day.”
Liam, tears in his eyes, whispered, “I’m responsible for this… and now, even if I wanted to, I can’t fix it.”
Evelyn placed her hand over his and said, “You couldn’t just sit here like this. If you had shown a little courage back then, things could have been different.”
Liam asked, “Then what should I do now?”
“Go. Tell the inspector everything so he can help solve this case,” Evelyn advised.
---
Liam arrived at the police station and recounted everything to Inspector Hamid. Hamid dismissed his constable and asked Liam to sit. He walked behind Liam’s chair, placing his hand on his shoulder.
“You know who I am?” he asked.
Liam flinched. “No?”
Hamid’s voice was low and steady, “The Amirah you loved… she was my cousin. I know everything your family did to her.” Leaning closer, he whispered, “Watch what I do to you and your family now.”
Shaken, Liam quietly left.
Behind the scenes: Inspector Hamid Ansari was the son of former officer Khalid Ansari. Few knew much about him, but at the station, he had built an image of a dedicated, strict, and relentless officer.
---
At Amirah’s home, Khalid Ansari and Rajiya Ansari were discussing her. Their family had always been strict. Rajiya said, “We tried to guide Amirah, but she was always stubborn, like her mother’s spoiled child.”
Khalid added, “Hamid told me she had an affair with a Christian boy… with such a girl, something like this was bound to happen eventually.”
Amirah Hussain was the only daughter of Adrian Hussain, a university professor, and his wife, a bank manager. The family lived in Jakarta, Indonesia. She was 23 and had been in the UK for only two years, where she met Liam at college. Amirah was simple and beautiful, and Liam was innocent and kind-hearted—their closeness grew naturally.
Meanwhile, Margaret (Liam’s mother) and Dominic sat together. Margaret had been trying to reach her husband Edward Harrington, but he hadn’t answered. After waiting in vain, she asked Dominic if he knew anything about the murder.
Dominic
replied coldly, “I know nothing about that sl*t,” and left.
To be continued…
