“He’s my brother.”
“I understand that, but he broke the law and my guess is this isn’t the first time.”
Elsa’s flinch confirmed Angele’s supposition.
“It’s just the first time he’s had to pay for it. Believe it, or not, Zahir is doing Hans a favor.”
“How do you work that out?”
“The next time, your brother could have attempted to blackmail the wrong person. That person might not take legal recourse, but something far more permanent than a few years in prison.”
“But prison in Zohra.”
“Isn’t a third-world hellhole. It’s prison. With family visitation and guards who face far stricter reprisal for corruption than most other developed nations.”
Elsa’s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. “I’m not stupid. I’m not going to the media with a tell-all.”
“I appreciate it.”
“He was always yours.”
“I’ve come to realize that.”
“I deserved a chance at happiness.” Elsa meant the man she’d betrayed Zahir with.
“Yes, you did. But so do we.”
“Can he serve his time in a German prison?” Elsa asked Zahir without looking at him. “At least then, I could visit him often.”
Zahir did not answer, but Angele gave the other woman a look meant to convey her intention of discussing the matter with him. Elsa must have gotten it because she nodded slightly.
The waiter was coming with Angele’s salad as she and Zahir walked away from the table. Zahir instructed the clearly confused man to have her food delivered to his suite.
Neither Zahir nor Angele spoke on the elevator ride up to their floor. Once they were in his room, he let out a deep sigh, but didn’t say anything, either.
“Was this the State business you had to take care of?”
“No, but the other business made a good cover for handling this issue.” Zahir looked like he was waiting for something.
An explosion perhaps? Only Angele didn’t feel like exploding.
“Do you have any more work you have to do today?” she asked him.
“No.”
“Would you like to come to the Fashion Week with me?”
She didn’t think she’d ever seen Zahir looking so nonplussed.
And then he frowned. “No. And I would prefer you did not leave, either.”
“Why is that?”
“You know why.”
“Spell it out for me.”
“We need to talk.”