Suddenly, Nahil felt someone hand on his arm.
"Who's there?"he heard Cassim's voice ask.
A light turned on. Oh, no, though Nahil. He was going to be caught, there was no doubt about it, so he might as well go ahead, anyway.
"Say good-bye to this world."Nahil told Cassim.
"You!"
Nahil didn't care what else happened, he kept trying to stab Cassim.
"You don't know what you're doing, boy!"Cassim yelled at him.
"Yes I do! I've been waiting to do this for a long time!"Nahil yelled back.
"What's the commotion?"they heard a voice call out.
Now we've probably alerted the whole house, thought Nahil. But that didn't matter, as long as he achieved what he wanted. The door opened.
"Alto! O disparo!"he heard Francisco yell, pointing his gun at both of them, but Nahil paid no attention.
"Dad!"Aladdin yelled.
Francisco ran towards Nahil and Cassim, and separated them.
"Ya, hombre, ya! Ya estuve bueno. Y much cuidado con el que me de un golpe!"
He stood between them, and pulled the knife away from Nahil.
"Now what's the problem here? You, boy! What were you thinking about! I always knew there was something fishy about you!"said Francisco, as he restrained Nahil, who was still trying to get at Cassim.
"The one there's something fishy about is him!"said Nahil, pointing to Cassim.
"What are you talking about?"asked Esther. "Now what have you done! You've woken the children?"she said irritably.
Genie ran out of the room immediately.
"Yes, I think we'd all like to know, if you'll calm down, we'll listen to you, otherwise, I'm going to have to have someone kick you outside. Here, the staff shows respect to their patrones. Nada mas esto me faltaba!"
Nahil calmed down, and Francisco let go of him.
"Fine! I'll calm down."
"Thank heaven. Now why were you holding a knife? I know perhaps the man isn't one of your favorite people, I don't blame you. He's never been exactly santo de mi devocion, but that's no reason to try and murder him. Especially in his sleep! If you wanted to kill him, you could at least have had the dignity to do it up front. You're only a coward!"
"I am not a coward!"
"Why were you trying to kill him?"
"Because it's the right thing to do."
"I don't think it's right to kill anyone."
"Tell that to him!"said Nahil, pointing at Cassim. "He killed first!"
"What is this idiot talking about?"asked Francisco, looking at Cassim.
"What does he mean, Dad?"
"Oh, my!"
"This boy should be send to a doctor!"
"I don't need a doctor! I'm telling the truth. Almost three years ago."
"Three years ago, I was here, at Dzonot."said Francisco. "Nothing fancy, but…what can I say."
"He murdered my mother!"
"Wha…?"
"A murderer!"shrieked Esther.
Josefina fainted right on the spot, in her nightdress, clap, and slippers. Everyone stood speechless.
"What! Now, you're not lying, are you?"said Francisco, and he grabbed Nahil's shoulders and started shaking him. "You're positive? That is a very serious accusation!"
"I'm sure, because I was there."
"No! It can't be true!"said Aladdin. "It can't. Dad?"
"You want to know the truth?"said Francisco. "I don't know your dad, but you know, the little I know about him, I wouldn't put it past him. I mean, you can expect almost anything. I don't see why you're so surprised. I mean, where has the man been all these years? It would make perfect sense. Running from the law!"
"Um, oh, boy. Well, I always thought your dad was all right, Al, but, I don't know, going so far as to commit murder!"said, Iago, looking a little sick.
"So…you claim this man killed your mother, but how can you be sure it was the same man? I mean, well, I don't know. I don't know. I, just…I don't know. Why didn't he kill you, too, then? Or, wait, don't tell me, he could kill a woman, but his conscience wouldn't allow him to kill a little boy, so he let you live."
Francisco laughed weakly.
"He didn't know I was there. I was hiding."
"I never killed her mother, boy."said Cassim.
Nahil went to the same drawer where he had found the blue cloak, and pulled it out.
"This."he said. "The man who killed my mother wore this. And this gold coin, or whatever it is."
"The clothes and the coin don't prove anything, you know. The best you might be able to get with that, would be to accuse him of theft. He could just as easily have stolen that from the real murderer, or, another possibility would be that it was stolen, and this guy bought it, or something."said Francisco.
"No! It was him! I saw his face, I heard his voice! He was trying to steal something my mother had traded for some food. It was a scepter. A gold scepter with a blue jewel at the end. When he saw that she didn't have it, he threw her, and she hit her head and died."
"Listen, you've got a very wild imagination."said Francisco soothingly. "You probably just had too much to eat, or too much coffee, you don't by any chance drink, do you? The drink probably got to you. Now, why don't you just go to bed, and forget about this."
"I told the truth!"
Francisco knew that in all probability, Nahil was telling the truth, however, he couldn't show that he took the boy seriously. After all, this was only a boy. But what he wouldn't have given to have found him before! When he could have used the information. Now it was worthless. If he was telling the truth, it would only mean pain and misery now. Pain and misery, to Aida, her sister, her family.
"You know what, I really don't have the time to be listening to your tales, kid! I think a good lashing ought to teach you to keep your mouth shut. I've never liked this Cassim, here, but you're going overboard! And, well, look, I'm sorry, but it's your word against his, and, well, let's say his word is much more…convincing, than yours. You are only a kitchen boy. A kitchen boy with a giant imagination. Learn to write, and write novels. You'll become rich someday. I promise you that."
Cassim looked at Francisco and Nahil. He knew that Nahil was right. He had lost his temper when the woman told him she didn't have the Oracle, and had thrown her violently. He didn't know whether or not she was dead, but he had never bothered to find out. Could she really have died? Could she really have been Nahil's mother?
"I don't want to have to lock you away."Francisco was saying. "However, I'm guessing you'll have to spend a good deal of time locked in your quarters. I'll let them know when to let you out."
"No! You have to believe me."
"Don't make me lose my temper with you! I really don't want to! If I do, you'll be in a much worse position than Cassim was when you were trying to stab him! Nana, go get Aurelio, and ask him to take Nahil to his quarters and lock him there."
Clara left the room, silently. Later, she came back with Aurelio, who was carrying a bunch of keys in one hand. He took Nahil by the arm and pulled him.
"For how long, Patron?"
"I'll let you know."
"Have him just on bread and water rations?"
"You know the rules!"Francisco snapped. "Well, I guess everyone had better go back to sleep now. The show's over!"
Everyone left quietly, one by one, except Aladdin.
"Nahil wasn't telling the truth, was he, Dad?"asked Aladdin.
"Yes, I think he was."said Cassim, miserably. "I didn't mean to kill the woman. I…was upset that I had reached another dead end. It wasn't my intention to kill her."
Aladdin stayed quiet. He knew what Cassim had done wasn't right, however, he couldn't help but feeling relieved that Francisco hadn't believed Nahil. He felt sorry for Nahil, but, it had taken him years to find his father, and now that he had finally changed his ways, to lose him again.
"I'll try to see if I can't talk to Nahil, and perhaps convince him that it wasn't your intention, and convince Francisco not to punish him. That he was drunk, or something."
"You believe I didn't mean to kill her?"
"Yes. I believe you."
"Thank you, Aladdin."
"Haifa might be able to help us convince Nahil. From what I know they are good friends."
"Thank you."
"Now, let's get some sleep."
Genie was still waiting outside the door.
"So?"
"Just forget about it, Genie. It was nothing. Just a little misunderstanding, that's all. Nahil misinterpreted what he saw."
"That kid is just going crazy, I should say."Francisco said.
"I don't think he's going crazy."said Aida.
"What do you mean? You're not going to tell me you believed him!"
"Of course I don't!"
"Good thing."
"I just don't think you should have punished him so severely."
"Just trying to teach him a lesson, you know. Or would you have preferred a lashing?"
Aida didn't know what to say, and decided to forget about it.
