The Ayatollah's Money

  Chapter 11 – The First Investigation

  After eight days of Laleh being AWOL from Tehran, her mother and father started to worry. None of the possibilities put forth by the family members had proven accurate, and no other ideas were even remotely feasible. The family gatherings to debate the issue were fewer now because everyone was scrambling to shore up their enterprises and keep them from going under. Her brothers, and even her father, were spending time at their businesses, actually working.

  Her father said, “Maybe we should report this to the authorities.”

  Her mother said, “You want those bozos here, asking questions? If they ask questions about her, they’re going to start asking questions about our operations. You want that?”

  “I don’t want that, but she’s gone. Where? I miss her.”

  “You miss her doing all your work, that’s what you miss.” Her father looked hurt, but didn’t say anything. Her mother went on, “I still think she’s down at the university, taking architecture classes. If she doesn’t come back in a few days, we’ll go to the Revolutionary Guard boys, but I don’t want to do that yet.” He looked glum, and went back to studying the accounting and inventory books on the table.