Places in the heart : PART III

Previously on highlander PART I and PART II


...….Lina is an Arab and not a Californian bimbo (wink at Programmer_Craig ). The tabloids are depicting gory details, defaming her character, even though she is a naturalized US citizen they keep calling her the Egyptian woman. Her story is very simple, she is a bright girl from Egypt who got a first in science, became a biochemist at home, got a scholarship for a Phd in the US because of her achievements, graduated best of her class in America, embraced the life there and loved the people and got a job offer at a prestigious research centre in LA. So this Arab Muslim woman is handling extremely sensitive material (wink wink).
Lina, meets John, an all American charming handsome and successful guy, when he can’t get her into bed with him the usual way , he expresses interest in Islam, converts and asks her to marry him . They live in an affluent part of the city, villa , swimming pool , Suv, Porsche , the whole works. They have one son Ahmad.
Everything runs smoothly until John starts to loose in business, and returns to drinking alcohol and it is hinted at even gambling; he dabbles with drug dealers too. Lina is unaware of this until she catches him drinking one day at home and he roughs her up when she tells him to stop acting like a jerk especially in front of the kid. Margaret is witness but takes the kid to his room while John and Lina are shouting at each other. Lina takes the bottle to throw it in the rubbish and John wrestles it from her hand, throws it at the window and accuses her of trying to kill him, just in time for Margaret to be coming down the stairs. He calls the police and files a complaint and a restraining order against Lina. They become estranged. At work also an older scientist colleague of hers who was passed over for promotion levels an accusation at her that she has stolen ‘sensitive weapons grade’ material , which turns out to be a false accusation when all her other colleagues stand up to him with her. Lina has moved out of her marital home to Margaret’s until her husband calms down. A few days later he comes to talk to her , apologises , drops his murder charges and they decide to go on a long weekend together to the chalet on the beach to start again. Margaret agrees to baby-sit. This is the weekend when Lina is arrested. So anyway the tabloids are having a field day with half truths. Lina is in possession of the weapon, blood is all over the place, she already was accused of trying to kill John before. There is only one hitch there is no body. But we are told , that John’s body was thrown from the cliffs the currents must have taken it far and the body must have disappeared.
Lina is facing charges of first degree murder with premeditation as we shall see unfold in the trial.

The case is becoming a high profile one as the district prosecutor and some other politician guy want this case to be done quickly to get them on track for the election. It seems regardless of Justice her case is to be expedited to a quick death penalty after all it is simple.

Lina has no lawyer yet, that’s where Bakr gets in on the story, Margaret calls him and asks him to take care of this case and she will pay for it. He decides to take it after he goes and meets Lina in prison who convinces him of her innocence. Because the case has become notorious now with the politicians taking an active interest and wanting to see her hanged at any cost, and the MSM whipping the issue even more into hysterical proportions, Bakr shoots to notoriety and of course his wife Tracy asks for more money all the time while telling their teenage daughter now that her father is a good for nothing stupid Arab man ( I don’t really know if Americans behave this way but I’m presuming that the author wanted to drive home the atmosphere .. ) .

Anyway Bakr manages to prove that John was indebted to the mafia because of his gambling habits and maybe the mafia has sent a hitman for him. He manages to bring her colleagues to the stand including the Jewish guy. However hold it there before you start crying foul – anti-Semitism etc… nooooo it’s not about the Jews. Bakr picks his defense team and among them is a polish immigrant Jews who intends to do his utmost to save Lina’s ass ( this sends another message in the series – there is good and bad in every culture and religion). Nevertheless, Bakr looses the case and Lina is sentenced to death. ....

hang on for the sequel