Ayesha Dean The Istanbul Intrigue: Ayesha Dean Mysteries, #1

Melati Lum is a former criminal law prosecutor of major crime. With roots in Australia and Malaysia, Melati aims to help diversify the range of heroines and heroes available to readers. When she's not working on her next story, you'll find her planning her next travel adventure, reading a good book, trying to learn languages, and playing with her two fluffy, hypoallergenic cats. She lives in Adelaide, Australia with her family.

Ayesha Dean

The Istanbul Intrigue

MELATI LUM

Melby Rose Publishing

Ayesha Dean

The Istanbul Intrigue

Revised Edition, 2021

First published in 2016 by Melby Rose Publishing

Copyright © Melati Lum

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the Publisher except where permitted by law.

Cover design and illustration by Try M Hidayah.

Melby Rose Publishing, Adelaide, Australia.

www.melatilum.com.au

Dedicated to those who love solving mysteries and eating Turkish kebabs. Sometimes at the same time…

CHAPTER ONE

Ayesha Dean had an inkling she might be a little crazy. Here she was, dressed in her usual turban-style hijab (blue today), soft skinny jeans, and an oversized knit coming to mid-thigh. Nothing unusual about that, but she was also running at top speed through a crowded airport, in a place where that was a dumb thing to do. Especially dumb for a person in a hijab, Ayesha thought. Wouldn’t want to be tasered before a trip. But when Ayesha had heard a man shout, Hey! He’s taken my daughter’s bag!, she couldn’t help but get involved.

Ayesha had turned towards the man’s voice and had seen a large crowd of people walking in the general direction of the boarding gates. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, and Ayesha remembered the airport announcement that there’d been a gate change. She’d noticed one young man in the middle of the crowd who kept looking behind him. Something about his demeanour made her think he might have had something to hide. A little further ahead, the man who’d shouted was pointing to the shifty-looking youth. Suddenly, the youth began to run away towards one of the exits. Ayesha dropped her bags and ran to intercept him.

He was now moving very quickly, but Ayesha was fast. She detoured past a row of seats and angled towards him. His eyes widened the moment he saw her, but it was too late for him to change direction.

Ayesha stuck her leg out at just the right moment to trip him. The force of his momentum sent him flying a few metres into the air before he landed on his stomach with a thud on the ground. The bag he’d been holding went skidding along the floor. Ayesha immediately placed her knee into his back and expertly executed a martial arts hold, manoeuvring his arm behind his back.

The offender was only about fifteen.

Ow! Let me go! he pleaded. I was just playing a joke. I wasn’t really gonna take anything! He unwittingly looked towards the bag he’d just stolen. It was a pink-and-white laptop case with a fluffy zipper tag.

"Yeah, right, Ayesha said. You know, you really shouldn’t be doing this type of thing."

In a few short moments, airport security relieved Ayesha of her burden. An officer from the Australian Federal Police took a statement from her as well as her details. She was thinking of becoming a detective one day. But she wanted to do some studying and travel the world first. In the meantime, her training in taekwondo seemed to be coming in handy.

Are you alright, Ayesh? That was so awesome! Jess, one of Ayesha’s two best friends, was holding Ayesha’s backpack out to her.

Her other best friend, Sara, was standing off to her side. Yeah, I loved that side kick, trip thing you did with your foot. Maybe I should start training too. She tried to mimic Ayesha’s tripping action with her foot.

Ayesha laughed. Thanks, guys. You know I’d love it if you started training with me. But OMG we have to get to our plane right now!

Ayesha, Sara, and Jess had all recently turned sixteen and were in their second-to-last year at high school. They were now on holiday, and were travelling together to Istanbul, Turkey, for the first time. A few months earlier, Ayesha’s uncle, Dave, had announced he had a work conference to attend in Istanbul, and Ayesha jumped at the chance to accompany him. Luckily for her, Uncle Dave agreed to let her invite her best friends along too. Their parents had agreed, so the three friends had been on top of the world while getting ready for their grand adventure. The day of departure had finally arrived, and besides the minor stress of Sara’s luggage being just over the twenty-kilogram limit (resulting in some quick swapping of items into her hand luggage), the travel plans had gone relatively smoothly. Sara had dramatically thanked Christ at the counter, her Australian Lebanese Christian roots showing through. Jess had merely rolled her eyes while shaking her head, her curly, blonde ponytail swishing away. All Jess ever wore was fitness gear, which didn’t take up much space. She couldn’t understand why Sara had so much luggage.

Oh, my goodness. We’re so late and still have to go through customs! Jess breathed, as the three friends walked briskly towards the security check with their luggage in tow.

Day is probably already through in business class, Ayesha uttered. ‘Day’ was Ayesha’s pet name for her uncle.

You shouldn’t have agreed to fly with us in economy when you could’ve gone in business class with your uncle, Sara said, shaking her head. You’re crazy, Ayesh!

Sometime later, Ayesha and her friends were settled into their seats on the plane and served small packets of rice crackers and cups of orange juice.

This is so exciting! Jess exclaimed. I can’t wait to see Istanbul. I hear they even have ancient Roman ruins lying around the side of the road ’cause there’s just so much of it.

Yeah, I’m mainly looking forward to all the delicious food! Sara laughed as she wound her thick, curly brown hair into a top knot. But of course, beautiful buildings, culture, history, and all of that…

And how awesome that we can all go together! Ayesha added as she popped a rice cracker into her mouth. This is gonna be the best holiday ever.

Ayesha, Sara, and Jess had been friends since their first day at Gum Tree Grove High School, when they’d been placed together for a getting to know you session. Ayesha had worn her hijab to school for the first time and she’d been feeling a little nervous about how people would treat her. Sara and Jess had commented on how gorgeous Ayesha looked and they all instantly hit it off. From that day, the friends shared countless good times and bad throughout high school. Ayesha loved Sara’s fierce loyalty and no-nonsense attitude. Anyone who dared to make a racist joke or comment in her hearing would find themselves a laughingstock. The last bloke who’d tried anything like that at school had found Sara’s water bottle emptied over his head.

Ayesha loved Jess for her beautiful, caring nature. Jess never had a bad thing to say about anyone, which would sometimes really annoy Sara. But Ayesha appreciated Jess’s quiet strength and positivity. Jess was always the first to notice if anyone at school was feeling left out, and she’d make an effort to befriend them. Ayesha knew her friends always had her back and she just enjoyed hanging out with them.

Ayesha heard a little bell signalling the seatbelt sign had been turned off. A few minutes later she looked up to see Uncle Dave walking towards her from the front of the plane.

How’s it going back here, love? he asked. Are you guys all comfortable?

Hi, Day! Ayesha responded happily. Yes, all fantastic, thanks. We’ve got our snacks and headphones. We’re all ready for the next fourteen hours.

The travellers were going to stop in Dubai for a short transit before continuing on to Istanbul. It was going to be a long journey of almost twenty-four hours altogether.

How’s business class? Ayesha asked her uncle.

Uncle Dave let out a chuckle. I can’t complain! It would’ve been nicer if we could have travelled together, but I guess you don’t want your old uncle to cramp your style, eh?

No, we couldn’t have that, Ayesha joked. Go back to your caviar, Day! See you when we land.

Uncle Dave laughed and gave Ayesha a kiss on the forehead. He said goodbye and gave a little wave to the girls before heading towards the front of the plane.

Ayesha relaxed back into her seat and said a small prayer of thanks for her uncle. From the time she could remember, Uncle Dave had raised her as his own daughter. Ayesha’s parents had died in a car accident when she was still a baby, and her parents had named Dave as Ayesha’s guardian. He was their closest relative in Australia.

Ayesha’s father had been born into an Australian family of English heritage and became a Muslim when he was in his early twenties. He met and fell in love with Ayesha’s mother while he was travelling through her town in Indonesia. When Ayesha was born, her parents appointed David Dean, her father’s brother, as her guardian if they happened to pass away. It was her parents’ wish that she be brought up as a Muslim, even though Dave himself was not a religious man.

Ayesha had a happy childhood with her uncle and aunt in a comfortable neighbourhood called Gum Tree Grove. Every weekend, Uncle Dave would drive Ayesha to the nearest mosque, where she would learn about Islam and learn to read the Quran. Meanwhile, Dave would wait patiently for Ayesha in the courtyard and chat with the caretaker, or do some reading of his own. Dave took his obligation to fulfil his brother’s wishes seriously. Ayesha was so grateful for having Uncle Dave and Aunt Lily in her life.