“We’re not the only ones at the restaurant this time.” Ally turned to Huda and pointed out the silhouette of a lone diner seated on the bobbing pontoon.

Huda smiled tightly and started down the zigzagging steps.

“Tom told me you took a day off,” Ally called after her. “But I didn’t realize you had organized another masgouf lunch. How long have you been planning this?”

“It was a last-minute idea, my dear.”

Ally scanned the quiet riverside, then followed Huda down the pebbled bank. Nimble even in heels, Huda made it to the water’s edge first and disappeared under the awning. Ally hurried across the ramp.

“Wait up. I’m not as fast—” She paused as the pontoon swayed, feeling the river rush beneath her feet. The diner she’d glimpsed earlier swiveled toward her.

“Welcome, dear.” Rania adjusted a pale scarf over her hair. “Please, sit and join us. I ordered a round of Pepsi.”

“Rania, this is a surprise. . . .” Ally’s eyes flicked from Rania to Huda and back again. The two women were blank as freshly painted walls. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t worry,” said Rania.

“Join us,” said Huda.

Ally hesitated. She felt like an addict who’d just walked into an intervention.

“Please, sit.” Rania patted the bench beside her. “We have a favor to ask you.”

“A favor?” said Ally.

Huda and Rania traded glances. Ally slid warily onto the picnic bench.

“I guess this favor involves more than a cup of sugar?”

Rania and Huda laughed sharply. The sound reminded Ally of breaking glass.

“It’s about Khalid,” said Huda.

“Is he skipping school again?” Ally shook her head ruefully. “I’m sorry, I opened a can of worms with that one.”

“I’m glad you told me, but that is not it. I mean, it’s not . . .” Huda trailed off.

“This involves Hanan too,” said Rania.

“A favor for your kids?” The tension in Ally’s shoulders eased a little. “Sure, I’d be happy to help. What would you like me to do?”

Huda leaned across the table.

“Khalid and Hanan need to leave Iraq. And we need you to get them out.”

Ally sat very still as shock flooded her system.

“You’re kidding, right?”

Huda stared at her. Her pupils were so wide Ally feared she might fall in.

“The secret police are going to put Khalid in the fedayeen.”

“The fedayeen?” Ally gasped. “Uday’s militia?”

“They’ll turn Khalid into a monster, a murderer. I can’t let that happen.”

Rania inched toward Ally.

“And Uday’s friends want to take Hanan to his palace.” She leaned closer and put her mouth near Ally’s ear. “Did you know, Uday keeps a pack of wild dogs in a cage? And when he’s done with a girl, sometimes he lets the dogs tear her to pieces.”