Then she would dream about her father.
In those dreams, she was always walking toward their front door.
Sometimes she reached it.
Sometimes the ground opened before she could touch the handle.
And sometimes she heard her father calling her name from the other side, but she could not make herself answer.
She would wake with tears on her face.
Then morning would come.
She would clean the shelter, record another observation, and pretend the dream had never happened.
The Question Imran Could Not Answer
When investigators heard Layan’s account, they faced a complicated situation.
Imran had apparently rescued an injured woman and provided the food, water, and shelter that helped her survive.
But he also knew she was missing.
He had access to the outside world.
And for three years, he had failed to alert authorities or contact her family.
During questioning, he explained that he had initially feared leaving Layan alone while she was seriously injured.
