Extract: The Patriot
A priceless diamond. A locked-down Tower of London. A case that could change everything. In The Patriot, the latest instalment of Ajay Chowdhury’s acclaimed Kamil Rahman series, a mysterious death and an audacious heist draw Kamil and Anjoli into a tense battle over history, identity and justice. Read an exclusive extract below.
The Night Before
The ostrich feathers in Nicola’s hat flutter nervously, transforming her into an exotic bird as she paces her living room, breath short and sharp, eyes flickering anxiously towards the windows, wary of hidden watchers in the shadows of the courtyard below. She’s in full uniform. Coat buttoned to her neck, medals pinned to her chest, sharp-cut trousers. She looks almost regal, but also oddly fragile. A child playing dress-up.
Her words are an anguished stream of panic.
‘I’m ruined. I’ve been such a fool. He’s been waiting. Biding his time for months. Now he’s found his excuse! What do I do?’
Alastair sits forward on her worn leather sofa, forearms resting on his knees, trying to stay calm for both their sakes. But his nerves are fraying with every syllable she throws at him.
‘Nic, please sit down. We’ll figure something out together. Drink your wine.’
She grips the back of a chair with such force that her knuckles go white.
‘It’s the King, Alastair! The King wants me gone. Sir William could barely hide his satisfaction when he gave me the message. Look.’ Her voice cracks as she waves a letter at him. Reads, ‘“It is with great regret that His Majesty . . .” Just like Becket. Like Cromwell. My execution’s been signed by the Crown. And my father . . . he’ll never forgive me. I had to fight so hard to earn his approval. Now I’m going to be the prize fuck-up of the family. Again.’
She goes into the study next door, slams the letter into a drawer, spins on her heel and returns, pawing at her collar like it’s suffocating her.
Alastair tries to meet her eyes as she circles past him again.
‘Nic, you’re overreacting. No one’s trying to behead you. It’s just—’
But she isn’t listening. Her gaze is locked on something far away. A place where she’s already ruined. She turns back and stabs a finger at him.
‘I should never have listened to Rohan. He convinced me to lobby against it being moved. Take a stand, Nic. It’ll be a powerful symbol, Nic. And what good did it do? It’s being moved at the end of the month anyway, and I’ve been hung out to dry.’
‘End of the month? We thought they’d keep it through summer for the tourists?’
She swivels to face him, hands on her hips. Her voice rises to a dampened scream.
‘Well, you were wrong, weren’t you? The Palace signed off on it yesterday. They don’t want it to distract from the coronation. Rohan and his brilliant fucking strategems! I could’ve done something in this place. Been someone. And now it’s gone. All of it.’ Her voice drops to a growl. ‘And it’s your fault. You and that turbaned tosser.’
‘Nic, calm down. You know that’s not fair.’ Alastair stands and raises his hands like he’s approaching a spooked animal. ‘You wanted to speak out. To do the right thing.’
Her fingers curl into fists. ‘Rohan put words in my mouth on your damn podcast! If I hadn’t gone along with it, I’d still have my job. My future. I could have kept my head down. Stayed quiet. Played it safe.’ Her breath comes faster, shallower. ‘Why isn’t Rohan here? I texted him to come.’ A dismissive flick of her hand. ‘Not you.’
‘I told you. He couldn’t make the Governor’s dinner, so he asked me to meet you, and—’
‘I have to tell the Governor.’ She’s back in her bubble. ‘And Scott. Maybe he’ll support me if I explain everything. Say I was pressured. That I got caught up in Rohan’s nonsense. You know
what?’ Her eyes light up like she’s just solved a complex equation. ‘I’ll even tell him about your insane plan. That’ll give me some sway. Yes. That’s it. I’ll be the whistleblower. The hero. Not the villain.’
Alastair feels his stomach turn in on itself. Rohan’s scheme is batshit crazy, but what will it do to their reputations to have Nicola raving about it to the Tower authorities?
He grabs her arm. ‘There was no plan! It was just a thought experiment for the TV show. You know that. You’re panicking. Think about what you’re saying. If you reveal the confidential
information you’ve shared with us, they’ll charge you with treason. You’ll end up behind bars.’
She shakes him off, her gaze shooting to the iPhone on the coffee table.
‘I’ll tell them I was playing along to expose you. I just need to get ahead of it. Beg forgiveness.’
She grabs the mobile and types in a few words. The text is sent with a swoosh. She turns to Alastair.
‘There. It’s done.’
Alastair swallows hard. He searches his brain for a solution to the mess Rohan has
saddled him with. Drawing a steadying breath, he channels his colleague at his most persuasive. Gently but firmly, he guides Nicola to the sofa and eases her down.
‘I have an idea. Remember how much you loved appearing on our Making History segment? How surprised you were to find out that Rohan and you both read history at Cambridge. And joined the armed forces after? Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. How about this . . .’
But even as he’s offering her a way out of her predicament, he knows she’s absolutely right. This is all Rohan’s fault. What kind of lunatic asks the Deputy Governor of the Tower of London to help him steal the Koh-i-Noor diamond?
PART 1
The Setup
Monday 10 April
He who owns this diamond will own the world,
but will also know all of its misfortunes.
Curse of the Koh-i-Noor
ROHAN: Welcome to Reeling in the Years, the podcast where we dive deep into history’s most tantalising tales, separating myth from reality to uncover what these stories mean for us today. I’m Rohan Gill, and with me are my co-hosts—
SOPHIA: Sophia Gill, here to add a little drama to history—
ALASTAIR: And Alastair Macintyre, your resident researcher.
ROHAN: In the first half of today’s episode, we wrap up our history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond. A saga that includes intrigue, betrayal, and enough empire-toppling to make Game of Thrones look like Downton Abbey.
SOPHIA: And in our regular Making History segment in the second half, we’ll be joined by two special history makers: Detective Sergeant Kamil Rahman, who thwarted an assassination attempt on India’s Prime Minister last year; and Anjoli Chatterjee, who has set up the first female-led detective agency in East London.
ALASTAIR: Right, let’s dive straight in. Last week we covered the Koh-i-Noor’s early history, starting with its discovery in India around eight hundred years ago. Back then, it was raw and unrefined—
ROHAN: Much like you, Alastair.
SOPHIA: Stop it, Ro! Alastair has hidden depths.
ALASTAIR: Thanking you, m’lady! By the 1500s, this fabled diamond had passed through the hands of kingsand conquerors, emerging as a potent symbol of power for India’s ruling dynasties. It found its way into the opulent treasury of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, the visionary behind the Taj Mahal, who set it on top of the Peacock Throne.
ROHAN: Which cost twice as much as the Taj to make!
ALASTAIR: Roughly one and a half billion pounds in today’s money. From there, the diamond became enmeshed in the labyrinth of courtly deception, treachery, and the relentless ebb and flow of empires.
ROHAN: Which brought us to one of the most dramatic chapters in the diamond’s story: when Nadir Shah of Persia stormed Delhi in 1739 and claimed the stone, allegedly exclaiming, ‘Koh- i-
Noor!’
SOPHIA: Mountain of Light. And the name stuck. Before that, who knows what it was called?
ROHAN: What do you think, Alastair? Big Shiny Rock?
ALASTAIR: More likely, it had some poetic Persian name now lost to history. It travelled from Delhi to Afghanistan via Persia and finally ended up with the Sikh king of Punjab.
SOPHIA: Did you hear much about the Koh-i-Noor while you were serving in Kabul, Rohan?
ROHAN: No, Soph. We were too busy fighting the Taliban to discuss jewellery.
ALASTAIR: And there it is. Regular listeners will know that Rohan finds a way to drop his Royal Marine reference into every episode. Would you also like to mention your scholarship to Cambridge and get it out of the way?
ROHAN: Well, since you went to the University of the High Roads and the Low Roads . . .
ALASTAIR: Highlands and Islands. It’s a very good uni. I’ll have you know we’re ranked second in satisfaction for history teaching in the UK.
ROHAN: I stand corrected. Anyway, get on with it. This recap’s taking bloody ages. Our listeners will be asleep by now.
SOPHIA: And that’s where we left off in the last episode. Now let’s fast-forward to 1849. The British East India Company annexes Punjab and blackmails the ten-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh into ceding the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria.
ROHAN: A blatant example of British imperialism and looting.
SOPHIA: In the interests of balance, the government’s official stance is that it was acquired legally through the Treaty of Lahore.
ROHAN: How about morally? As a British Sikh, I can tell you that view is highly dubious.
ALASTAIR: History’s written by the victors. But with our podcast, maybe we can sharpen the pencil a little, eh?
SOPHIA: Nicely put, Alastair. So, back to our story. People claim the gem is cursed and—
ROHAN: —every man who’s worn the Koh-i-Noor has met a tragic end. Even today, only women in the British royal family may wear it. Although Queen Camilla is not going to wear it for King Charles’s coronation next month, possibly to avoid controversy.
ALASTAIR: And now it sits among the splendour of the Crown Jewels, a permanent symbol of British colonial power.
ROHAN: But in recent years, there’s been growing pressurefor the Koh-i-Noor to be returned to its original home. And who knows, maybe one day soon, it will be. And that’s a whistle-stop tour of the world’s most famous diamond. For more details, check out our book, The Diamond and the Blood.
SOPHIA: After the break, we meet two people who are currently making history. Don’t go away.
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ROHAN: Welcome back to Reeling in the Years. Our guests today are Kamil Rahman and Anjoli Chatterjee. Thanks for joining us.
KAMIL: Hello, hello.
ANJOLI: Thanks so much for having us on! I’m a big fan. The Koh-i-Noor story was absolutely fascinating. I can’t believe that king hid it in a crack in the wall of his cell for months!
ALASTAIR: He did, indeed. Shah Zaman, jailed by his own brother. A mullah later discovered it hidden there. And, not realising its value, he used it as a paperweight!
ANJOLI: That’s mad! And people say history’s boring.
SOPHIA: Great T-shirt, by the way. Listeners, Anjoli’s got a top that reads, Finders Keepers: But not if it’s the Koh-i-Noor.
ANJOLI: Thanks. I designed it myself.
KAMIL: She has a whole range, actually.
ROHAN: Great, great. So, Kamil, you’re from Kolkata. Do you think the diamond should be returned to India?
KAMIL: Erm . . . well . . . it’s complicated. Technically, it was appropriated from Lahore, so Pakistan could stake a claim. Iran might have a case too, since the Peacock Throne was taken to Persia. And if you follow the trail far enough, even the Taliban could argue for it. It’s not a straightforward issue.
SOPHIA: Such a diplomat!
KAMIL: Well, I’ve applied for British citizenship, so I’m trying not to rock the boat too much!
(Laughter)
SOPHIA: What about you, Anjoli? What’s your view?
ANJOLI: Oh, it should definitely be returned. It would be a symbolic way for Britain to take responsibility and atone for its colonial depredations.
SOPHIA: Well said. Now, tell us how you made history.
ANJOLI: I’m honoured to be on your podcast, Sophia, but I feel like I’m here under false pretences. I wouldn’t say I made history.
SOPHIA: Oh, I think a British-Asian woman moving from restaurant owner to private eye qualifies. What made you decide to switch careers?
ANJOLI: I wanted to create a safe place where women could come for help. It’s a big change, but I love it.
SOPHIA: Did you read The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency for inspiration?
ANJOLI: I did! Although we have fewer hyenas and a lot more hipsters in Brick Lane.
(Laughter)
ROHAN: And how’s it going, running both the restaurant and the agency?
ANJOLI: It’s hectic, but manageable, thanks to my amazing chef, Chanson. If anyone’s in the mood for unforgettable food, come to Tandoori Knights.
ROHAN: Let’s shift gears – Kamil, tell us about the time you took a bullet for the Prime Minister of India. In doing so, you changed the course of history, didn’t you?
KAMIL: Honestly? I don’t think of it that way.
ROHAN: You’re being too modest. If the PM had been killed, it would have triggered massive riots and a political crisis. You prevented that.
KAMIL: I suppose that’s true. With elections coming up and a new opposition leader gaining ground, maybe that moment did change India’s path in ways I didn’t foresee at the time.