Page 124 of Grave Danger

“Nouri, as I recall your testimony from the hearing, your affair started six months before Ava disappeared.”

“Yes. I’m not proud of it. But this was not a onetime indiscretion.”

“Shame on me as well,” Jack said cryptically.

“For what?” asked Nouri.

“I don’t often miss the opportunity to hammer a lying witness, but I missed this one.”

“Meaning what?” asked Nouri.

“You claim it was a six-month affair,” said Jack. “Ava, Yasmin, and Farid didn’t move back from London to Tehran untiltwomonths before she disappeared.”

Jack was relying on the flight information in the detailed timeline Bonnie “the Roadrunner” had created for himafterNouri’s testimony by videoconference—“Just in case you have to cross-examine Mr. Asmoun again.”

The color drained from Nouri’s face, but he quickly recovered. “Well, the affair started in London. I just told you: I have dual citizenship.”

“Yes, and you also said you got your UK passport about a year ago, right about the time you came to Miami and found Zahra. Long after Ava disappeared.”

There was only silence.

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying,” he said. “Both of you.”

“We’re not lying,” said Zahra. “Nouri is confused. There are a few... inaccuracies. Let me explain.”

“No, letme,” said Jack, as matters were coming clear to him. “Nouri went to Farid and threatened to tell the world he was sleeping with Ava unless Farid dropped his lawsuit. I believe that much: you threatened him. But the basis for that threat was a lie. You never slept with her, did you, Nouri?”

It was more of an accusation than a question, and Nouri seemed to accept the fact that Jack had left him no wiggle room.

“No,” said Nouri. “I didn’t have an affair with Ava.”

Jack’s glare shifted to his client. “Zahra, I understand that you desperately wanted to keep Yasmin. But Ava was your sister. After all she went through, the best plan you could come up with was to paint her as an adulteress? What kind of person does that?”

Zahra inhaled sharply. “What kind of person? You really want to ask that question?”

“After I trusted you, I think it’s a fair question.”

Zahra’s eyes lit up like burning embers. “Let me ask you this: What kind of mother would cut off her hair at a public protest and risk being arrested and taken away from her daughter? What kind of person isthat?”

“I’m not here to judge your sister.”

“No! Of course you aren’t.No onejudges Ava. No one questions her actions. It’s always, ‘What’s wrong withyou, Zahra?’ ‘What kind of person areyou, Zahra?’ ‘Why can’tyoube a better role model so your perfect sister can be even more perfect?’ Well, let me tell you this. Ava was not perfect!”

“Zahra, that’s enough,” said Nouri.

“She was anythingbutperfect,” said Zahra, her voice rising. “Do you want to know what she was, Jack?”

“Enough,” said Nouri.

“She was evil!”

“Zahra!”

“I’m telling you, my sister was an evil woman!”

There was a small voice from the hallway, just outside the kitchen. “Mommy, why are you yelling?”

Jack and Zahra were locked in a stare-down. Jack had seen her crack once before, and had attributed it to the stress of the case. This was different.