Page 59 of Grave Danger
“So, let me ask you this: Were you lying when you said you loved Ava with all your heart? Or were you and the Iranian government lying when you said she’s still alive?”
“Objection. Argumentative.”
“Sustained.”
Jack paused. His point had been made, and it probably wasn’t necessary to twist the knife. But something inside was propelling him forward. It wasn’t just his gut telling him that he could get more from this witness. It was his sense that Farid was more than willing to give it to him.
“Mr. Bazzi, you don’t believe Ava Bazzi is still alive, do you?”
The question, so direct, seemed to catch the witness off guard. And his lawyer.
“Objection,” said Beech.
“Grounds?” the judge asked.
“Umm... Calls for an opinion.”
“Mr. Bazzi’s opinion is pertinent,” said Jack.
“Overruled,” the judge said. “The witness shall answer.”
Farid sat up straight, refocusing. He seemed more flustered than confused. “I’m sorry, what was the question?” he asked.
Jack put the question again, even more firmly. “You don’t believe that Ava Bazzi is alive. Do you, sir?”
Long silence. Jack waited. The judge waited. Jack imagined that the State Department and the Iranian government were waiting too. The judge peered out over the top of his spectacles.
“Mr. Bazzi, did you hear the question?”
“I’m... having trouble with it.”
The judge’s gaze landed on Jack. “Mr. Swyteck, one more time.”
Jack took a half step closer.Control.
“Mr. Bazzi,” he said, his voice a little louder than before. “Thestorythat Ava Bazzi is alive: You don’t believe it, do you?”
Farid’s dark eyes glowed like embers. But if there was anger in his glare, it didn’t seem to be directed at Jack. At least notonlyat Jack. He lowered his head.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” he said, his voice weak.
It was a bigger score than Jack could have hoped for. The argument that Ava was alive and Zahra had no parental rights was Farid’s silver bullet. And the bullet was a blank. The judge would have no choice but to let Zahra put on all her evidence. To explainwhyshe abducted Yasmin.
“Your Honor, may I have thirty seconds to confer with my client?” Jack asked.
“You may.”
Jack went to the table and took a seat beside Zahra, speaking softly. “I’m going to leave it right there.”
“But what about all the things I told you last night?”
“Zahra, I could spend the next hour leveling accusations of abuse. Farid will only deny them. Worse, his denials could come across as credible.”
“Credible? How can you say that?”
Twice Jack had been warned by his best friend. Confronted by Theo at his badass scariest, Farid had denied all accusations of abuse. And Theo’s takeaway?I’m not sure he’s lying.
“Trust me on this, Zahra. It’s better to put you on the witness stand and let you make the accusations. If I put it to Farid now, we’re just giving his lawyer a preview of what’s coming, and she’ll have all weekend to prepare her cross-examination.”