Page 111 of Grave Danger

“You are a very suspicious man, Mr. Swyteck.”

“Why did you come to me, Farid?”

“I tried to get through to you before. I went to your friend’s bar. I spoke to your wife.”

Jack knew about the visit to Cy’s Place, where Farid had denied all allegations of abuse, and Theo had come away “not sure he’s lying.” He didn’t know about the meeting with Andie—but that was between him and his wife, along with so many other things.

“You have my ear now,” said Jack. “Talk to me.”

Farid looked off to the middle distance for a moment, then back at Jack. “If I take Yasmin back to Iran, it is not my daughter who is in grave danger of physical harm. It’s me.”

“Excuse me?”

“The regime was very unhappy with me when I filed this petition under the Hague Convention. You know why.”

Jack did, but he said it anyway. “Because it would reopen questions about Ava’s disappearance.”

“Yes, obviously. That is why they hired a new lawyer for me. Ms. Beech hijacked the case.”

“Well, hold on,” said Jack. “I’d hardly say she was trying to lose the case for you. She almost won the Hague proceeding. And shedidwin the custody case.”

“True. But make no mistake: job one was to prove that Ava Bazzi is still alive. Proving the Iranian government right was the most important thing. Yasmin and I were secondary.”

“That’s a very serious accusation for a client to make against his lawyer.”

“Do you have any idea the sums of money the Iranian government must have paid her? Ms. Beech is not the first lawyer in America to serve two masters and answer to the bigger bank account.”

More than a few examples came to Jack’s mind. “To be honest, I did wonder how much control you had over the case when Nouri Asmoun took the stand.”

“Exactly,” said Farid. “I would never have called a witness to lie about an affair he claims he had with Ava.”

“How do you know he was lying?”

Farid exhaled sharply. “I didn’t flag you down on the street to talk about that nonsense.”

“Then what is this about?” asked Jack.

“I’ve run out of people I can bargain with.”

“Bargain for what?”

Farid paused, which only added import to his words. “Ava wanted Yasmin to grow up in the West. I would like to honor her wish.”

Jack’s first instinct was to laugh out loud, but Farid’s expression was deadly serious. He was either still in love with Ava or a manipulative and sociopathic abuser.

“Then leave Yasmin here in the United States with Zahra.”

“No. Not with Zahra.”

“I’m sorry, Farid. I can’t put your wishes ahead of my own client’s best interests.”

Farid took a deep breath, then let it out. It did nothing to quell his anger.

“I’m beyond disappointed,” said Farid. “But now I understand how you and Agent Henning stay married. You two deserve each other. I shouldn’t have wasted my time on either one of you.”

He rose and walked away, leaving Jack alone at the table. Jack didn’t go after him. His mind was awhirl. If Farid was telling the truth, Jack had been right all along: the Iranian government, not Farid, was calling the shots, and the US government was spreading the same narrative for diplomatic reasons. But being “right” led to the wrong result: there was no defense under the Hague Convention for what Zahra had done.

Jack didn’t appreciate Farid’s take on his marriage—that he and Andie “deserved each other.” But maybe they could help each other. And help Yasmin.

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