Page 120 of Grave Danger

There was silence on the line.

“You coached her, didn’t you?”

“No.”

“Dr. Vestry told you that Judge Carlson might invite Yasmin into his chambers and ask her to draw pictures of her family, and you coached her.”

“I didn’t tell her what to draw.”

“It sure looked that way to me.”

“No. You’re wrong. I showed Yasminhowto draw it, Jack. Her memories arehermemories. There was no one telling herwhatto draw.”

Jack understood the distinction. It was valid—but only if it was true.

“This won’t end well, Zahra. Going on the run never does.”

“And the alternative is what? Give up on Yasmin? Is that what you’re asking me to do?”

“Not give up on Yasmin. Give up onthis plan.A voluntary surrender at least leaves you in a position to fight another day.”

“We lost, Jack. Fight how?”

“The courts don’t always have the last word. Maybe we can still work something out.”

“Workwhatout, Jack?”

Jack feared that if he brought up his conversation with Farid—Ava always wanted Yasmin to live in the West—she might hang up on him.

“Let’s take this one step at a time. The most important thing I can do for you right now is help you avoid criminal charges for child abduction and keep you out of jail. I don’t know exactly where we go from there, but I’m certain I can come up with a better plan than turning you into a fleeing felon.”

She paused, seeming to consider it.

“If I do this...”

Jack waited for more, but she was clearly struggling.

“Yes?” he asked, encouraging her.

“If I do as you ask, I don’t want Yasmin to see me handcuffed and hauled away by the police in a squad car.”

“I understand.”

“I want you here when it happens. I need my lawyer with me.”

The last time he’d heard those words, he was speaking to a man on death row. Zahra’s plea affected him even more deeply. There was an innocent child involved.

“Of course. Just tell me where you are.”

“But if you betray me,” she said, her voice quaking. “If you just take what I’m about to tell you and hand the address over to the police—”

“I would never do that,” Jack said. “Never.”

Her deep sigh crackled over the landline. “Okay.”

“Just tell me the address,” said Jack.

There was a moment of hesitation, and then she told him.

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