Page 72 of Grave Danger

“If you want my consent.”

Zahra tried to be respectful. “The vows Farid and I chose are the same vows he exchanged with Ava: ‘faithful andhelpful.’ Not ‘obedient.’”

“Yes,” said the imam. “And we know how that turned out.”

“All rise!” the bailiff announced, stirring Zahra from her memories.

Judge Carlton entered through the side door and ascended to the bench. The courtroom settled into silence, and Zahra lowered herself into her chair.

“Counsel, you may proceed with cross-examination,” the judge said.

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

Farid’s lawyer was looking straight at Zahra as she approached. Zahra tried not to show any sign of fear or intimidation, but there was no fooling herself. It was worse than Jack had warned her. Worse than she’d ever imagined.

Chapter 25

Jack watched from his seat at the table. Farid’s lawyer was standing between him and his client—literally and figuratively.

It was unrealistic to think that a skilled trial lawyer wouldn’t land a single punch on cross-examination. The only question was how many blows the witness could take and how hard they would land. Jack had come to know Zahra well enough to realize that she was probably more nervous than she looked—and she looked plenty nervous. Farid’s lawyer seemed poised to take full advantage.

“Ms. Bazzi, you testified earlier that your sister was held in jail even after other demonstrators were released. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And Farid told you that he felt ‘responsible’ for the way the police were treating her. Was that your testimony?”

“Farid said hewasresponsible. Not that hefeltresponsible.”

Jack had covered that distinction in the prep. He was pleased to see his client sticking to her guns. But Farid’s lawyer only turned up the heat, speaking sharply.

“I want to get a better understanding of how, exactly, Farid was ‘responsible.’ Isn’t it true, Ms. Bazzi, that you and Farid had a conversation with Imam Reza after Ava was arrested?”

It was a new detail for Jack. Zahra hadn’t mentioned a conversation with the imam in their prep.

“We may have. I don’t recall specifically.”

The lawyer took a step closer, showing zero tolerance for evasiveness. “Ms. Bazzi, your sister’s arrest was the most important thing going on in your life at this time, was it not?”

“Yes, I would say so.”

“Farid and you had an important conversation with Imam Reza about your sister’s arrest, and you’re telling us now—under oath—that you have no memory of it?”

“Objection, harassing,” said Jack.

“Overruled. The witness shall answer.”

Zahra hesitated, then capitulated. “The imam came to the apartment. I was there, but the conversation was really between Farid and Imam Reza.”

“The imam wanted to know if Ava cut her hair short in London before the family returned to Tehran. Correct?”

“Yes, that sounds right.”

“Farid answered the imam’s question truthfully: no, Ava, did not wear her hair short in London. She cut her hair sometime after the family returned to Tehran.”

Zahra paused before answering, seeming to know that the lawyer was setting a trap. “Yes,” she said, her voice quaking. “I believe that’s true.”

Beech returned to the lectern and retrieved a document. “Your Honor, several weeks ago, I submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act, asking the State Department for a copy of the arrest report for Ava Bazzi. Today I received this certified copy, together with an English translation.”

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