Page 119 of Hush

“So you wouldn’t, for example, have any idea that Vadim Kryukov’s criminal past consisted entirely of the Russian government targeting him for being homosexual? Or that he’d engaged in legitimate protests, supported by the U.S. State Department, against the Putin regime?”

“Objection!” Ballard stood quickly. “There’s no foundation to this question. Agent Payne has already answered that he didn’t ask any questions and didn’t know any details. He wouldn’t know this, and defense is verging on harassing my witness.”

Tom exhaled slowly. His gaze flicked between Renner and Ballard. Ballard was technically correct. Renner had scored points, though, sliding his information in, couched as a question. He’d exposed a whole new angle to the trial. Tom felt his sympathies rising, inappropriate emotions spreading. To be gay in Putin—or Vasiliev’s—Russia. If nothing else, Renner had shown his client to be sympathetic, a victim, an underdog.

And—dangerously—he’d highlighted a possible motive. His move was a gamble. Where was he going with this line of questioning?

Part of him wanted to know. But the law was the law. “Sustained. Ask another question, counselor.”

“What did you do when you placed my client on the watch list? What actions did you take?”

“He was put under surveillance. Secret Service agents went to him and asked him his intentions during the forthcoming Russian president’s visit.”

“And what did he say?”

“He said he was going to, quote, ‘legally and legitimately protest that bastard’, as was his right.”

Renner grinned. “Vadim certainly has a fire about him.”

Smart. Making the defendant human. Tom eyed the jury. They were hanging on Renner’s every word.

Renner continued. “And, did you ask what he meant by that statement?”

“Yes.”

“And what did he mean?”

“He said he would be protesting on the National Mall outside the Capitol when the Russian president visited Congress.”

“How did he know the Russian president was visiting Congress?”

“It was publicly available information.”

“So, Mr. Kryukov did not need to inform Bulat Desheriyev of this fact?”

“Objection!” Ballard rose again. “Calls for speculation.”

“On the contrary, I’m asking the agent’s professional investigative opinion about whether my client would have had any reason whatsoever to text what he allegedly texted.”

“And,” Ballard added. “No predicate for this line of questioning.”

No predicate. The crime had not been laid out in its entirety yet. The facts of the crime and the timeline of events were still being exposed. The text that Kryukov had sent to Desheriyev hadn’t yet been entered into evidence by the prosecution. Discussing it in opening statements was not good enough. If this was how the first hour of testimony was playing out, how would the rest of the trial go? “Sustained.” He tried to catch Ballard’s eye, but Ballard sat down immediately and reached for his notes.

Renner smiled, totally unruffled. “Did you see Vadim Kryukov at the protest on the National Mall, in front of the Capitol?”

“Yes.”

Tom’s memories surged back. Vadim, his long blond hair hanging on the sides of his face, bellowing into a megaphone. Screaming in the crowd, urging the crowd to chant more, louder, cry out to Vasiliev. The effigy, a paper doll of the Russian president hoisted aloft in a tutu, covered in lipstick kisses. Something Vadim had said, in Russian, that had made every Russian agent’s head turn.

“So, Vadim Kryukov was exercising his legal and legitimate right to protest the Russian president, and his policies, in a legal gathering before the Capitol. Doesn’t seem like he was making any move to hide his anti-Vasiliev beliefs, does he?”

“Objection! Calls for speculation, again.”

“Counselor.” Tom leaned forward, peering at Renner. Renner’s eyes shone. He knew he’d done wrong, but he was pushing the envelope, going as far as Ballard’s patience and Tom’s leniency would allow. “You can take better care with crafting your questions. This is a court of law, not a stage.”

“Apologies, Your Honor.” Another slick smile. Renner turned to Payne. “Did you know that the protesters on the National Mall that day were gay pride marchers?”

“No.”