Kyle studied the man, taking his measure. In his sixties, the former litigator still had a mostly full head of graying brown hair, was fit enough for his age, and had a steady, piercing gaze.
“The witnesses may stand for the oath,” Stroud said, his voice ringing loudly through the embedded speakers in the wall, causing the room to quiet down.
As one, Jamie, Katie, Alexei, and Sean stood up, saying nothing beneath the bright flashes of the camera.
“Raise your right hand.” Again, as one, they did as they were told. “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
“I do,” the four said in unison.
“Please be seated. I’d like to call this hearing to order by requesting the removal of all media and press, as well as all members of the public and the government who do not hold the required security clearance to be here. This is a closed session hearing, as requested by the witnesses.”
Stroud didn’t seem happy about giving that order, but Kyle knew the demand for the closed session hadn’t just come from the Callahans, but from the president himself.
It took five minutes to clear the room of those who couldn’t be present, and that included the remaining members of the Secret Service. The panels came down to close out the media galleries as the soundproofing and electronic jammers were activated. The room felt much emptier and more isolating once the doors were closed and locked behind the last person.
Stroud cleared his throat. “Jamie Callahan, Ekaterina Ovechkina, Alexei Dvorkin, and Sean Delaney, I appreciate your willingness to appear before the committee today. I hope you are under no illusions as towhyyou are here.”
“We were subpoenaed, Senator,” Jamie replied evenly.
Kyle’s mouth twitched at that response, but he kept the smile off his face.
“Yes, to provide testimony under oath. Yesterday I read your statements for the record and I must say, they are aggravatingly incomplete. Your statements don’t address the substance of the issues at hand, namely your interactions with foreign operatives and the disingenuous use of a company that has now folded against citizens of this country and others. You all have a chance today to set the record straight. I am hopeful you will do so, but I am prepared to be disappointed, considering the breadth of pressure from numerous interested parties on your behalf to keep this hearing out of the spotlight.”
Jamie and the others said nothing.
“Root Source, Inc. is a company that you financially backed, is it not, Mr. Callahan?”
“I can’t answer that even in this closed session,” Jamie demurred.
“There is paperwork proving your financial investment into Root Source, Inc. entered into record for this hearing. Are you saying they are incorrect?”
“I can’t answer that even in this closed session.”
“The company’s incorporation documents clearly lay out their job descriptions,” Stroud pointed at the witness table to encompass Katie, Alexei, and Sean, “and your position as a shareholder. It’s in the paperwork. Are you telling me the paperwork is incorrect?”
“I can’t answer that even in this closed session.”
Kyle watched as a flash of annoyance crossed Stroud’s face. Someone in the rows of seats behind them coughed quietly.
“It is my understanding that Root Source, Inc. was formed under your guidance, is that correct, Ms. Ovechkina?”
“I can’t answer that even in this closed session, Senator,” Katie replied calmly.
It was the go-to answer all four of them had been instructed to give for every question, because every question the committee had was asked without the full picture backing the query. They didn’t know about the MDF, though some senators tried their best to bring in hypothetical third parties. Jamie and the others couldn’t answer truthfully without breaking the law on their end where classified information was concerned. Neither could they lie under oath, because if they did, they would risk perjury.
No comment, in all its many and varied forms, was still the only legal option allowed.
Obfuscation was the name of the game, but that didn’t make it easy, and it most certainly didn’t put the four of them—or Richard—in the best light.
For three hours the committee badgered them with questions. Jamie, Katie, Alexei, and Sean never wavered in their responses, but their stonewalling wasn’t appreciated in the least. Every senator on the committee panel was frustrated and beyond annoyed by the close of the session.
Kyle stayed by Leah’s side, which put him close enough to hear Stroud tell Richard on his way out that, “This doesn’t look good for you, Richard.”
Richard said nothing to that warning, face a careful, blank mask hiding an ocean of anger, if Kyle were any judge of the situation. He stayed out of the way, drifting toward where Katie stood with the others while Jamie and his family had a quick, whispered conversation.
“That didn’t go well,” Kyle muttered under his breath.
“It went as well as we could have hoped for,” Katie replied. “We’ll discuss it later.”
