Page 29 of Elusive Promise

"I know. Me, too." She took another sip of her tea, then said, "Have you spoken to Westley today?"

"He called earlier, and we exchanged a few tense words, but that was about it. He's waiting for a ransom demand. So is my father. I just don't know what we're going to do if nothing comes. I also don't know what we'll do if we get a demand. How can we be sure they'll let Jasmine go, even if whatever they want is paid? They already killed those two guards. Will they be afraid to kill Jasmine? It doesn't seem like it."

Anika was painting a dark but accurate picture. "I would try to concentrate on the positive," she said gently. "We still have hope."

Anika blew out a breath as she twisted her hands together. "I just keep asking myself what if I'd done something differently…what if I'd never introduced Jasmine to Westley, what if I'd convinced Westley not to give her the ring, what if I'd stayed closer to her last night…"

"What-ifswill drive you crazy, Anika."

"I know, but my brain won't stop going around in that vicious circle. Westley was doing the same thing when I spoke to him earlier. He's also worried that he's going to be a person of interest."

"Why would he be worried about that?"

"Isn't the boyfriend always a suspect in cases like these?"

"I guess. But the diamond belongs to his family, so I don't think he'd steal it."

"Probably not."

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously. "Do you have some doubt?"

"No, it's stupid."

"Just say it, Anika."

"Jasmine told me that Westley and his father had a big fight one day, that Westley wants to start a new branch of Larimer Enterprises, but his father has a tight hold on the purse strings, that he doesn't pay Westley close to what he deserves, so he can keep him subservient to him. Phillip is apparently that way with Westley's brother and sister, too. The only reason Phillip agreed to give Westley the ring is that it's a Larimer tradition to pass that diamond on to the first son at his engagement."

She thought about what Anika had just said. "You're suggesting that that diamond might be worth more to Westley if he could sell it? But as long as it's on Jasmine's finger, he can't do that."

"I told you it was a stupid idea."

"Actually, it would be an incredibly clever way to get the diamond for himself."

"But it doesn't make sense that Jasmine would be kidnapped."

"Not if he really loves her, no."

"It could have been a mistake. Perhaps they were only supposed to take the ring. I do think Westley loves her," Anika said, but there was still some doubt in her voice. Her phone buzzed on the table next to her, and she reached for it, reading what appeared to be an incoming text. An odd expression flashed across her face, and then she set the phone down. "I need to go into my office. Bill wants me to talk about what he can do to help Jasmine. He has a lot of investigative connections through the WNN network."

"Of course." She didn't know why Anika was lying, but she was.Had it been her boss sending the text? Or had one of the kidnappers reached out to someone who wasn't sitting next to a police officer or an FBI agent?

"I should go, too," she said quickly, as Anika got to her feet. Maybe she and Jared could tail Anika and see if she did, in fact, go to meet Bill. "Should I wait and say good-bye to your mother?"

"When she and Elizabeth get on the phone, it usually goes on for some time."

"Then I'll walk down with you."

"Let me get my coat."

As Anika left the room, she texted Jared to get the car and told him Anika would soon be on the move. She didn't know if Anika was going straight to her office, but there had been something concerning in her gaze, and if there was a chance the kidnappers had contacted Anika, Parisa wanted to find out where she was going.

She put her phone into her bag as Anika returned to the room, having thrown a beautiful wool black-and-white coat over her black dress. Her legs were bare despite the winter weather, her feet encased in three-inch-high black pumps. She couldn't help thinking that while Anika's eyes showed signs of stress, her outward appearance was quite put together.

"I wish we could have had this reunion under better circumstances," Anika said. "There's so much I want to talk to you about. I'd love to hear about your life."

"I'd love to hear about yours as well."

"When this is all over," Anika said, determined hope in her voice.

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