Page 31 of Elusive Promise

"It did. But you already know everything Anika told me. Ben said that he reunited with an old girlfriend while he was abroad, but that it had ended badly, and he never should have let her hurt him again. It didn't sound like he and Sara were still together. Maybe he found out who Sara really was and got scared."

"Possibly. Anything else?"

"Anika doesn't seem to be as big a fan of Westley as her sister is. She believes Westley is taking over Jasmine's life. She even suggested that Westley might have set up the diamond theft to get money for a new company he wants to start that his father isn't inclined to bankroll."

"That's a new angle. And he had his fiancée kidnapped to get the ring?"

"It's a theory. Anika thinks the kidnapping could have been a mistake, that they were only supposed to take the ring. I'm not sure I buy any of it. But it is interesting that the ring had to be given to the oldest Larimer upon their engagement, so that was the only way Westley would have ever gotten his hands on it."

Jared stopped at a light, two vehicles back from the SUV. "Let's say that's true—where's Jasmine now? If the kidnappers took her by mistake, why hasn't she been left somewhere? It seems doubtful Westley would have the taste for murder."

"I'd agree, but two men have already died. Maybe he hired the wrong people for the job, and now he's caught." She paused, realizing she hadn't told him about the security company. "I did find out earlier today that the company hired to protect the diamond has only been in business for two months. The guards were both former soldiers, who had been dishonorably discharged. I'm not sure what difference that makes. The man in charge of hiring the company was Tim Hutchinson, director of security at Larimer Enterprises until a week or so ago when he retired and left the country after draining his bank accounts."

Jared gave her a sharp look. "That's a great deal of information to be holding on to. Why didn't you say any of that earlier?"

"I'm telling you now. Anyway, this shady company might play into the theory that Westley had something to do with the kidnapping. Westley could have been working with Tim Hutchinson."

"Someone certainly was. And I suspect Hutchinson was paid well for hiring that particular firm."

"Yes. Well enough to be able to disappear without a trace. But we don't know if that someone was Westley or Phillip or a person outside the family. I just hope that the second part of this kidnapping plan is to ask for ransom, because if a demand doesn't come, then…" She couldn't bear to finish the thought. As an FBI agent, she knew bad things happened to good people all the time, but she couldn't stand the idea that Jasmine would not come out of this situation alive.

"You have to stay positive, Parisa. There are a lot of law enforcement personnel looking for Jasmine. They may be able to locate her even without contact from the kidnappers." He hit the gas as the light changed and the traffic surged forward. When the vehicle carrying Anika turned right three blocks later, he frowned. "I thought the WNN building was in the other direction."

"Maybe she's meeting Bill at his home. I just assumed she was going to the office, but that might not be true."

"It doesn't look like she's going to anyone's home," he said, as the SUV stopped in a loading zone in front of a department store. He pulled over at the corner. "I think she's going shopping."

"There's no way she would do that today, not with her sister missing." But even as she said the words, Anika got out of the car, accompanied by the man in the suit. As they walked toward the front door of the department store, Parisa made a quick decision. "I'm going to follow them, Jared."

"Keep your phone on. Let me know what's happening. I'll try to stay here as long as I can. Or I'll go around the block."

"Got it." She jogged down the street and into the store, hoping whoever was still in the SUV wouldn't make note of the fact that she was following Anika into the building.

* * *

For a few frantic seconds, Parisa thought she'd already lost Anika. Then she saw her old friend pausing by a perfume counter to spray cologne on her wrist.

What on earth was Anika doing?

At the moment, it didn't look like she had a care in the world, much less a sister who had been kidnapped twelve hours earlier.

The man following Anika turned in her direction, and Parisa quickly moved behind a rather large man and his elderly female companion. When she peeked back in Anika's direction, she saw Anika and her bodyguard walking toward the café on the first floor. They stopped at the hostess station. Then Anika was escorted to a table while her security detail took a seat at the counter.

Parisa wandered around the activewear department that was just adjacent to the restaurant, wondering who Anika was waiting for—maybe Bill Haskins? It was the only idea that made sense.

She pulled out her phone and called Jared. "Anika is in the café. She's sitting at a table, looking at a menu, and her bodyguard is at the counter. She could be meeting her boss here."

"Okay. I had to park the car in the garage. The traffic cops were after me. I'm walking into the store now."

"I'm in the activewear department on the first floor near the restaurant. Try not to stand out."

"I think you're more recognizable than I am, but you don't have to worry."

She ended the call but kept the phone in her hand as she pretended to look at a running jacket while keeping an eye on Anika.

A moment later, a waitress set a glass of ice water in front of Anika, and then took her order. The bodyguard also appeared to be ordering something. It didn't look like either of them was in a hurry to leave. When the waitress left, Anika pulled out her phone and swiped the screen several times, her gaze focused on whatever she was looking at.

Jared came around the other side of the display wall and pretended to be looking at the same rack of clothes that had captured her attention.

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