Page 64 of Elusive Promise

"Is Isaac here, too?"

"Maybe. Probably. I think he's the one who's setting me up. He knew I was connected to the Kumars, that I go to the consulate a lot. He has to be the one behind this."

"How did he use you, Ben?" Jared asked. "Is the group going to pin the Paris bombing on you?"

Ben's eyes widened. "What do you know about Paris?"

"Ben," Parisa said, drawing Ben's attention back to her. "We have to find Isaac. Did he talk about New York? Does he have friends here? Are there students at Everly involved in the group? We need a lead. It's the only way we're going to find Jasmine."

Ben drew in a breath and let it out. "The only place here that Isaac ever mentioned was a comedy club in Hell's Kitchen. It's called the Stone Cellar. He said his friend was a bartender there, so he used to get in for free. I don't know the guy's name."

"When did they contact you about getting the men into the party?" Parisa asked.

"On Tuesday, three days before the party. I told Jasmine not to wear the ring. I told her it was too much. She said Westley was insistent, that she had to wear it. I suggested she put it on for the announcement and then take it off right away." He paused. "Look, can you give me some money? Can you help me get out of town? I'm really scared, Parisa. I never meant for any of this to happen. You have to believe me. I love Jasmine."

"I love her, too," Parisa said. "And I'm terrified for her—and for you. I don't think you're safe, Ben. You're a loose end that needs to be tied up. I'm going to do you a favor. I'm going to make sure you're protected." She lifted her gaze and looked toward the door.

Jared was shocked by her action and quickly turned his head as three men came through the door, wearing dark suits and badges at their belts.Parisa had called in the FBI.

"You tricked me," Ben exclaimed, as the men surrounded their table.

Jared's mouth drew into a tight line, feeling the same sense of betrayal.

Parisa had called the feds while he was in the shelter.What the hell had she been thinking?They'd had an agreement—a plan. They would question Ben first, and then they would turn him over.

Clearly, Parisa had had a different plan.

"The safest place for you is in custody," Parisa said to Ben as she slid out of the booth. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it to the tall, dark-haired man with the blue eyes, who had driven her home from the hospital after the first attack, the same one who'd put her in the safe house, and probably the person she'd been in contact with the entire time.

"I recorded everything," Parisa told the agent. "He's all yours."

"Thanks," the man said shortly, giving him a sharp look.

Jared slid out of the booth, allowing the agents access to Ben.

Parisa gave him an apologetic look, but he wasn't interested in her apologies.

He'd made a big mistake playing this all her way. He'd let her get everything she needed before he'd gotten anything he needed. But it was too late to change that now.

He headed out the door, waiting outside until the agents brought Ben out and put him into a waiting black SUV.

Then he started down the street, needing to burn off the anger and frustration running through him.

Parisa had to jog to keep up with him, but he didn't give a damn.

"Jared, I had to do it," she said.

He stopped walking and glared at her. "You didn't have to do it right then. I wanted to talk to Ben about the explosion. You knew that."

"We agreed that Jasmine is the priority. And every minute counts. You can talk to Ben later."

"Oh, yeah, sure. The FBI won't have a problem letting me in to do that."

"I'll make it happen."

"You think I'm going to believe you now? I thought we were a team."

Anger flared in her eyes. "I didn't betray you, Jared. I didn't turnyouin to the FBI."

---