Page 89 of Elusive Promise

"See, that's the problem with us. We both like to be on top."

"We actually both had fun on the bottom and on the top and on the side…"

"Like I said, we need to start reining all this in," she said, feeling more heat run through her. "The night is over."

"Is that all we get—a night?"

"I don't know, Jared," she said, telling him the complete and utter truth. "Do you?"

He met her gaze. "No."

"Until we do, let's table this kind of talk."

He nodded as he unwrapped his sandwich. "All right. You told Damon you wanted to be at the consulate this morning. I assume that's where we're headed when we get into the city."

"Yes. I may not be able to be at the drop, but I can at least talk to Anika and Kenisha. Maybe I can get their take on Ben. Anika might know more about Ben's relationship with Sara than his parents do."

"Good point," he said, as he devoured his sandwich. "There's something else I've been wondering about. I've gone over in my head what April told me right before the explosion a million times. She said the head of the group was in Bezikstan or the US, someone who had a lot of connections, someone no one would ever expect to be a supporter of their cause, which allowed him to move freely without suspicion."

"Okay. But that could be any number of people."

"It could be Raj Kumar."

"Jasmine's father?" she asked in astonishment. "No way."

"Why not?"

"Because…just no way."

"It could be his director of security, Mr. Bhatt, the man who conveniently didn't vet two men who joined the waitstaff at the last minute, the one who hired a guard on the back stairs, who disappeared."

"You make some good points."

"Or…" he continued.

Her gut twisted at the look in his eyes. "Or who?"

"Neil Langdon."

"Why would you suspect Neil?"

"Because his reactions are off. Why wouldn't he do everything he can to help find the daughter of one of his best friends?"

"To protect his son."

"But like you told him, the more Ben cooperates, the better it will be for him."

"He's not thinking clearly. He's worried."

"He's also a teacher, a professor now, a man who has access to a lot of young, passionate, ideologic people."

"Okay, you're going in a lot of different directions."

"I agree. Raj and Neil are long shots, but I like to consider all possibilities. I know those two people are not who you would want to be suspects."

"No. But let's get to the city," she said. "The sooner we start talking to people, the sooner we'll get some real answers."

As they stood up, Jared caught her by the arm. "Before we go." He gave her a long, tender, loving kiss, made even more personal by all the intimacy they'd shared. "It's still you and me, Parisa. Partners—even if we disagree."

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