Page 97 of Elusive Promise

"Good, that's good," he told her. "Can you remember anything else?"

"They saidkaala kauaseveral times."

"They said the wordravenin Hindi?" Parisa cut in.

Jasmine nodded. "I don't know what they meant by it."

"Do you?" Jared asked her, as he stood up.

"I don't know," she muttered, the word feeling familiar in a way she couldn't quite explain.

"I'm going to run through the house again before the cops get here," Jared said. "You're okay?"

"Yes. Go," she said, hearing a distant siren. Turning back to Jasmine, she said, "Was there anything else that might help us identify them or figure out where they are?"

Jasmine shook her head. "I'm sorry. I want to help, but I don't know."

"It's okay. You're doing great."

"Ben asked me to let his friends work the party. I never imagined he'd set this up," Jasmine said, more tears welling up in her eyes. "Ben is like my little brother. Where is he?"

"He's in FBI custody. But he's not talking," Parisa answered.

"What do you mean?" Jasmine asked in confusion.

"Neil and Elizabeth hired a lawyer, who advised Ben not to speak."

"Which is breaking our mother's heart," Anika said bitterly. "Elizabeth was her best friend."

"Ben must be in trouble. He wouldn't have done all this if he wasn't being threatened," Jasmine said.

Parisa wondered how Jasmine could still defend Ben after what she'd been through. "Maybe you can talk him into helping us find your kidnappers," she said.

"I will do anything," Jasmine replied. Turning to her sister, she said, "How is Westley?"

"He's going to be really happy you're all right," Anika said with a tearful smile. "He's been completely distraught. The man adores you."

"His parents must hate me for all the trouble."

"They don't blame you. They were willing to pay whatever the kidnappers wanted to get you back," Anika said. "The Larimers love you, Jasmine. And, most importantly, Westley loves you. I don't think I realized how much until all this happened. I'm sorry if I ever gave you doubts about him."

"You were being a protective sister," Jasmine said. "But I should have spoken up about the ring. I never wanted to wear it. I should have made Westley understand that."

"Well, you won't have to wear it again," Parisa put in. "I doubt the Larimers will ever see that ring again."

"Maybe it was cursed," Jasmine said.

She nodded, thinking that it felt like a hundred years since she and Jasmine had first spoken about the ring in Jasmine's bedroom at the consulate.

She straightened as two police cars and an ambulance pulled up in front of the house. Four uniformed officers walked up the driveway. She put her gun on the hood of the car and moved around the vehicle to speak to them, as the EMTs attended to Jasmine.

As she identified herself as an FBI agent to the officers, Jared came out of the house. He gave the officers a brief explanation of what was inside. Two of the officers went into the house to investigate, while the other two went to speak to Jasmine and Anika.

"Did you find anything else?" she asked Jared.

"A lot of food wrappers from the restaurant Jasmine mentioned," he muttered. "It's a few blocks from here. We need to check it out."

"Damon is on his way with every other agency in the city."

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