Page 26 of Elusive Promise

"I understand."

"Are you ready to go to the hotel?"

"Sure." He closed the computer. "Before we leave—why do you think the kidnappers set up the toxin for the third floor when Jasmine had been staying at Westley's house almost every night last week? How could they guarantee she'd ever go up there with the ring on her finger?"

She stared back at him. "That came up in my discussion with the police. I don't have an answer. Although, I do believe that we were in Jasmine's bedroom. Her purse was there. She moved it from the couch to the table. I'm sure she would have gone upstairs to get it at some point, even if she was planning on leaving the building."

He nodded. "Good point. Have any other details from last night come back into your head?"

"I just remember seeing men's shoes go by. There are garbled sounds in my head, but I can't identify the word—if any were spoken. I might be imagining it. The sound could have come from my heart pounding loudly against my chest." She took a breath. "I knew—I just knew that if I gave into unconsciousness, I'd never wake up."

"Maybe that's why you survived. You were fighting." He gave her a thoughtful look. "Just like you were fighting last night when that guy was choking you."

At his words, she put her hand to her throat, and he could still see the faint traces of redness on her skin.

"I would have taken him down," she said. "I just needed one more second to get leverage."

"If you had one more second. You're not lacking in confidence, I'll say that."

"Neither are you."

He tipped his head. "That's true. I'm also a fighter. I don't quit."

"I don't quit, either. Let's go to the Clairmont. We'll have a better chance finding answers there than here."

* * *

The Saturday traffic was crazy busy. Jared maneuvered through crowded side streets in an attempt to make his way around several parades. It took them almost an hour to go about four miles, and the clock had just passed ten thirty. Every minute that passed seemed like one more minute wasted. Parisa grew increasingly frustrated. They needed information, a lead, something…

It would have been faster to take the subway, but she wasn't ready to throw herself into a big crowd just yet. There would be too many faces to scan, too few escape routes.

"We don't have a tail," Jared said, as she not only glanced in her sideview mirror but also looked over her shoulder. "I've been watching."

"Damon was watching last night, and he didn't see you."

"Damon?" he queried. "Would that be Special Agent Damon Wolfe?"

"Yes," she said, realizing she'd sounded a bit too familiar, but it was too late to take it back.

"Sounds like you got really friendly on your ride home from the hospital."

"He's a friendly guy."

"But not that good at spotting a tail."

She decided to leave that alone. Thankfully, they were nearing the Clairmont Hotel, which was tucked on a side street near the park and not far from the consulate. There was a valet in front, and Jared pulled into the line.

"You're not going in with me," she reminded him.

"I'll wait in the lobby. There's nowhere to park around here. I need to valet the car."

She didn't like it, but she couldn't argue. "Fine, but I'm getting out now. No one needs to see us enter the hotel together."

"Go for it. And, Parisa, while I know your goal is to save Jasmine, if you get a chance to ask about Ben—"

"I will," she said, cutting him off. Then she got out of the car and walked into the lobby.

The Clairmont was a five-star luxury hotel with a lobby that glittered with gorgeous glass chandeliers and sleek marble floors. There was a piano bar by the windows, where a gifted pianist was entertaining guests, some of whom were seated at cozy tables, others at the bar.

---