have. I assure you the country has vastly improved in the interim. Miss Barksdale tells me that you're an American.'
Iris took the hand he extended. The second his flesh touched hers, a sharp pain raced through the right side of her face, as if she'd just bitten the inside of her cheek. She couldn't suppress a wince, though she recovered quickly as the pain receded to a tingle. 'Nice to meet you, Mr. Malunoud.'
Tahir released her hand. If he'd noticed her reaction, he didn't show it. 'Please, call me Tahir. May I call you Iris? It's a lovely name.'
'Of course. And thank you.' Iris smiled politely.
'Tahir is an anthropologist.' Andrea interjected, obviously not happy to be left out of the conversation.
'I am writing a book connecting the mystic traditions of my people with mystic traditions around the globe. When I heard of this conference, I knew I would have to attend.'
'You consider this an exploration of mystic traditions?' Iris asked, both intrigued and skeptical.
'Traditions are continually recycled.' Tahir answered.
'One man's shaman is another man's medium?'
'Exactly.' He motioned toward an empty table near the back of the room. 'Shall we sit and discuss this further?'
Iris glanced at Andrea, whose sharp green eyes were focused on Tahir's face. Safe enough to go with him, she thought, since we obviously have a chaperone. 'Certainly.'
The three of them settled at the small, round table.
'Andrea tells me she is a sensitive 'Tahir said, 'Are you a sensitive as well?'
'I'm here in my friend Sandrine's place.' Iris sidestepped the question. 'Sandrine Beck, Do you know her?'
Tahir's brow accordioned with thought. 'I am not familiar with the name, but there are so many people here.'
'The name rings a bell with me.' Andrea interjected.
'What does she look like?'
Iris pulled Sandrine's photo from her clutch purse and laid it on the table. Both Andrea and Tahir looked at it, Tahir shook his head, but Andrea nodded, 'I remember her. She was one of the focus groupers.'
'Focus groupers?' Iris asked.
As Andrea opened her mouth to answer, a familiar drawl interrupted. 'Canapes?'
Ins looked up at Maddox who stood at her elbow with a tray 'No, thank you' she murmured, her voice tighter than she intended.
His eyebrow twitched upward as he offered the tray of appetizers to Andrea and Tahir. Tahir shook his head, but Andrea took a couple of stuffed mushrooms from the tray.
'Can I get you something to drink?' Maddox asked.
'I'm dying for another appletini.' Andrea said. 'Tahir?'
'Alcohol is forbidden by my religion.' Tahir said, his tone gentle, as if to assure Andrea he was not offended.
'I can get you a Shirley Temple.'' Maddox drawled. 'With a cute little cherry on top.'
Tahir's gaze rose slowly to meet Maddox's. There was no humor in their ebony depths. 'No, thank you.'
'That'll be all, thanks' Iris glared at Maddox.
'Yes, ma'am' he murmured, moving on to the next table.
'Well, he was a bit fresh, wasn't he?' Andrea asked. 'I suppose hotels can't always be picky about the help they hire '
Iris was surprised to find herself angered by Andrea's remark, given how annoyed at Maddox she'd been seconds before.
'He is not a native.' Tahir murmured.
'He's been here a while ' Iris said without thinking.
When both Andrea and Tahir looked at her for further explanation, she realized she'd almost given away her prior connection to Maddox.
'I noticed him talking with one of the other waiters earlier.' she explained. 'They spoke like old friends, so I assume he's been here a while.'
Her table companions seemed satisfied with her explanation to her relief. She turned to Andrea. 'You were saying something about a focus group before the waiter interrupted.'
'Yes.' Andrea nibbled around the edge of the stuffed mushroom. 'Yesterday morning, after our first seminar session, Dr.Grinkov selected eight panelists and attendees to join him in an intensive focus group session'
'Are any of the focus group here tonight?' Iris asked,
Andrea looked around. 'I don't think so. Your friend didn't tell you anything about the group?'
'I flew in yesterday afternoon. I haven't seen Sandrine at all. I'm beginning to worry about her.' Iris confessed.
'Well, since I don't see any of the others, maybe they were moved to a different location for their part of the seminar.'
Was the answer that simple? 'Was Dr.Grinkov involved in any of today's seminars?' Iris asked.
'I didn't see him.' Andrea said. 'Tahir, did you?'
'I am sorry, I do not know him.' Tahir touched Iris's hand, and a blast of darkness rocketed through her. She struggled to keep from jerking her hand away. Her whole body trembled with relief when he removed his hand.
She tried to read even a hint of the violent emotion she'd sensed in that brief contact, but his expression was placid. Had she mistaken someone else's feelings for Tahir's?
Maddox approached with an appletini. He set it in front of Andrea. His gaze met Iris's, concern in his blue-gray eyes, 'Can I get anything for you, ma'am?'
'I'd like a glass of water.' she answered, surprised to hear her voice shake.
His brow furrowed, but he headed toward the kitchen.
Tahir leaned toward her, but thankfully he didn't touch her again. 'Are you unwell?'
'You do look a bit pale.' Andrea agreed, her tone a little too eager. Obviously, she wouldn't mind if Iris left her alone with Tahir Mahmoud.
At this point. Iris wouldn't mind it, either. What she'd just learned from Andrea could explain Sandrine's disappearance. She needed to find someone who could confirm the theory for her.
She glanced across the room, where pretty, red-haired Sharon Phelps from Minnesota sat at the reception table, talking to the older lady who'd been her companion all night. Maybe Sharon knew something about the special focus group.
'I think I'll make this an early night.' Iris said, rising from the table. 'Please give the waiter my apologies.'
Tahir rose with her, bowing. 'Delightful meeting you, Miss Browning. I hope to see you at the conference tomorrow.'
She smiled but didn't make any promises. If Andrea was right, then all her worries about Sandrine might be unfounded, and she could relax and enjoy her island vacation.
She stopped at the reception table on her way out. Sharon smiled as she approached. 'You're not leaving so soon, are you?' she asked brightly.
'I've been fighting off a headache all day' Iris ribbed. 'I have a quick question before I go. What do you know about a focus group formed during yesterday's session? I believe a Dr.Grinko may have selected the participants.'
'Dr.Grinkov.' Sharon corrected with a smile. 'Boris Grinkov. Brilliant man. He did a lot of early pioneering in parapsychology in Russia before the end of the Cold War. He's a bit of a psychic himself.'
'Dr.Grinkov.' Iris corrected herself. 'Do you know anything about that group?'
'Dr.Grinkov sometimes takes special interest in certain people and their abilities. He has some theories about synchronized paranormality that are totally fascinating.' Sharon's face glowed as she spoke of Dr.Grinkov, reminding Iris of a teenager waxing rhapsodic about a hot new boy band.
'So he might have selected some members of the seminar for a special experiment?' Iris didn't know whether to be relieved or alarmed by the idea.
'I'll be happy to ask the organizers for you. Let me see what I can find out tonight and get back to you
