Eliot is a former journalist who once had aspirations of exposing corruption in government and corporate America, but is now struggling after his divorce and having lost his job at the Miami Herald. He remains in Miami and runs an ad agency that is failing, but stays to be close to his son Matt, whom he sees often and remains a very important part of his life. He begins the novel overworked and underpaid, and becomes interested in Anna when he meets her at the Herk residence. He feels slightly guilty in his interest, because she is still married, but still agrees to meet her for lunch the next day. Although he could be described as frustrated by his current situation, he does the best he can despite the difficulties in trying to get his clients to pay him. He is scolded by his ex-wife when he lets their son Matt borrow the car to go to Jenny's house, which he only does because he is completely overworked and totally distracted. His desire to keep Matt safe and help Anna fuel his participation in the search for Snake and the others at the airport, and although he is not directly rewarded for his efforts there, he is hired on by a very large advertising firm as a result of an ad campaign he hated being a part of. He also marries Anna very quickly after her divorce from Arthur, and is in a much better situation by the end of the novel.
