by A M Jenner
A Heart Full of Diamonds
A M Jenner
Copyright 2014, The Electric Scroll
All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by The Electric Scroll. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the publisher. For information contact The Electric Scroll, 745 N. Gilbert Rd. Ste. 124 PMB 197, Gilbert, Arizona, 85234.
The characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and entirely in the imagination of the reader.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Thanks
Chapter One
About the Author
Books by A M Jenner
Connect with me online
Thanks
I’d like to thank J A Konrath and Marsha Ward for their timely advice.
Also, thanks to Traci, our one-time editor at the AudioBook Club, and Racer Brad, online friend and excellent “reality advisor”, for their assistance in preparing the original audio book.
Chapter One
If he catches me, I’m dead. She looked at her watch again. 6:10 AM. Marilee Ferguson shivered in the cold, waiting for the line of early check-in passengers ahead of her to move. The cold air she was breathing in soothed her headache sufficiently to allow her to keep her wits about her. She looked around, trying to see if she recognized anyone near her.
Snowflakes glittered in the bright headlights of other cars disgorging passengers trying to make their own early flights. In less than an hour, she would be on an airplane, carrying her away to safety. At least, she prayed it would be so. If Tony didn’t find her gone and chase her down before she got on the plane, she’d make it.
Finally through the line, she showed her paperwork for her own check-in and the sky cap put her checked luggage in the pile with the other bags. She kept her purse and one carry-on bag with her and hurried forward into the airport. She’d at least gotten this far, and as the tired cliché went, the words ‘so far, so good’ echoed in her mind.
She hurried through the lobby and got on the escalator headed for the gates. Just a few minutes more and she’d be through security and then, even if Tony came into the airport, she’d be beyond his sight and hopefully beyond his reach.
Her fear of being caught made her feel antsy, and stretched her nerves to the breaking point. Hurry, hurry, her brain chanted, he mustn’t catch me.
As she moved through the security check points, she saw incoming passengers moving quickly towards the baggage claim area where family and friends hailed them, the boisterous calls and greetings adding to the commotion around her. She hoped the cacophony and rush of people would help hide her until she was out of sight of the main areas of the terminal. If Tony didn’t come in the next few minutes, it would be nearly impossible for him to find her. She hoped.
At last it was her turn. She slid out of her shoes, put her purse and carry-on bag on the conveyor belt to be x-rayed, put her watch into the small bowl and stepped through the scanner.
The security guard had asked about her cell phone, and she nearly laughed out loud at the look on his face when she said she didn’t own one. He couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d suddenly sprouted three more arms and an extra nose. She didn’t tell him Tony didn’t think she needed one because he didn’t allow her any friends and her body guard only had one to receive instructions from Tony as to where Marilee needed to be next so he could drive her there.
Once through security, she picked her things up, slipped her shoes back on and all but ran down the concourse towards her gate. Even at her fast pace, she took in a huge breath and let it out in a sigh of relief. It would be much harder to be caught now she was through security. Only thirty minutes to go and she’d be on the plane.
Chapter Two
The arrest-me-red Corvette screeched its tires in protest as the driver took a corner too fast in the airport parking garage. Tony Ferguson saw an open parking space and pulled in, jamming on the brakes just in time to keep from hitting the wall. He shut off the engine and jumped out, slamming the door behind him as he ran toward the terminal. In his haste, he didn’t bother to lock the car, reasoning that the convertible top was down anyway, so a locked door wasn’t going to keep anyone out.
He was moving so quickly by the time he reached the terminal that the automatic door didn’t open fast enough and he ran into it, knocking it off the tracks. In reflex, Tony grabbed the glass door to keep it from falling to the ground, pushed it aside, and leaned it against the wall where it would normally sit when open.
He hurried toward the gates, rubbing his forehead where he’d hit the door. He’d have a bruise, and that was just one more thing Marilee owed him. As for what she’d done to his car, she’d pay, big time. A cruel smile slashed across his face as he thought of all the ways he could exact payment.
An image of Marilee crossed his mind as he picked up speed once more. Pale and thin, her huge violet eyes were almost too large to fit in with the rest of her delicate facial features. At least her lips were the right size for her face, though in his opinion their natural cherry coloring made them appear too prominent.
The almost white-blonde hair she refused to cut hung below her waist in a straight sheet. She rarely wore makeup except when he asked her, but with her natural beauty, she really didn’t need it. Just over five feet tall, his wife’s petite size complimented his masculinity and made heads turn whenever they appeared together.
Tony remembered his first glimpse of her. She was such a knockout; he knew he had to seize her for his own. She was just the showpiece he needed to help him succeed in the highly visible social scene he wanted to assure for himself.
She was such an innocent; the only way he could secure her to his side was with a wedding ring. That worked, because it guaranteed his total control over her. And for two years, it had served him well. Then, she’d found the diamonds, damn her! He’d worked too hard stealing them to just give them up.
He shook his head to clear the image. If it cost him client time while he chased her to the airport, she’d pay for that, too.
Tony redoubled his pace as he rounded the corner…and ran directly into an old woman. Packages went sailing in every direction as they both fell to the floor in a tangle, her screeching cry of dismay making heads turn in their direction. Muttering curses under his breath, Tony shoved the woman to the side and scrambled to his feet.
As he was about to start off again, the woman spoke in a loud, commanding tone which reminded him of his grandmother, whom he’d always feared.
“Young man!”
He hesitated momentarily, and looked wildly around for an avenue of escape. Several security guards were heading towards them. Tony stifled the caustic remark that rose to his lips as he looked back at the old woman.
She continued, “You come here! Help me pick up these packages. And if any of them are broken, you are going to replace them before my flight. They’re Christmas presents for my grandchildren, you know.” She sniffed disdainfully as if she looked him over and found him lacking.
Tony groaned, but the woman’s tone brooked no refusal. He saw the security officers coming closer. If he hurried on, they’d detain him to do her bidding anyway, and he’d never get through in time.
Stifling more curses, he quickly helped gather the gifts together. None of them were obviously broken. She insisted upon his name and address in the event damage was found upon opening. With a smile that didn’t dampen the rage he felt, Tony quickly handed her one of his business cards along with the last pack
age. Turning, he ran through the concourse, grumbling fresh imprecations against the holiday crowds.
He scanned the monitors for the departure gate and time of her flight. With that information gained, he broke into a run, dodging passengers. He’d had her watched for weeks. How dared she skip and make him look a fool!
Tony had only learned about the flight this morning by accident when the airline had called to inform her that the flight would be only slightly delayed due to the weather; flight 716 to Dallas. If he could just find…Ah! There it was; security checkpoint to Gate 17. If she was still in line and hadn’t passed through it, he’d have her.
He sprinted the last 90 feet and looked at the people still in the security line, but didn’t see her. The reason was obvious; she’d beat him through and was beyond his reach at this airport.
Even with good reason to catch his wife, the airport security would simply have her paged, and then she’d know he’d found out she was leaving. She wouldn’t answer the page; she wouldn’t dare. She knew he’d been having her activities closely monitored, and thought she may have guessed the reason.
Tony stood looking at the line of passengers moving through security. Damn! If he hadn’t run into that old biddy and her stupid packages, he would have made it.
Tony started making plans as he caught his breath. First, rent a car from an airport rental agency, then have his Corvette picked up with special instructions to protect the leather interior as they towed it to the dealership for the new top it now needed.
Tony could not believe Marilee had actually slashed the convertible top to ribbons, forcing him to drive in a snowstorm with the top down. Would the full leather interior need to be replaced from the accumulated snow melting? The dealership manager would give him the answer, and he’d make her pay for that, too.
Next, he’d go back to the house for his briefcase, cell phone, and the papers he’d left on the desk when he’d received the airline’s phone call. He’d have to cancel his appointments.
He’d also call Jamison, his law-school buddy in Dallas. Jamison would catch her at the Dallas airport and hold her there until he could get a flight out to join her. His hands clenched into tight fists; he smiled with great pleasure as he imagined the look on Marilee’s face when he showed up to personally escort her back home!
Chapter Three
Marilee stared anxiously out the plane’s window as they pushed away from the building. She could breathe a bit easier now that she was on the plane. She really didn’t think Tony would have chased her to the airport. Even if he’d somehow found out about her flight this morning, he wouldn’t have had the time to order the car and driver to have brought him after her.
As far as driving himself, well, that wouldn’t happen. He’d never drive his precious Corvette with the top down in the middle of a snowstorm. It was what had given her the courage to slash the convertible top to shreds – to keep him from using it to come after her. At any rate, he was too late now; she was safely on the plane.
Marilee settled back in her seat with a sigh of relief and fastened the safety belt. It had been an emotionally harrowing morning and she closed her eyes to rest. But the vibrant image of an extremely angry Tony as she’d handed him the pouch full of diamonds she’d found among the luggage she was unpacking for him was there behind her eyelids, holding her rest at bay. Would all her plans really work? Would she actually escape her husband? A shiver of fear ran down her spine.
Chapter Four
Marilee fidgeted restlessly as the plane’s wheels touched down in Dallas. She waited tensely while the plane taxied to the gate. She was very much aware Tony had friends in Dallas. If Tony had discovered she was gone, he could have called the airlines to find out where, and then called one of his friends in Dallas to enlist help. She could still get away, though, with a little luck to go with her advance planning.
Marilee left the airplane, looking anxiously about her. She surreptitiously inspected people in the baggage claim area while waiting for the luggage to appear on the carousel. No one looked the least familiar. Good.
At last, bags began to appear on the conveyor belt. Marilee spotted her suitcases and collected them. She rented a luggage cart, piled her bags on it, and headed for the exit.
As she cleared the turnstile, a hand roughly grasped her elbow. Gasping at the pain, she twisted her head and saw Jamison Parkes, one of Tony’s buddies. Blast! Another few moments and she’d have been well away. Marilee squirmed as she tried to release his hold. He increased his hand pressure ensuring no sudden moves on her part, while he propelled her forward. His grip was so strong, she was certain there’d be bruises by morning.
“Hello, Marilee,” Jamison smirked.
“Hello, Jamison,” Marilee looked at the ground, making her voice sound defeated; although she still held hope she could escape him.
“Tony called this morning. I had to reschedule clients to meet you. Tony’s gonna owe me big time…” Jamison’s voice filled with his sneer as he led her to a small waiting area. “We’ll wait here. Tony’ll be here in two hours, depending on the weather, of course.” His smile had a harsh edge to it.
“Of course,” Marilee’s dispirited voice echoed as she sat where he’d all but pushed her. She caused her shoulders droop. With an exaggerated sigh, she made sure the cart was close to her. Her mind, however, was in overdrive.
Two hours would be enough time, if I can escape Jamison. She looked around to find any assets she could work with, moving her eyes only and keeping her head still so that Jamison wouldn’t know what she was up to.
She sat still for five minutes, purposely keeping her eyes downcast, which she hoped gave Jamison the impression of utter defeat. Jamison was silent, but alert. Marilee began to fidget, and then tapped her toes on the floor. The fidgeting increased over the next few minutes and Marilee’s face took on a look of distress.
“Jamison?” Finally, she spoke urgently.
“What?” He sounded bored.
“I…I need to go to the ladies room.” Her violet eyes beseeched him.
Jamison rolled his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes. I…I didn’t get much sleep last night and I was so tired I slept all the way here and so I didn’t go on the plane. Please? I really need to go bad.” She tried to use the pleading voice of a five-year-old in dire distress.
“Can’t you wait until Tony gets here?” Jamison sounded disgusted.
Marilee bounced slightly in her chair. “I…I don’t think so.” She bit her bottom lip in obvious agitation “Please? It’s right over there.” She pointed to a nearby ladies room. “You can watch me all the way there and back.”
Jamison sighed. “Oh, all right, go! Be back here in ten minutes, or I’m coming in after you, ladies room or not!”
Marilee nodded, picked up her handbag and the smaller of the two suitcases, and headed for the restroom. She hadn’t gone two steps before Jamison was blocking her path, his hand closing over hers on the bag’s handle.
“Leave the suitcase here; you don’t need it in there,” he said scornfully.
“I…ah, yes, I do,” she hedged, desperately trying to think of a good reason to bring the suitcase with her. “There’s…ah, an item,” she said, as inspiration hit her, “that’s…ah…personal…. “
“And what would that be?” he jeered.
Marilee was exasperated. “A feminine hygiene product. Do you mind? Or do you want to hold the case while I open it and get out what I need?”
Jamison snatched his hand away, a horrified look on his face. He acted as if he would be contaminated were he to touch either hand or handle.
“Go! Just go! But remember the ten minutes. Even with…that, it shouldn’t take long.”
Marilee nodded, and crossed to the ladies’ room. She headed for the largest stall and locked the door, hanging her purse on the back of it. The stall had a baby diaper changing station in it. She opened the tray for laying the baby on and laid her suitcase on it and then opened the
case.
Yanking off her coat, she hung it over her purse on the back of the door. Turning back, she lifted out a small carry-on bag and hung it over the tissue dispenser.
Swiftly removing her pale mauve dress and slip, she donned a vibrant red jumpsuit and fastened a wide black belt around her narrow waist. Removing a large black duffel bag from the suitcase, she unfolded it and stuffed her dress and slip into it. She grabbed a short black jacket from the case and set it aside.
Marilee transferred things from the suitcase to the duffel, then folded her winter coat and pushed it into the suitcase. Too bulky for the duffle bag, the coat had to be hidden.
Now for the hard part. She pulled a pair of scissors and from the carry-on and gathered her hair up in one hand, right at shoulder-length.
Biting her lower lip, Marilee stiffened her resolve. Before she could change her mind, she cut her hair off, dropped the handful of butchered strands into the toilet and flushed it, making sure no hair had fallen onto the floor.
Marilee hated cutting it, but couldn’t guarantee her wig would stay in place with her waist-length hair beneath it. Her life depended on her disguise being absolutely perfect. Even one lock of blonde hair hanging below the wig would blow it.
The hair amputation complete, Marilee swiftly slid the scissors into her duffle bag. Once that bag was checked, there’d be no available evidence that she’d cut her hair. Pulling the shaggy remains of her hair together, she used large curved hairclips to keep it flat against her head. Donning the shoulder-length black wig, she pulled out a mirror to be sure none of her own hair showed.
Hurriedly, but with a lavish hand, Marilee layered makeup over the face she rarely touched makeup to. Things learned in her college drama class were coming in handy.
Bold colors sculpted her facial contours and darkened her eyebrows. Adjusting the wig, she was satisfied with the change to her appearance. She looked totally different from the blonde young woman who’d entered the ladies room.
