Page 80 of The Next Mrs. Parrish

All at once the tension of the last thirty-six hours swept over Amber in what felt like a tidal wave of exhaustion. She set the alarm for fivea.m.and then fell into bed. She was asleep within five minutes.

—

When Amber awoke at five, the house was still quiet. Jax usually slept until seven or seven thirty, so she had time. Daphne was on the run and Jackson was in Dallas. What did that mean for Amber? It seemed to her that nothing good would come from her hanging around. She needed to get out of this house and out of Bishops Harbor. In fact, the smart thing for her to do was to get the hell out of the country. After making herself a strong cup of coffee, she retrieved her and Jax’s passports, stuffing them into her handbag.Taking their son would be a delicious kick in the balls for Jackson. Next, she packed a carry-on with only necessities. She’d add just a few of Jax’s things as soon as he woke up. There’d be time and money to buy whatever they needed or wanted at the other end.

After a second cup of coffee, Amber booked two first-class tickets to the Maldives on Qatar Airways for nine thirty tonight. It was a twenty-five-hour trip with one stop in Doha, and then she’d plan her new life. She’d change her name to something like Juliette de Vere or Emmeline Percy or something equally fitting. With the right amount of cash, it would be no problem to obtain counterfeit credentials. From there she would decide on the location of her new home. Perhaps Geneva or maybe Florence. Amber’s imagination was already weaving the threads of her new persona into her head. She would be the beautiful young American widow, grieving the loss of her husband and caring for her dear little son. She could picture it all, like a classic scene from a great movie, with Amber the star.

There was just one more thing to do before she and Jax left. The three pink diamonds Jackson didn’t know she’d kept. Opening the box of tampons, she pulled the cotton out by the string and dumped them onto the palm of her hand. A feeling of satisfaction surged through her. Despite Jackson screwing her out of the money she’d invested in Daisy Ann’s company, she still had these. When the time was right, she’d sell them, three of the most precious of the stash, and then she’d never, ever have to worry about money again.

– 50 –

DAPHNE

I look at Daisy Ann in shock. I thought she was helping me. “What did you do?” I say, my voice shaking. She doesn’t answer me as Jackson strides into the house.

The girls stand behind me; I square my shouldersup.

He sneers at me. “Did you really think you’d get away with it?” He shakes his head and lowers his voice, leaning in to whisper in my ear. “You are going to pay for what you did back at the house.”

I glance over at Daisy Ann and see she’s texting something on her phone.

“Dad, that’s enough!” Tallulah comes to my side, her eyes blazing. “We know what you did to Mom. How could you? What kind of a person are you?”

Jackson’s face turns crimson, and he narrows his eyes. “How dare you lie to my children about me.” He tries to take Tallulah’s hand, but she snatches it back.

“Lu, I promise I didn’t do anything. I told you Mom has problems she—”

“Stop it. I know you’re lying. I’m not a baby, and I don’t believe anything you say.”

I take a step toward him, putting myself between Tallulah and him. “I have a recording where you admitted what you did. My lawyers are straightening everything out. You’re the one who’s going to pay for what you did.”

He pokes a finger at my shoulder. “You’re going to prison for kidnapping. The FBI agents are on their way. Right, Daisy Ann?”

“I’m afraid so.”

As if on cue, there’s a knock at the door. Daisy Ann opens it, and four federal agents barge in and flash their badges.

“FBI. We’re here from the fugitive task force.”

“Come in,” she says.

Jackson smiles at me. “Say bye-bye, Daphne.”

The taller of the two walks up to me. “Daphne Parrish?”

“Yes,”

“I’m Agent Preston; your ex-husband is accusing you of parental kidnapping.”

“Leave my mom alone,” Bella cries and rushes in front ofme.

Preston nods toward the two men still standing at the door. One of them walks over to Jackson.

“Jackson Parrish?”

“Yes, and let’s get this over with. Arrest her so I can take my children home.”

“Sir, you’re the one who’s under arrest.”

---