Chapter 52 Amber

Jax was still asleep when Amber tiptoed to his crib. In the short time she'd been gone he looked so much bigger to her. Watching him sleep, she pondered the wisdom of taking him on this journey. There was no question that he would make everything more difficult, not to mention that Amber would be solely and completely responsible for him. At least until she settled somewhere permanently and hired a new nanny. The romantic visions of her as the doting mother were beginning to fade. On the other hand, leaving him here would make Jackson think he'd won. Just the thought of how crushed he would be to lose his precious son gave her strength.

"Mommy," Jax said, sitting up and smiling.

"Hi, monkey. Did you miss me?" she said, picking himup.

As she changed his diaper, Chloe came into the bedroom.

"Oh, you're both up. Shall I get him dressed and fed for you?" she asked.

"Yes, that would be great. I still have some things to finish up, and then I'll be down."

As soon as they left the room, Amber began to gather clothes and supplies to pack for Jax. There was a creepy sense of apprehension settling over her, and the more she thought about Jackson, the more she worried he'd set a trap for her. Why would he have gone to Dallas? It didn't make sense. He would be here in Bishops Harbor waiting for word about Daphne's whereabouts. Maybe Daphne hadn't really run away at all. Maybe she and Jackson were conspiring together to get Amber. To try and get their hands on her offshore account. Chloe could have lied for him. After all, she'd never really liked Amber. Her gut was telling her to leave right away, and her gut was usually right. She quickly took Jax's things and carried them into the guest room where she'd slept, packing them with hers.

The clock on the nightstand read eight o'clock. They didn't have to leave for the airport until six tonight, but it wasn't safe to stay here until then. She sat down, thinking what to do, and then picked up her phone.

"Remi," Amber said before she even heard hello.

"Amber. ?a va? You are back?"

"I am, but listen, Remi, I need to leave. I'm scared. I have to get away from Jackson. He's dangerous. I don't have time to tell you everything right now, but I need a place to stay. Just till tonight. Can I use your apartment in New York?"

"Of course. But tell me, is there some way I can help you? Is he there with you? Threatening you?"

"No, but he might come at any minute. That's why I need to get out of here now."

"I will call the doorman and he will let you in. You must call me when you get there and let me know you are all right. Should I call the police, Amber?"

"No, don't do that. I'm going to leave very shortly. I'll be okay. And don't worry. I'll call you when I get to the apartment."

"Make sure you do. And be careful."

"I will. And, Remi…don't let anyone know I'm there."

Amber ended the call, then went to settings, turned off location services, and powered off her phone. Now Jackson wouldn't be able to track her using Find My iPhone. Next, she emptied the suitcase and put almost all of it back in the drawers. She'd take her large Prada tote bag, which would hold enough to get them through the day, and buy whatever else they needed once she got to New York. Chloe had to believe that Amber was taking Jax out for the day and not suspect anything more, since Chloe could not be trusted either. She would tell Chloe they were going to the park, that way it wouldn't seem unusual for her to take the stroller and diaper bag. First, she'd get the cash from the safe-deposit box, then she'd leave the car a few blocks from the train station and take Metro-North into Grand Central. From there she'd get a cab to Remi's and hang awhile, maybe do a little shopping, and then head to the airport.

Jax was enchanted by the train ride and greeted every passenger that passed by with a cheery hi and a big smile. Maybe traveling with him wasn't going to be as difficult as she'd imagined. Grand Central was a noisy and crowded maze of people as usual, and Amber was thankful she'd brought the stroller. The cab ride to Remi's took just ten minutes, and although it was only eleven, the adventure had been tiring for Jax. Amber put him on the king-size bed and settled next to him, first using the bedside phone to let Remi know she was safe. Remi had offered Amber the use of her Avenue Montaigne apartment, but to Amber's vexation, that would be the first place Jackson would look, and so she'd had to refuse. Soon, she was dozing on and off, mostly off, wondering where Jackson was and if he was following her.

Jax was sleeping soundly when she got out of bed to see if there was any food in the place. When she opened the fridge, she was glad to see a carton of eggs, several cheeses, and a large container of yogurt. A bowl of apples sat on the counter. She didn't want to leave the building if she didn't have to, just in case. She asked the doorman to get her a cab for six o'clock.

The minutes seemed to drag by like hours, but eventually Jax awoke, they ate something, Amber played with him, and finally it reached the time to leave. Amber had found the waiting some of the most nerve-racking hours she'd ever endured. The taxi was waiting for them when she and Jax exited the building. Amber looked nervously around before getting in, relieved to see no sign of Jackson or Daphne. Maybe she really had run away and maybe he'd really gone to Dallas. When they got out of the cab at the airport and there was still no Jackson anywhere in sight, Amber began to relax. She was being overly cautious, she decided, which wasn't a bad thing, but clearly it was unnecessary now. Her shoulders relaxed as her apprehension eased and some of the tension left her body. She and Jax were anonymous travelers in a sea of travelers. No one was even looking at them.

They were fast-tracked through security and sitting in the lounge by 7:15, with less than two hours until boarding. She was amazed at how good Jax was being and what an attention-getter he was. It seemed people couldn't resist talking to him, and he was enjoying every minute of it. He was just possibly going to be an asset rather than a liability. He was occupied with a play telephone she'd bought in one of the airport shops. She'd also done some shopping to augment the few belongings she'd brought from the house, along with a small suitcase in which to pack them.

As she sat watching almost everyone around her glued to their phones, she was sorely tempted to turn hers back on, but she resisted. Once she was on the plane, she'd do that. And have a very stiff drink as well.

Finally, the announcement came that their flight would be boarding shortly. Amber slung the tote over her shoulder and pushed the stroller with one hand and the small case with the other. Now that she was so close to leaving, she allowed herself to get excited about the adventures that lay ahead. With a first-class boarding pass and a child in tow, Amber and Jax would be two of the first passengers to board. As soon as boarding was announced, she rolled the stroller to the kiosk and handed the agent their passports and boarding documents. The woman looked at her boarding pass and then raised her eyes to Amber.

"One moment, ma'am," the agent said and, looking past Amber, nodded her head once.

Amber turned around, alarmed to see two large men in dark jackets rushing toward her. She tightened her arms around Jax, looking around and frantically searching for a place to run, but all she saw was a sea of bodies clustered around the gate and penning her in. From the corner of her eye, she could see the men moving closer until finally they were standing in front of her.

"Amber Parrish?" one of them said as he thrust a piece of paper toward her.

"Who wants to know?" Her tone was belligerent, but she was shaking inside.

He flashed a badge. "Federal marshal. We have a warrant for your arrest. You have the right to remain silent."

There was an increasing hush at the gate and people were staring at her.

"For what? I haven't done anything," she interrupted him.

"The charge is murder, ma'am." He finished reading her her rights. The other officer took Jax from her arms, and he began to cry.

"Now turn around and put your hands behind your back." Her mortification ramped up as he slapped a pair of handcuffs on her wrists.

Amber interrupted him, trying to buy time. "No, wait. What about my baby? Do you expect me to leave him here? What kind of monsters are you, anyway? This is a mistake, I didn't kill anyone!"

"Someone from Child Protective Services is waiting at arrivals. Your child will be taken care of. You can call your lawyer when we reach the federal courthouse."

They moved away from the gate, Amber holding back tears of humiliation. People were staring at her, and she looked down at the ground as she was jostled down the long hallway and to the escalator. Finally, they reached the exit and walked through the double doors. She looked up and gasped. Standing there, a smug smile on her face, stood Daisy Ann.

"You're finally going to pay, you lowlife." Daisy Ann's eyes were slits as she spit the words at Amber.

"You did this!" She turned to the agent next to her. "She's lying. She's out to get me."

Daisy Ann shook her head. "Save it. They have you dead to rights. Plenty of evidence to prove what you did. You're not talking your way out of this one. Take a deep breath, Amber, or should I say, Lana. This is the last time you're going to be outside for a very long time." She turned and got into a limousine, putting down the window. "Oh, Amber, I hope your claustrophobia doesn't act up when you're in that tiny jail cell." The car pulled away leaving Amber standing there, fuming.

"Let's go, ma'am." The agent moved her toward the waiting car. Daisy Ann was bluffing. But how did she know Amber's real name? Her heart began to beat faster. Was it possible that they really did have evidence? No. More likely, Daisy Ann had used her connections and her money to bribe someone. There was no way she could have real proof. But this was still a disaster. Once Amber was in the system and they fingerprinted her, they'd find out her real name. She'd have to answer for what she did back in Missouri even when the murder charges were dropped, which of course, they would be. It wasn't fair. These rich assholes always getting the better of her just because they'd been born with a silver spoon in their mouth. But she was rich now too. She'd figure out a way to get herself out of this. It was what she did best.