11

Jackson’s alarm went off at 5 AM. He showered, shaved and dressed, before grabbing his phone and heading downstairs to make coffee. As the coffee percolated, he glanced at the phone. Three texts. None from Nate. And one from an unknown number. He was about to delete it, but something stayed his hand. He opened the text.

Jackson, it’s Amber. Dirk has me at the hotel in Perth. Room booked under Dirk and Joanne Judge. I’m playing his wife. Help me. Don’t reply to this text, it’s his phone. Afraid he’ll kill me too as I know too much.

Jackson closed his eyes for a second, then rang Nate.

“Holmes,” came the tired reply.

“Nate, it’s Jackson.”

“It’s 5:30 AM, Jackson. Do you never sleep?”

“Sorry, it’s early.” Jackson ignored the question. Doctors, like police officers, were never off duty. Nate knew that as well as he did. “I know where Amber is. She texted me.”

“I’ll meet you at the station at nine. Wait in reception for me.”

“I don’t have time for that. Dirk Judge has her locked up in some hotel in Perth. She’s afraid he’ll kill her.”

“That makes it kidnapping,” Nate said firmly, all trace of sleep gone from his voice. “Meet me at the nick and we’ll do this properly. Give me ten minutes to get there.”

“Fine.” Jackson hung up. Leaving his coffee on the side, he grabbed his coat and keys. Fifteen minutes later, he was in Nate’s office. He showed him the text. “I have to get up there and find her. Can you conjure up a flight or something?”

“Just hang on a minute,” Nate said, reading the text again. “Perth is almost five hundred miles from here. If you flew you could only get as far as Edinburgh and would need a car the other end. Then it’s an hour plus drive.”

“And it’s a twelve hour drive otherwise,” Jackson snapped. “Amber needs me. I won’t stand here and argue the toss when some guy wants her dead because she knows too much. Those charges against her must be false. A way to find her and silence her.”

Nate held up a hand. “I have contacts in Perth. Give me a few minutes to make a call. Wake some of them up.” He opened a card file on his desk and picked out a card. He dialed quickly. “Craig, it’s Nate Holmes. Sorry for the early call, but this is important.”

Jackson paced to the window, looking out over the dark streets. Amber didn’t have time to waste. Not if this Dirk wanted her dead. The only thing he couldn’t work out was why take her to Scotland to kill her? He spun around as Nate ended the call. “Well?”

“He’ll make enquires.”

“What in tarnation use is that?” Jackson demanded. “I need to get up there. Did you speak to Austin?”

Nate nodded. “Yes. Theft is a serious accusation.”

“She didn’t steal anything. She wouldn’t do that.”

“You’ve known her three weeks.”

“I know enough!” Jackson sucked in a deep breath. “She’s running scared, the fact she came here is proof of that. The guy was following her, threatening her, and only backed off when you guys spoke to him. Why didn’t he just make formal charges back in September if he really meant it? And why are we even having this debate? I don’t need your permission to go to Scotland if I want to.”

Nate held his gaze. “Plane tickets will be at the Scot Air desk waiting for you. If you go now you should make the 8 AM flight from Heathrow. Someone will meet you there and take you to see DCI Craig Fraser at Barrack Street nick.”

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

“And don’t you forget it. Just do me one favor. Don’t go rushing in where angels fear to tread. If Craig Fraser wants to do this by the book, let him. You’ll be on his turf and have to play by his rules.”

****

By 10:30, Jackson was being escorted to DCI Fraser’s office. His feet had barely touched the ground, since leaving Nate’s office. He’d prayed constantly that this Scottish cop would listen to him and let him go find Amber, before it was too late.

At the airport, between check in and boarding the flight, he called Grace as soon as the florist opened and asked for flowers to be sent to the hotel in Scotland as soon as possible. He’d left a very specific message, designed, he hoped, to let Amber know he was coming to get her, but not let Dirk know.

DCI Fraser was a tall, imposing man. He had a good couple of inches in height on Jackson and a firm handshake. “Dr. Parker, I presume.”

Jackson nodded.

“Have a seat. I’ve been going over what DI Holmes faxed up.”

“Faxed? Do you not have email up here?”

DCI Fraser scowled. “Of course we do. Are ye sure she’s here?” He shoved CCTV images across the desk. “That is Dirk and Joanne Judge at the hotel yesterday. And this is them at a party in Toronto back in August.”

“That’s Amber.” Jackson pointed at the most recent photo. “Sure she looks like the other woman, but I’d know Amber anywhere.”

“Amber Neville.” DCI Fraser opened a file. “She has several outstanding warrants against her.”

“Accusations, not charges.”

“As of this morning, Dirk Judge has made it a formal accusation of theft. His wife’s pendant is missing. Apparently it’s worth several thousand dollars. There’s a warrant out for Miss Neville’s arrest. Toronto police asked for our co-operation in the matter. There is also the matter of the missing children. DI Holmes did some checking and they never made it tae the boarding schools. No one has seen them since September, when the nanny fled the country.”

Jackson pushed back in his chair, his gut clenching. “What? You think she killed them?”

“You tell me. We have a missing piece of expensive jewelry, three missing kids, and a runaway nanny. And possibly, a missing wife.”

Jackson pulled out his phone and shoved it across the desk. “Read that. She’s scared he’ll kill her too because she knows too much. Too! That implies he’s killed before. If she wanted to vanish, why the plea for help?”

DCI Fraser got to his feet and moved to the door. “Jenson, get in here.” He turned back to Jackson. “Maybe she knows we’re on tae her and she does nae want tae be caught.”

“And maybe she’s really in trouble and we’re just wasting time.” Jackson glanced up as another officer came into the room. “Millie. How are you?”

DI Millie Jenson beamed. “Hi, Jackson.”

“Good you both know each other,” DCI Fraser said briskly. “Saves me the bother of introductions. Dr. Parker, do you still have the number that message came from.”

Jackson nodded. “Yes.”

“Ring it and put it on speaker. Millie, read this and get up tae speed fast.”

****

Amber sat on the bed.

Dirk was ranting and raving. He only paused for breath when there was a knock at the door.

She’d been unable to work out what had upset him, but the hangover he surely must have wasn’t helping any.

“Don’t say a word and don’t move,” he snarled.

“I won’t.”

He stormed over to the door and flung it open.

“Flowers for Mrs. Judge,” the bellboy said.

Dirk took them and slammed the door shut. “Who’s sending you flowers?” he yelled.

Amber shrugged. “How should I know?”

Dirk read the card. “As the snow swept him away, Will knew there was always hope. JP.” He scowled and threw it at her. “Who is JP?” he asked, swearing every other word.

“Someone from the party yesterday, I imagine.” She swallowed down the excitement filling her. Jackson got her message. He knew where she was. Surely he’d have told the police and they’d be on their way to rescue her. “There were so many people I had to sweet talk and charm for you last night. I must have made a lasting impression on one of them.”

“Which one? Because if I find out you’re lying…”

“What? You’ll kill me and risk those papers being discovered?” she bluffed.

Dirk scowled. “I have a two o’clock meeting with Jerome Pollard. You’ll need to be there.”

“Why?”

“Keep up, Amber. Joanne was a shareholder in the company. I need her signature on any documents I sign. Wait…JP—Jerome Pollard. Maybe the flowers are from him.”

“Oh…” She looked at him. Suddenly everything made sense. “Why would he send me flowers?”

“He must have been there last night. And looking at that huge bunch of chrysanthemums it must have been some impression you made. Maybe too much of a one. It had better be worth it.”

“Then let’s hope I charmed him good and proper.” She looked down at the card in her hand. She’d met the real Jerome Pollard and his wife earlier that year and didn’t want to repeat the experience. They’d know who she really was.

He headed to the bathroom to shave, leaving the door open. His phone rang. “Answer it for me.”

Amber picked it up, recognizing the number as Jackson’s. Her heart leapt. “Hello. Dirk Judge’s phone. This is Joanne speaking.”

“It’s Jackson. Can you talk?”

Dirk moved to the door, towel in hand, face covered in shaving foam. “Who is it?”

Amber thought fast. “It’s Jerome Pollard. He’s probably checking on the time for your meeting.”

“Put it on speaker.” He leaned against the door. “And I’m watching you.”

****

Glad Amber could think on her feet, Jackson glanced at Craig who nodded. Jackson cleared his throat. “Sure.”

“I’d just like to say thank you for the lovely flowers. I’m surprised you remembered me from the party last night. Dirk said I must have charmed you a little too much.”

“You’re a little hard to forget, Mrs. Judge.”

“Actually, we were just talking about you and this lunchtime meeting you’re having this afternoon at two.”

Jackson raised an eyebrow. He glanced at DCI Fraser who scribbled rapidly on a sheet of paper and shoved it across the desk. He’s probably listening in on speaker phone like I am. Follow her lead.

“Is Dirk there?”

“He’s shaving, but I have you on speaker so he can hear you.”

“OK. I was wondering if I could bring the meeting forward. I have a flight to New York at five for another set of meetings tomorrow.”

There was a pause. Then Amber spoke again. “How does lunch here in our suite at twelve sound? You could bring your wife, Ida. I enjoyed meeting her last night.”

Jackson read Craig’s note. “12:30 would be better, and Ida would love that. She finds meetings as boring as you probably do. Do I need to bring anything?”

“Just the papers to sign.” The voice was male and irate. Then the call ended.

Jackson took a deep breath. He checked his watch. “Now what? We have forty minutes.”

“You do nothing. DI Jenson and another officer will go in, with another team as back up.”

“Now wait a minute. He knows my voice. Don’t take this the wrong way, but can one of your Scottish cops do an American accent?”

DCI Fraser paused. “OK. But you do exactly what I tell you over the comm link and DI Jenson has the lead.”

Jackson nodded. “And once we get in there, then what?”

“We arrest them both. Until the theft charge is sorted, along with the disappearance of those children, Miss Neville is going nowhere.”