A Heart Full of Diamonds

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 package. 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