The Temporary Wife - By Jeannie Moon Page 0,85

got to be killing you. I know his itinerary had him with several members of the bank’s board of directors for a dinner cruise on the chairman’s yacht. Then he’s supposed to get some sleep and leave there at five in the morning their time.”

Meg drew a breath. “That’s ten o’clock tonight.”

“I know. He won’t be here until about noon tomorrow.” Meg dropped her head and tried to keep the tears at bay. She didn’t know what Jason would do if he were here, but she just wanted to talk to him. Just needed him to hold her.

Harper stood and came to where Meg was sitting. “I don’t believe for one second he betrayed you. I looked at all the documents, and the one with his signature looks funny to me. Our attorneys have mounted a challenge, and we’re all calling everyone we can.”

Meg nodded, acknowledging what Harper was saying, but all she could think about was the way Molly was taken from her. “I want Molly home,” Meg said. “I keep hearing her screams, and it’s awful.”

“I know. I’ve tried everything to get in touch with Jason. Sometimes the calls just don’t go through.”

Meg wondered what was going through Molly’s head. Wondered how she was going to get her back. The Campbells held all the cards, and she couldn’t see any way to beat them.

“Meg, don’t lose faith.”

“I don’t know if I have any left.”

***

The sat phone rang in the airplane cabin and the steward picked it up. Jason was relieved it was working again; he hated being out of touch. And he’d been out of touch for two days. The meetings with the bank had been exhausting and pointless. Essentially, he wasted several days on nothing.

“It’s your brother, Mr. Campbell.”

What the hell? He expected to hear from Meg. Harper. Maybe Owen or Nate. But Josh?

He took the handset. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Jay, there’s a problem. Our parents have petitioned for control of Molly’s trust.”

“What? They can’t do that! It’s in your control, and we’re adopting her. No court will give it to them.”

“Yeah, about that. Mom showed up at your house yesterday morning with a family court social worker, a sheriff, and a court order. They removed Molly from the house. She’s at the estate. I just came from there.”

Oh, shit. Oh, shit. “Meg . . .”

“Mom said the last she saw of Meg, ‘She was lying in the driveway like a piece of garbage.’ She’s charming, our mother.”

“Molly?”

“Is hysterical. I saw her, and she begged me to take her home. This is such a fucking mess. You were right about them.”

Jason’s stomach lurched, and he tried to process everything his brother said. Meg. Oh, my God. What was Meg thinking?

“Harper is at your house with Meg,” Josh continued. “I called there first, but Meg thinks I’m involved in all this. There’s some paper you supposedly signed, too, but Harper is convinced it’s forged. Another thank-you goes to Mom for that one.”

“Oh, shit, Josh. I have another hour of flying time.”

“I’ll meet you at the airport.”

“Thanks.” Jason didn’t know why, but there was some relief knowing his older brother was in this with him. “I’m going to call home.”

Chapter 21

After thirteen hours of flying, a slow refueling stop, and his nerves fraying one at a time, Jason stormed into the house, Josh following, and found Harper in the kitchen with Owen and Nate. All three of them were on their phones, talking at the same time, and all three stopped when he walked in.

“Someone talk to me. How long has Meg been gone?”

He called the house to talk to her after he got off the phone with Josh. She was hysterical, and he could barely understand her. He called again as soon as he landed, and that’s when Harper discovered that Meg was gone. Her car was gone, and no one knew where she was.

His wife was distraught. Not only was Molly gone, but his parents were trying to make it look like he’d betrayed her.

Harper shrugged helplessly. “She was in your office resting. I was getting a thousand calls, and I didn’t want to upset her, so I came in here. When I went to take her the phone when you called, I don’t know, forty-five minutes later, she was gone. Based on that, at least two hours.”

He ran his hands through his hair, feeling helpless. “Someone tell me about this court order my parents got.”

Nate nodded. “I talked to a friend of mine in family court, and