Forever Hers Walters, Ednah (best novels for teenagers .TXT) 📖

for you? I’m sure you didn’t call to hear me rant. Although, when you catch him, I want to meet him just so I can spit in his face.”

Eddie chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do. I want to run a few things by you, Lauren. About your listings, you manage two of the houses that were robbed, right?”

“Right.”

“Did you always manage them?”

“No. We acquired them last year from the bank when a local company went belly up. You know how the economy has been really rough on real estate. Caldecott Vacation Rental wasn’t the only one to lose everything. Caldecott was sadder because the old man had been around for so long. He was a pioneer in this business and was grooming his son to take over. He took it hard and went back east somewhere with his wife.”

“And the son?”

“Val? I’ve seen him around town, but I’m not sure what he does anymore though I heard rumors he was starting over. You know, investing in properties again. What is this about?”

“Just something I’m looking into.”

“Oh no, you don’t Eddie Fitzgerald. You want to buy property, you do it through me.”

Eddie laughed. “I’m not thinking about buying anything, Lauren. Like you said, I’m a city guy. Just one more question then I’ll let you go. When you bought these two homes, did you change anything or keep everything the way they were. You know, furniture, locks.”

“They were well-maintained, so we didn’t change anything. The bank gave us the keys and we added them to our listings.”

As soon Eddie hung up, he looked through the reports and found the phone number of the other company managing the remaining homes that were robbed. By the time he finished the call, he had his answers. Three of the robbed rentals were once owned by Caldecott Vacation Homes and the other three by Aldridge Rentals. Aldridge was only in his thirties and had over invested. Chances were he and Caldecott junior had copies of keys to all the homes and decided to join forces.

The last phone cinched it. ABC Homes, a new company, had both Aldridge and Caldecott listed as co-owners. The third guy was a mystery. They’d acquired a few properties and seemed to be doing okay. After his findings, he drove into town with the report and handed it to Detective Briggs.

Briggs muttered something under his breath as he skimmed through the printed papers, then heaved to his feet, which was painful to watch, and stuck his hand out.

“I owe you one, City Slicker.” He thumped Eddie’s arm. “We will bring these two in, separate them and see if they rat out each other. Meanwhile, if there’s anything I can do for you while you’re in town, just call.”

“Actually, there is. Check the bottom of page 3, where I circled the last two houses in red. Those are the houses that were vandalized.”

He sat then flipped the pages and read what Eddie had written and frowned. “Why do you think someone else is involved?”

“I have a theory and would appreciate your help proving it.”

Briggs studied him with narrowed eyes then nodded. He waved to the seat across from his. “Take a seat, detective, and tell me this theory of yours.”

CHAPTER 12

Friday night, Eddie was late for dinner by almost an hour. It wasn’t deliberate. With the local case more or less in the bag, he’d spent hours reading up on the burglary case in Virginia and the trial of the two men serving time for Charles Dunbar’s murder. He needed to prove the theory he’d shared with Detective Briggs and sell it to his toughest partner—Amy.

She entered the kitchen and found him seated at the dining table with his laptop open and his food untouched. The food had grown cold and he could have easily warmed it and eaten, but he chose to wait for her. He was tired of eating alone, tired of her perpetual sunny, impersonal smile. He wanted the old Amy back.

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re not eating?”

“I was waiting for you.” He got up with the plates and placed the one with lasagna in the microwave then turned and faced her.

She crossed her arms and tilted her chin, the posture drawing attention to her chest. Her button-down shirt had the top three buttons undone, giving him a glimpse of her lacy camisole.

“What are you doing?”

“Warming up my food. I don’t need you waiting on me hand and foot either.”

“I’m just doing my job,” she said.

“Well, you suck at it.” She stuck out her tongue at him. “Childish, but a sign that the old Amy is in there somewhere. She might be aggravating, but she’s much more interesting. The new you? Not so much.”

“How would like tofu stir fry for the next two nights?”

“Looking forward to it. Now, go sit down.” He pointed at the stool.

Her chin shot up. “No.”

He closed the gap between them and stared her down. She didn’t budge. Grinning, he reached out and caressed her cheek. She was softness and warmth. Her eyelashes fluttered and she exhaled softly, drawing his attention to her parted lips, the zenith of any man’s fantasies. He so badly wanted to kiss her, make her his in every way.

He traced the lower full one, the sensitive center, her soft breath brushing the hairs on the back of his fingers. Touching her was pure torture, his body responding and hardening, but he couldn’t help himself. He ran his finger down her neck to the unbuttoned top, tracing the neckline. She trembled, but she didn’t look away.

“Why do you fight me?”

She licked her lower lip, leaving a trace of moisture. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Liar.”

“That makes two of us.” She took a step back, but the counter stopped her from going farther. “Raelynn wants you to kiss her goodnight.”

He smirked. “Doesn’t that constitute fraternizing between the housekeeper’s household and the guest?”

Blue fire flashed in her eyes. “Leave her out of this.”

He cocked his brow.