Forever Hers (24 page)

The local case proved to be much easier to solve. An idea popped in Eddie’s head as he read the police reports. Most of the homes robbed were time-share properties, which meant the occupants hadn’t been the target. He focused on the two companies managing the times-shares and found a link—they had acquired the homes quite recently.

First, he called Sally.

“No, we didn’t check the companies. Why would they rob their own homes?”

“I have theory I’m working on.”

“Call us if it leads to something. We found the landscape guy. He said he went drinking with friends and when he came out, his truck was gone. He even reported it missing.”

“I’m sure Nolan and his man ditched it somewhere. Keep me updated.” As soon as he hung up, he pulled out Lauren Holliday’s card and punched in numbers. “Lauren, Eddie here.”

“Is everything okay? I feel terrible that bastard came so close to the house and I didn’t know. Amy will never let me babysit for her again. She insisted it’s not my fault but I feel so terrible. If I were her, I would never…”

Eddie leaned back against his chair and watched Raelynn, Jimmy and Sam at their usual spot in the sand pit, temporarily tuning Amy’s friend out. The woman could talk a person’s ear off. Amy was on her computer inside the house but he knew she was keeping an eye on Raelynn through the surveillance cameras. He admired her vigilance, but at the same time, he hated the fact that she had to be because of her bastard ex.

“Eddie!”

His attention shifted to the phone. “Still here.”

“I asked you if you’re sure you can catch Nolan.”

Eddie frowned. His goal was to have Nolan behind bars before he left Sandpoint. He’d given Amy and Raelynn his word. “I will.”

“Well then, what can I do 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.”

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. “Out of what?”

“Whatever game
you
are playing.”

She was so close to losing it. “Me? You started it with your Miss Goody Two Shoes attitude.”

“Just go and kiss her goodnight before I accidentally lob this,” she picked up the plate he’d left on the counter, “at your head, Fitzgerald. If you haven’t noticed, my aim has become pretty good.”

Her lean physique confirmed how hard she’d been training. Her punches and kicks weren’t something to laugh at anymore. He grinned and started toward her bedroom His Amy was back.

“I want warm food when I come back, freshly squeezed orange juice, iced—”

He ducked into the hallway leading to her bedroom when she lifted the plate. He was still laughing when he started across her bedroom.

He’d seen both rooms the day Chase and the others visited, but he hadn’t really paid them much attention. Amy’s was bare. There was no dresser or decent draperies on her windows, and the cover on the bed was as bland as the wall paper.

The daughter’s room was bigger, the décor colorful and cheerful, from the reading corner with its purple and pink bean bags, shelves filled with books and stuffed animals to a white princess bed with matching drawers. Raelynn’s eyes were closed even though the bedside lamp was still on

“Hey, short stack,” he said, kneeling by her bed.

Eyelids lifted and blue eyes, so like Amy’s, stared at him. Something warm settled in his chest, but he decided not to analyze it. When it came to Amy and her daughter, he couldn’t compartmentalize his thoughts or actions. In about a week and a half, he’d be back in L.A. and things would go back to normal.

Raelynn threw her skinny arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Eddie closed his eyes and savored the moment. Another thing he’d miss when he went home.

“Mommy had a bad dream,” she whispered

Eddie frowned. “She did?”

Raelynn nodded. “I heard Mommy crying this morning, but when I went to her room, she was sleeping
and
crying. I want Mommy to be happy.”

“Me too, sweetheart.”

“Did you send Nolan away?”

“He’s not here anymore, but I’m working on putting him so far way you will never see him again.” According to Rod, Nolan was acting like any normal cop. He even had a girlfriend.

Raelynn smiled then leaned forward, planted a wet kiss on his cheek then settled back on her pillow. “You can kiss me goodnight now.”

Eddie chuckled. He was going to miss her precociousness. He pressed a kiss on her forehead, then pulled the cover to her chin. “Goodnight, princess.”

“Goodnight, Uncle Eddie.”

He smiled. He’d just been elevated to an uncle.

Back in the kitchen, steaming food sat on the table, the tray of paper towel, shakers, the whole pitcher of orange juice and a jar of water with ice. She’d taken to giving him everything he could possibly want, except the most important one—her.

She stood by the sink, rinsing utensils and putting them in the dishwasher, headphones on and singing under her breath. He stopped behind her, braced himself on the counter and neatly boxed her in, their bodies almost touching. She froze.
 

“What are you doing?” she asked with a catch in her voice.

“You work too hard.” He took her hand and slipped off one glove at a time, then turned her around. “Please, sit with me while I eat,” he said.

“But the dishes—”

“I’ll do them later.”

She shook her head. “No. I’ll do them.”

Stubborn to the core. He gripped her hand and tugged her along.

“Here you go.” He nudged her into a chair. “You tried the perfect housekeeper thing and I did my best to accommodate you, but that’s not who we are. You are the smart-mouthed woman who takes no crap from anyone and I’m the gracious guy who puts up with you.”

She laughed. “Gracious? Ha.”

“I promise to eat turkey bacon without complaining.”

She snorted. “You
have
been eating turkey bacon without complaining for two days.”

“Then I’m a reformed man. Do you want a drink?” He poured orange juice in a glass and placed it in front of her even though she shook her head, then sat and served himself a healthy potion of the lasagna and green beans. There were warm slices of sourdough bread and a green spread. Tangy flavors exploded in his mouth with each. If he didn’t jog and swim every day, he’d be twenty pounds heavier.

“This is really good. What’s in it?” he asked, scooping another chunk of the lasagna.

She gave him a tiny smug smile. “Tofu.”

He continued eating with gusto. “I’ve changed my mind about that too. I’m officially a tofu-man, if it tastes like this or in soup like the one you made when the guys visited. Oh, and last night’s stir fry.” He grinned when she stared at him with rounded eyes. “That was good stuff.”

“Dang, I thought I’d slipped it in unnoticed.”

He smirked, then turned the computer on and brought up the report he’d handed Briggs. “Take a look at what I’ve worked on the last couple of days.”

Amy leaned forward to study the screen. “What am I looking at?”

“My conclusion on the local break-ins. The detective in charge, Captain Briggs, asked for my help and I delivered.”

The corner of her lips lifted. “And you even wrote a report.”

He pointed the fork at her. “No wisecracks about my organization skills. Read it.”

He ate and watched her. When she got done, she dropped her elbow on the table, propped her chin on the heel of her palm and smiled at him.