Forever Hers by Walters, Ednah (top 50 books to read txt) 📕

the hotel gave him a taste of what tonight was going to be like. Guests seated around the atrium turned and stared, the bellhops forgot they were pushing luggage and bumped into tables. Even the front desk managers stopped whatever they were doing, their gaze following her hip-rolling walk across the room. Amy wore a faraway look on her face and appeared completely oblivious to the commotion she was causing.

He ushered her into a SUV and gunned the engine. The restaurant was only five blocks away. “Let’s go over what you’re supposed to do tonight.”

“The reservation is under your name and it’s for a couple. Hailey will find me a table in the middle of the room, where the occupants of the restaurant can see me. The idea is to have as many witnesses as possible. I’ll order salad and wait for your call, which will be to the restaurant, so the hostess can page me. The entire restaurant will hear my name and see me get up. The hostess will overhear my side of the conversation and know I’ve been stood up. Instead of going back to my table, I’ll leave the restaurant.”

Eddie smiled with approval. “Good. When a criminal panics, which we hope Nolan will, they always try to cover their tracks. He will either follow you or leave to get rid of the boxes. Either case, we’ll be waiting.”

She sighed. “I don’t know. I feel like I should do more, force him to react right there inside the restaurant in front of everyone.”

“No. Stick to the plan. I want you in the presence of everyone at all times. I don’t trust him.” He pulled up outside the city’s best French restaurant. Before they stepped from the SUV, Rob appeared and opened the passenger door for Amy.

“Ms. Kincaid, nice to finally meet you.” He kissed her hand. “Don’t get out of the car yet. I want to show you something.” Then he glanced at Eddie. “I got it.”

Eddie grinned, noting Rod’s gloved hands. He’d asked the Cuban to get a hold of the boxes in Nolan’s trunk while Nolan and the girlfriend were inside the restaurant.

“What’s going on?” Amy asked when Rod disappeared.

“He found the boxes in Nolan’s trunk. We want you to take a look at the contents to see if you recognize anything. Remember? Burgess, uh, Blackwell said he keeps mementos.” Eddie shrugged off his jacket and placed it on her lap. “You don’t want the metal snagging your dress. Fabrics transfer could implicate you in this or worse, make whatever is in that box inadmissible in court.”

Amy stared at him with wide eyes.

Rod returned carrying something under his trench coat. He nudged the door wider and placed the box on Amy’s lap, then lifted the lid. Inside were keys, old cell phones, even toys.

***

Amy reached inside the box, but Eddie grabbed her wrist.  “Don’t touch anything. The last thing you want to do is leave a fingerprint.”

Amy stared at her cell phone. It had been over a year, but she remembered losing it after a burglary. It had red nail polish on it from when she’d accidently swiped it on its surface while repairing a nail. The other cell phones she didn’t recognize. Then there were keys. So many of them. She recognized a few because she always made colored duplicate keys or used ones with popular cartoons etched on them. No matter how often she’d changed her locks or moved, the burglar always found a way to get inside her house. Nolan had probably known her locksmith. Anger roiled through her.

“Do you recognize anything?” Rod asked.

Amy swallowed and nodded. “Do you have a pen or a pencil?”

Eddie retrieved one from the glove compartment and passed it to her. Gripping one end, she tapped at the cell phone. “That’s mine. I lost it a few weeks after I moved out of his house.” She pushed at a few keys. “Those are mine too and...” Her heart stopped and started pounding hard. In the corner of the box was a marquis diamond engagement ring. Grief clasped her throat, making it impossible to swallow, and tears rushed to her eyes.

“Amy?”

She looked up and blinked hard until she was in control again. “That’s my engagement ring. It disappeared the night we were attacked. When I woke in the hospital and it wasn’t on my finger, I just assumed I lost it during the attack.” She stared at her fingers and a hysterical laughter escaped her. “You see, I wear size six and it was a size seven. Charles was going to resize it for me.”

“All we need to put Nolan away forever is in that box,” Eddie murmured.

Amy nodded and sat back as Rod took the box away. She removed a compact mirror from her purse and repaired her makeup and adjusted her wig. “Okay, I’m ready.”

Eddie cupped her nape and looked into her eyes. “You’re angry.”

“No, I’m furious.”

He frowned. “Don’t do anything inside the restaurant without checking with me first, okay?”

She nodded, but inside, she wanted to hurt Nolan. Wanted to gut him and make him suffer.

Eddie lifted her chin, so their gazes met. “I love you. No, don’t say anything right now. I meant it when I said it last night and I’ll mean it when I say it tomorrow.” He pressed a kiss on her lips. “Now, go.”

He loved her. Eddie loved her. Amy wanted to wrap herself around him and never let go, but first things first. Somehow, she managed to hold herself in check and stepped out of the car. She glanced back and waved. He smiled and indicated with both hands to keep going.

At the entrance, people were waiting to be seated. She didn’t see the waitress fitting the description Eddie had given her.

“Do you have reservation?”

“Yes. Eddie Fitzgerald, party of two, eight-fifteen. He’ll join me shortly.”

“Just a moment, please.” The hostess turned to talk to someone then said. “A table will be available in five minutes.”

Amy stepped back and