Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1) (24 page)

He was beaming. “Way to go!”

Okay. So this wasn’t a real competition. She figured no matter who won or lost, they’d end up in bed, which was exactly where she wanted to be—assuming her stomach improved.

Her next
throw took out two more pins for a total of eight. Not bad for not having bowled in years.

“Cade. You’re next, man.”

Cade stood and swaggered to the ball return. If she hadn’t known, she never would have guessed he was a rather up-tight cop with a serial killer on his hands. He picked up the ball, stepped to the line, and looked right and left like she’d seen the pro-bowlers do on television. He rolled the ball down the lane so hard it barely had time to curve. One pin dropped.

“Good shot, man.”

Cade turned around. Instead of a sneer, he smiled. “I meant to do that.”

The ball returned, and he stepped up to the line again. This time, Cade seemed a little more serious and eased up on the throw. He knocked down seven more and raised his hands in victory. He even did a silly little dance, which had her laughing.

“We are so going to win.” She glanced at Stone and grinned.

“You wish.”

Cade nodded to the bar behind the pool tables. “Food’s up.” He jogged up there.

Amber nodded to the lane. “Stone,
take your turn, and then we’ll eat.”

Stone was rather nonchalant as he approached the lane. He held the ball for a few seconds, as if he needed to center himself, then tossed it with smooth precision. Pins flew everywhere, but one remained. His shoulders tensed for a second. He, too, seemed to have high standards.

The ball returned just as Cade set the food on a table behind the lanes. Stone aimed and then rolled the ball softly. The ball headed down the middle, curved left, and then knocked down the pin.

She clapped. “A spare! Good job.”

He turned back and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Boy, he was serious.

“Let’s eat,” he said.

They put the game on hold and chowed. The men fought over the pizza, but she only ate two pieces before she was full. A small ache started behind her eye.
Damn
. She didn’t need a headache. Not now. The timing couldn’t have been any worse.

Caffeine usually helped, so she guzzled her Coke and plastered on a smile. “Let’s go beat him, Cade.”

He nodded. “Let’s do it.”

The rest of the game was
neck and neck. In the end, Stone beat them by five pins.

“Rematch,” Cade demanded.

The smell of the oils on the lane or the building’s mold increased her headache, but she refused to have anything interfere
with their fun. “You’re on.”

This time Stone started. He let the ball fly and held his pose for a second before standing and swaying as if he was urging the ball to turn this way and that. “Strike!” he shouted.

She and Cade clapped. She stood and a sharp spike stabbed her eye. A few times, she debated asking the men to take her home, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves too much.
Damn
. Their huge sexual experience might have to be put on hold if the headache didn’t ease up.

Amber threw an eight on the first toss, but missed the spare by a hair. Cade made up for her lack by
knocking down all the pins. The race was on.

Forty-minutes later, she and Cade were victorious and hugs were shared all around.

“Tiebreaker?” Stone asked.

This time she had to speak up. “Not for me. I’ve got a killer headache.”

Their cheer disappeared in a heartbeat. “Sugar, why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“I was having fun.” Now they’d fuss at her.

“Next time, let us know sooner.”

She nodded. Stone removed his shoes, and she and Cade followed suit. Cade paid and then escorted her out.

“I’m sorry, guys.”

Cade opened the passenger side door. “It’s not your fault. I had fun. We’ll have to do it again.”

“Hell, yeah,” Stone joined in. “A tie is not acceptable.”

Leave it to the men to make her laugh. When they arrived back at her place, Stone made her
lean back on the sofa while he prepared a hot compress for her face.

“Can I fix you some tea, sugar?”

Cade probably had never made tea. She only used the loose stuff. The pitcher of iced tea was probably gone. “I’m good.”

The men sat next to her as she placed the soothing cloth over her eyes. Stone rubbed her arms, while Cade massaged her feet.

When she awoke, they were both gone.
Crap
. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. A note sat on her stomach. She read it out loud and smiled. “Loved tonight. If we’d stayed, we never would have gotten any rest.” Both men signed it. “Aw.”

It was already past midnight so she didn’t blame them for not
hanging around. Even though they never got to bed, she had to say, she’d seen an incredible side of both men. She was falling fast and prayed they were, too.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

By the following Wednesday, over a week after the sting operation had begun, Amber’s nerves were totally shot. Her three-day headache had finally disappeared, but it threatened to return every time she walked down the hospital halls. She couldn’t help but study every staff member, wondering if one of them could be a killer. Sadly, she’d even jumped when Jamie came into the cafeteria and sat at her table.

“What’s got you so uptight?”

Jamie didn’t work on her floor, so Amber hadn’t had the chance to tell her about Thad. She also hadn’t shown up to this week’s happy hour either. While she’d spoken with Jamie a couple of times on the phone, she wanted to see her friend in person before she brought up her concerns about Thad. “I’m good.”

“You’re like a jack rabbit with a hunter nearby.”

Amber laughed. “I’m not that bad.” She drank some of her tea then sobered. She cast her gaze downward for a moment before beginning. “Last Monday, a young man was brought in with pancreatic cancer. He’s so sweet and brave, but his pain level is killing me.”

Jamie’s expression turned serious. “Isn’t the doctor giving him morphine?”

“Yes, but it’s not enough.” She pressed her lips together and thought of Chris and his helpless situation. That made her eyes water for real. “His wife is eight months pregnant. She’s out of her mind with grief.”

Her friend shook her head. “Who’s the doctor?”

“Zachery Stanfield. He’s the best. He’s going to try a new protocol for Thad. I pray it works, but I’ve seen his blood work and really don’t think there’s much hope.”

Jamie clasped her hand. “I guess my floor will be getting a new patient soon.”

“Maybe. Dr. Stanfield said it could be a month or more. To suffer that much breaks my heart.”

“I hear ya.”

They both ate their meal, but with the way Jamie was picking at her food, she was thinking about poor Thad, too. Amber hated lying to her best friend, but she told herself it was for the greater good. 

Amber wanted to change the subject before she acted too much out of character. “I’m really looking forward to our get together tonight.” It was just the girls.

Jamie’s eyes opened. “What? No Cade or Stone?”

Her friend knew how much Amber was taken by them, and that she wanted to spend as much time with her men as their schedules allowed. “Both are working, so I’m free!”

“Good. I spoke with Becky. She can’t make it, but I think Zoey and Melissa can.”

“I so need this break. Lately, this place has been crazy. Everyone is on edge.” That wasn’t a lie.

Jamie nodded. “I think it’s those murders.”

“You’re probably right.” Amber studied Jamie, but she didn’t seem to have any idea Amber suspected Ben.

As soon as they finished lunch, Amber went back to doing her rounds, checking to see the administered drugs were doing their job on her patients. Close to five, she passed Thad’s room. Since the door was open, she
peeked in. To her surprise, Zoey Donovan was there.

“Hey!”
Crap
. She shouldn’t have been so cheery.

Zoey was able to keep her professional demeanor and didn’t smile back. “Thad and I are talking about end of life decisions.”

Amber glanced at Thad. If she didn’t know he was a robust undercover cop, she might think he was close to death. Someone had done a good makeup job. More than that, he looked, well, scared.

“How’s it going, Thad?”

“I hate feeling like shit. I’m in so much pain, I want to die.” He turned his head. She almost believed him.

“Hang in there.” The man was good. She had to give him that. Amber made sure her back was to the door and kept her voice low. “You coming tonight?”

Zoey nodded. “Thad, I’ll be back tomorrow. Stay positive for your wife.”

He grunted.

Even though this was a sting operation, Amber felt bad for the guy. The young shouldn’t die. At that thought, her mind went straight to Chris, and she sucked in a breath.

Zoey placed a hand on her arm. “You okay?”

Her eyes watered. “Thad reminds me of Chris. That’s all.”

“It’ll take time, but if you need to talk, you know where to find me.”

Zoey was good at her job and very sincere. “I will. See you in a few.”

Once they parted, Amber couldn’t wait to leave. She passed a few nurses and doctors she didn’t remember seeing before and wondered if they might be undercover, too. She prayed Cade and Ethan’s plan worked. It had to.

*
*

Amber had finished a glass of wine by the time Zoey finally arrived at Banner’s. Now the foursome was complete.

Zoey dropped onto her seat. “Sorry, ladies. I had a late walk-in.

Something in Zoey’s eyes seemed different. “Want to share his name?”

Zoey laughed. “Why would you think it’s a male?”

“By the look in your eyes. I get the sense the late appointment wasn’t a real therapy session, but if I’m wrong, tell me to mind my own business.”

“
He’s just an old friend who happens to be married. Sorry to disappoint you all.” She leaned forward and looked right at Amber. “I want to know how your fireman and your super cop are doing.”

Did the whole town know? “They’re g
ood.”

Zoey cocked a brow. “Have the three of you found time to be together?”

That was an odd question. She told them about their bowling adventure. “But that seemed to be the exception. Stone is on night shift for the next month and Cade is working on a few cases that have interrupted our time together. Why?”

She shrugged. “Just asking.
As you know, years ago I dated two men.” She rolled her eyes. “It was bad enough one would never put the toilet seat down while the other was a slob.”

Jamie sighed. “Benny never puts the seat down and is a slob. And that’s only one man.”

Once more, they all chuckled as Melissa picked up her glass. “You don’t have to answer this, but do the men get jealous? I’ve only dated one guy at a time, but if I looked at another male, he’d freak!”

Amber and Zoey answered at the same time. Amber said no while Zoey said yes.

Melissa looked confused. “Care to explain?”

Amber nodded to Zoey. “Go ahead.” Stone and Cade claimed they didn’t get jealous, but she really hadn’t been with them long enough to be sure.

“This stays between us girls, right?”

“Always,” they said in unison.

“Dave and Mark were both amazing men. Dave was a dentist and Mark a psychiatrist. You’d think smart men like that wouldn’t enter into a ménage relationship until they were willing to share.”

“Right,” Melissa said.

“If I was with Mark, Dave would demand I pay as much attention to him and vice versa.” She waved a hand. “Not a subject I like to talk about.” She turned to Melissa. “Tell us something fun you’ve done this week.”

“Fun? I’m still reeling from Stephanie Osmond’s death.”

Zoey placed a hand over hers. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Melissa had been Stephanie’s nurse. Amber didn’t want her night to end on a down note. “Guess what
adventure I had since our last get together?” She couldn’t wait to tell them about skinny-dipping, and how before she and Stone had finished making love, some hikers showed up. All eyes turned to her. “Listen closely, and I’ll tell you a tale.”

* *

Stone hadn’t had a chance to see Amber for days because of his intense schedule. Before he went to his supervisor and offered him his first born to switch to the day shift, he wanted to have a conversation with Cade. With his late hours, and Cade’s obsession with finding the killer, they hadn’t had a chance to talk about the direction of their relationship with her.

Because
Stone didn’t have to be at work for another two hours, he planned to speak with Cade then stop by and visit Amber. She had today and tomorrow off. Even just a hug and kiss would help him get through the day.

He texted Cade and immediately received a reply he could spare a half hour. Something must have happened, because Cade was at the hospital. He’d claimed he didn’t want to be seen hovering in the hallways.

Stone then checked to see if Amber was free at three. She, too, texted right back that she was. Perfect. He’d chat with Cade then drive to Amber’s house before he headed into work.

In less than fifteen minutes,
Stone was rushing up to the second floor to find his roommate. Because he was wearing his paramedic uniform, no one seemed to notice him. As a thought too horrible to even consider entered his mind, his steps faltered. A paramedic would be the perfect person to put these patients out of their misery. Both Ativan and succinylcholine were available to him in the ambulance.

Stone raced through the names of his co-workers, dismissing each one immediately. It wasn’t possible. None of the men had become close enough emotionally to any of the patients to do this. Other than maybe Chris, whose condition had been severe, most of those he and his fellow paramedics delivered to the hospital were treated and on their way home in a few days. Firemen didn’t deal very often with people with cancer, liver failure, and life-ending diseases.

When he caught sight of Cade, his roommate was speaking with a doctor. Stone waited until they finished their conversation before he went over. Cade’s eyes were bloodshot and his posture less than straight.

Cade nodded.
“Hey. What’s up?”

Why Stone was nervous to have this conversation, he didn’t know. “Got a minute to chat?”
His roommate had said he was free, but his scheduled might have changed.

“Sure. Our prime suspect has the day off. That doesn’t mean he can’t slip in here, but mentally I’ve lowered the alert from red to orange.”

“How did the interrogation go yesterday?” Cade mentioned he would be speaking with Ben, Jamie, and two other nurses again. The others were to make it look like the cops were just being thorough.

“Jamie acted nervous, and Ben was belligerent at first, then turned into a total mess, but he didn’t confess if that’s what you want to know.”

Damn.
“Did it help you narrow down your search?”

“No. We have to catch the person in the act.”

“You aren’t worried the real killer will lay low for a while?”

Cade ran a hand over his head. “It’s possible. At this point, I’ve given up trying to guess the killer’s next move. It’s been close to two weeks, way longer than I thought he’d last.”

“Want to grab a coffee?” Cade looked like he could use the break.

“Sure.”

The cafeteria was on the other end of the wing. Cade didn’t ask what this was about, but Stone bet his roommate could guess. Because Stone was about to head into work, he grabbed a coffee and a pastry. They picked a table along the wall and sat.

Stone inhaled. “I
want to talk about Amber.”

Tension crossed Cade’s face. “What about her?”

“I’m about to go in and ask my supervisor for the day shift. I want to spend more time with her, but I need to know your intentions.”

Cade barked out a small laugh. “You her dad now?”

That brought a smile to his lips. It did sound as if he wanted to make sure Cade had honorable intentions.
Shit
. He sucked at this. Stone wanted a permanent ménage relationship, and the three hadn’t even engaged in a real three-way yet.

“Look. I know we’ve always kept what we do with our women
casual, but Amber is different,” Stone said.

Cade grabbed his mug with two hands and sipped the steaming brew. “I know. She’s special.”

“So how serious are you?” They’d never had this conversation before and Stone feared he’d fuck it up.

Cade cocked a brow. “As serious as you are.”

That didn’t answer Stone’s question. “I think she might be the one for us.”

A slow, tired smile spread across
Cade’s face. “My thoughts exactly.”

Relief washed through him. “Then you better catch the son of a bitch who’s taking these lives so we can get on with ours.”

“Don’t I know it.” Cade leaned forward. “When this is over, we need to tell Amber we want her. All this last minute cancelling of dates along with only one of us being free for her doesn’t do anyone any good.”

Stone couldn’t believe his ears. “I couldn’t agree more, but we do have jobs and that can’t be helped.”

“I know, but we can work together to minimize the disturbance.” He looked away for a moment. “I want a family. A real family. Like what your parents have.” Cade leaned back, looking as if he’d needed to get that off his chest.

Stone stuffed the pastry in his mouth and grinned. Amber had actually done it—tamed the great Cade Carter. He’d thought the day would never come.

*
*

Amber wanted nothing more than to see her men, but Cade said he planned to spend every waking hour at work until the killer was caught. Stupid man. He’d put himself in an early grave if he wasn’t careful. However, it was his determination that she admired most about him. She loved his dedication, his concern for justice, and his
never give up
attitude.