Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1) (23 page)

Probably because he was so tired, he could picture Thad in his hospital gown chasing after the perp with his bare ass hanging out.

“What are you smiling at?”

Cade sobered. “Nothing. Let’s go find Thad and give him his new assignment.”

“You do know he’ll not be pleased. He’s used to chasing after gang members. Lying in bed for a week will drive him up a wall.”

“He’ll do it if it means catching a killer.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It took most of Sunday for Cade and Ethan to set up the sting operation.
As Ethan had claimed, Thad was less than enthusiastic about his undercover assignment. In the end, he’d relented.

After calling Amber to make sure she was home,
Cade headed over. Stone’s truck was in the drive. Lucky bastard. As soon as she opened the door, the reason for working these extra hours sunk in. He wanted Amber to be happy.

She
looked worried. “Come in. You mentioned something about a sting operation?”

“Yes.” Cade
ushered both her and Stone into the living room and outlined the plan. If he was way off base about having Amber participate, Stone would set him straight.

She twisted her fingers into a knot. “What if I blow it?”

Cade cradled her in his arms. “You won’t.”

Stone leaned forward. “What exactly are you asking her to do?”

He expected the concern from Stone. “Talk to the other nurses about Thad’s condition.” He faced Amber. “All I want you to do is pretend he’s another Emma Luther. Whoever is guilty will find out about your distress. Either he’ll not want you to suffer or desire to put poor Thad out of his misery.”

She took a moment before answering. “What about my other patients?”

She was such a caring woman. “Go about your job as normal. That’s all.” He kissed her forehead. “But be careful and stay alert.”

Stone stood and walked over to the kitchen, no doubt keeping an ear open.

She suspected Ben Ford, so she would be cautious around him. If her friend was innocent, Cade prayed she didn’t let her guard down around the other staff members. Amber was a trusting person by nature, and he hoped that wouldn’t be her undoing.

She sat up straight. “When do I start?”

He did love this woman. Her spunk and determination was a good match to his nature. “We should have Thad ready to go by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

“So all I have to do is act upset in the break room and say what a sad case I have?”

“That’s about it. You’ll have to go into Thad’s room and pretend to do your thing.”

“My
thing
?”

Crap
. He needed to learn more what she did. “Yes.”

While s
he seemed to relax back, her gaze remained on some unspecified spot on the far wall.

She
then faced him. “Maybe this undercover cop could have a wife who’s pregnant. That would add to the authenticity of my anguish. What do you think?”

Cade smiled. “Brilliant.” This might actually work. He mentally searched the list of female employees.
“One of our officers, Nancy Trillion, is about to pop right now.” She was on leave, but perhaps she wouldn’t mind making an unscheduled visit. “She can visit Thad and act as his grieving wife. I’m sure she’d love to help bring down this killer.”

“Hmm.”

Amber worried the buttons on her shirt, a sure tell of her distress. His heart squeezed. “Sugar?”

“What does Nancy’s
real husband do?”

That was an odd question, but one he could answer. “He’s an i
nvestment banker. Why?”

“Maybe her
real husband could pretend to be her brother or Thad’s brother. That way she won’t ever be alone. It would minimize any danger to her.”

Her need to protect seemed to be as strong as his. “It’s a good plan.”

Stone placed a Coke in front of Cade and an iced tea for Amber. “I’d like to help if I can.”

Cade cocked a brow. “
What are you thinking?”

He shrugged. “People don’t blink an eye at a paramedic walking around. I don’t work Monday
, and for the rest of the week, I don’t go in until four in the afternoon. I could stop in from say noon to four to make sure Amber isn’t alone with anyone for long.”

She shook her head. “As much as I appreciate that, the killer isn’t after me. Remember, all of his cases have been mercy killings.”

“Except for Stephanie Osmond.”

“The killer didn’t know she would get better,” she shot back.

Cade nodded. “Which implies a doctor isn’t involved. And probably not a nurse, either.”

Her shoulders sagged. While she didn’t mention it could be Ben, he bet she was thinking it.

Cade stood. “As much as I’d like to stay and enjoy your company, I’ve got to get back.” He leaned over and kissed her.

She looked up at him with the most soulful eyes. “You can’t stay a little longer?”

He blew out a breath. “I promise when this is over, we’ll do something special—just the three of us.”

The smile he received in return made his day.

The moment he stepped outside, however, his gut churned. God, he better not be making a mistake by having Amber involved. Stone had only offered minimal resistance. He, too, must have realized that if his people watched Thad’s room twenty-four-seven, she’d be safer than if she went about her normal routine.

Once he arrived at the station,
Cade strode up to Ethan who was speaking with the makeup artist. As soon as they finished, he turned to Cade. “We’re still planning on getting the psychologist, Dr. Donovan, on board, right?”

There were a shitload of details to take care of. “Yes. How about you handle it? Tell her she’ll need a few scheduled visits to make this look legit. I’ve already touched base with Dr. Zachery Stanfield, and he agreed to act as Thad’s doctor.”

“What about Amber?”

“She’s a go.”

“Good. When’s Thad arriving at the hospital?”

“He’ll be
transferred
here from Helena this afternoon, supposedly because Dr. Stanfield is an old family friend who they hope can do his magic on Thad.”

Ethan stood. “Then I guess we’re set.”

“Yup.”

As soon as Ethan left for the hospital to ask for Dr. Donovan’s help, Cade compared the schedules of all the nurses and doctors. Patient assisted death was legal in Montana, but so far, the killer hadn’t made it look like suicide. Cade wasn’t ready to rule out a physician, but it was looking more like someone who had access to the drugs but not the complete knowledge how to use them. That narrowed the possible suspects.

Ben Ford was climbing to the top of that list.

* *

Now that this whole sting operation was in full swing, Amber worried about Cade. He had called her each night to see how her shift had gone, but he hadn’t stopped over. He had to work on “the” case. He’d stayed away from the hospital because he feared if he showed up, it might tip off the killer.

She’d asked Stone when Cade slept, and from what
Stone could tell, Cade only came home to shower and grab a bite to eat.

In one of Cade’s weaker moments, Stone had been able to convince him to go bowling on Saturday night with them. It would be the first day Stone had free, and while Amber sucked at bowling, she might be willing to jump out of a plane if it meant she could be with both her men at the same time. Unfortunately, it was close to that time of the month and she was bloated, but she wasn’t going to be the one to cancel.

Stone said he and Cade would pick her up at six, and that they would eat at the bowling alley. She’d never been to these lanes before, but if it was like the ones she went to in high school, all they had was greasy pizza and questionable hamburgers. It was the together time that really mattered.

She wore capris with a slight stretch
to them and a long-sleeved top that would allow her to move. Her form was so rusty, however, it wouldn’t matter what she wore.

Right on time, the doorbell rang
, and she rushed to let them in. Her heart lurched. “I can’t believe I get both of you.” She expected one of them to have gotten called in.

“Ready?” Stone asked.

“What? No hello kiss?” She hadn’t seen them for days.

Both descended at the same time and made
her giggle.

“You had her last,” Cade said
. He picked her up and kissed her hard.

Their bodies lined up perfectly, and his cock hardened as their kiss progressed.

“My turn,” Stone said.

She could see this could be
come a problem. After Stone thoroughly kissed her, her body was hot for them. “We can’t.” She patted her stomach and scrunched up her nose.

Stone immediately sobered. “You sure you even want to go out? We can stay in and I can fix you something to eat.”

Now she chuckled. “No. I’ll be fine. I think it’s mostly stress. Although other factors are about to occur, too.”

Cade wrapped an arm around her. “
To take the pressure off you, I say it’s me and you against Stone then.”

“What?” Stone laughed
, as he opened the door.

“Works for me.”
This date would help take her mind off everything that was happening. Hopefully, it would help Cade, too. Stone had driven, so the three of them squished into his front seat. “Ooh. It’s a ménage sandwich. I’m the meat and you two are the bread,” she said.

Cade picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. Her heart swooned at his tenderness. She loved how he
could go from tough guy to romantic in a flash.

“
You are so going to experience more than that afterwards.”

Suddenly, she wasn’t feeling so bad. “Promises, promises.” She wouldn’t ask if there were two cocks in her future. If nothing else, tonight should help move their relationship forward.

Stone pulled into the lot. “Here we are at Rock Hard’s famous bowling alley. Pinarama,” Stone said with pride lacing his tone.

The outside appeared to be a little seedy
. Having two of the three “a’s” unlit didn’t help. Cade piled out and helped her. From the back Stone retrieved a bag.

She grunted. “Don’t tell me y
ou have your own ball and shoes?”

“Okay, I won’t.” He
grinned.

Both men grabbed her hand and they entered the fray. The place was packed. Women bowlers had taken half the lanes. Teams
wore matching shirts, which implied tonight was league night.

“Cade,” Stone said. “How about getting us a lane
while I help our woman find a ball?”

She liked the “our woman” part.

Cade nodded and headed to the counter. Stone ran his gaze up and down her. “I’m thinking you’re the eight-pound type.”

In high school, she’d used a ten-pound ball, but her fingers might not be as strong any more. He made her pick up at least five of them before she found one that seemed right. “This is good.”

Cade came over. “Lane four.” He picked up a ball and set it down. He nodded to Stone’s bag. “What weight you got in there?”

“Fourteen, but the house balls tend to be a little heavier. I’d try a twelve or a thirteen.”

Amber was curious how this duel would end. Cade tried a few balls and finally chose a fourteen pounder.
Men
.

Stone grinned as if he knew Cade had been fooled. “Let’s get you shoes.”

By the time they made it to their lane and set up the electronic scoring, it was close to seven and she was starving. Her stomach grumbled.

“Oh, baby. We need to get you something to eat. Pizza? Hotdogs? Hamburger? What?”

Her stomach churned at the thought of the greasy fare. “How about we split a pizza?”

“What kind do you like?”
Stone asked.

“Whatever.” She just needed food or she’d get a headache.

“I’ll go,” Cade said. “Amber. Beer?”

“Coke.” The carbonation might settle her stomach better.

Stone nodded to her ball on the rack. “Why don’t you take a practice throw?”

She shook her head. “You just want to check out your competition.
I hope you’re prepared for Cade and I plan to outscore you.”

He laughed. “
You think? What’s the bet?” She loved the twinkle in his eye.

Cade came back with a Coke and two beers. “Pizza will be up in a bit.” He looked between them. “What?”

“Stone doesn’t think we can beat him. We can, can’t we?”

She thought she’d see the look of victory on his face. “
Oh, sugar. I was only kidding back at the house. We don’t stand a chance unless you’re a superstar.”

She shot a gaze at Stone. “You’re that good?”

He shrugged. “Me and the guys used to be on a league. Took second place two years in a row.”

She waved a hand. “Well, then, there’s still hope for us.”

Stone chuckled and shook his head. He sat at the scoring table and pointed to the monitor above them. “You’re up first, baby. Show us what you’ve got.”

No pressure here. She picked up her ball, did her three-step approach, and eased it down the lane. It thumped all the way to the end. While
the ball hit the three pin, it only nicked the head pin. The slow speed garnered her a six. She turned around, not wanting to see the disappointment on Cade’s face.