Resurrection River: Men of Mercy, Book 2 Read online

  Resurrection River

  Men of Mercy, Book 2

  Lindsay Cross

  Cypress Bend Publishing, LLC

  Contents

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Acknowledgments

  DOSSIER

  1. Chapter 1

  2. Chapter 2

  3. Chapter 3

  4. Chapter 4

  5. Chapter 5

  6. Chapter 6

  7. Chapter 7

  8. Chapter 8

  9. Chapter 9

  10. Chapter 10

  11. Chapter 11

  12. Chapter 12

  13. Chapter 13

  14. Chapter 14

  15. Chapter 15

  16. Chapter 16

  17. Chapter 17

  18. Chapter 18

  19. Chapter 19

  20. Chapter 20

  21. Chapter 21

  22. Chapter 22

  23. Chapter 23

  24. Chapter 24

  25. Chapter 25

  26. Chapter 26

  27. Chapter 27

  28. Chapter 28

  29. Chapter 29

  30. Chapter 30

  31. Chapter 31

  32. Chapter 32

  33. Chapter 33

  34. Chapter 34

  35. Chapter 35

  36. Chapter 36

  37. Chapter 37

  38. Chapter 38

  39. Chapter 39

  40. Chapter 40

  41. Chapter 41

  42. Chapter 42

  43. Chapter 43

  44. Chapter 44

  45. Chapter 45

  46. Chapter 46

  47. Epilogue

  Before you go…

  Reckless River: Men of Mercy Book 3

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  Copyright © 2015 by Lindsay Cross

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  ISBN: 978-0-9968360-1-2

  Introduction

  Praise for the Men of Mercy Series

  “Lindsay Cross delivers high-powered action, alpha heroes and an exciting conclusion!”

  - ELLE JAMES

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

  “This is one of those books that the phrase sit down, shut up and hang on would be used because it’s a wild ride from page one to the end.”

  - 5 Star Goodreads Review, Redemption River

  “This book was wall to wall action. Once the danger hit, it never slowed down. I was late leaving my house because there was no way I could stop reading.”

  - 5 Star NetGalley Review, Redemption River

  Acknowledgments

  I want to give a huge thank you to Megan Mitcham for your daily motivation and for keeping it real. Your badass Base Branch Series rocks!!! I couldn’t have done it with out you!

  Another big shout out to Kim Killion and Jennifer Jakes-without you and a bucket load of patience, the Men of Mercy would never have these truly awesome covers.

  Thank you to my dad for giving me the love of reading and to my mom for dropping everything to read my books and catch those last minute mistakes.

  My beautiful beta readers, Jenna, Jamie and Lauren-you’ve helped make the Men of Mercy shine.

  And last, but most definitely not least, thank you to my true military hero-my husband. I love you all.

  DOSSIER

  TASK FORCE SCORPION (TF-S)

  A branch of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)

  Ft. Grenada, MS

  MACK GREY: Detachment Commander, Captain

  ♣Recruited from the 75th Ranger Regiment, Ft.

  Benning, GA

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare,

  special reconnaissance, interrogations

  specialist, psychological warfare

  ♣First in Command. Responsible for ensuring

  and maintaining operational readiness.

  ♣Height: 6’

  ♣Weight: 195lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Gothic

  Serpent, Somalia.

  Operation Desert Storm, OIF, Operation

  Crescent Wind,

  Operation Rhino, Operation Anaconda,

  Operation Jacan, Operation Mountain Viper,

  Operation Eagle Fury, Operation Condor,

  Operation Summit, Operation Volcano,

  Operation Achilles

  HUNTER JAMES: Warrant Officer, Detachment Commander

  ♣Recruited from the 75th Ranger Regiment,

  Ft. Benning, GA

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action, unconventional warfare,

  special reconnaissance, psychological warfare

  ♣Responsible for overseeing all Team ops.

  Commands in

  absence of detachment commander.

  ♣Height: 6’3”

  ♣Weight: 230lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Enduring

  Freedom, Operation Crescent Wind,

  Operation Anaconda, Operation Jacana,

  Operation Mountain Viper

  RANGER JAMES: Team Daddy/Team Sergeant, Master Sgt.

  ♣Recruited from the 75th Ranger Regiment,

  Ft. Benning, GA

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon

  ♣Plans, coordinates & directs Team

  intelligence, analysis and dissemination.

  ♣Height: 6’4”

  ♣Weight: 225lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Enduring

  Freedom, Operation Crescent Wind,

  Operation Anaconda, Operation

  Jacana, Operation Mountain Viper,

  Operation Eagle Fury

  JARED CROWE: Weapons Sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class

  ♣Recruited from Delta Force, Ft. Bragg, NC

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon, Sniper

  ♣Weapons expert. Capable of firing and

  employing all small arm and crew

  served weapons

  ♣Height: 6’0”

  ♣Weight: 220lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Enduring

  Freedom, Operation Crescent Wind, Operation

  Anaconda, Operation Jacana, Operation

  Condor, Operation Summit, Operation

  Volcano, Operation Achilles

  HOYT CROWE: Asst. Weapons Sergeant, Staff Sgt.

  ♣Recruited from Delta Force, Ft. Bragg, NC

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon, Sniper

  ♣Weapons expert. Capable of firing and

  employing all small

  arm and crew served weapons

  ♣Height: 6’0”

  ♣Weight: 210lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Enduring

  Freedom, Operation Crescent Wind, Operation

  Anaconda, Operation Jacana, Operation

  Condor, Operation Summit, Operation

  Volcano, Operation Achilles

  AARON SPEIRS: Medical Sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class

  ♣Recruited from Delta Force, Ft. Bragg, NC

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare,

  special reconnaissance, medic

  ♣The life-saver. Employs the latest field


  medical technology

  and limited surgical procedures

  ♣Height: 6’1”

  ♣Weight: 195lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Anaconda,

  Operation Jacana, Operation Condor,

  Operation Summit, Operation Volcano,

  Operation Achilles

  RISER MALLON: Asst. Medical Sergeant, Staff Sgt.

  ♣Recruited from Delta Force, Ft. Bragg, NC

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon, medic

  ♣The life-saver. Employs the latest field

  medical technology

  and limited surgical procedures

  ♣Height: 6’2”

  ♣Weight: 215lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Anaconda,

  Operation Jacana, Operation Condor,

  Operation Summit, Operation Volcano,

  Operation Achilles,Operation Mountain Viper,

  Operation Eagle Fury

  MERC: Engineer Sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class

  ♣Recruited from Special Operations Group

  (SOG) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon,

  Demolitions, psychological operations

  ♣Demolition expert. Trained in psychological

  warfare, conducts field interrogations.

  ♣Height: 6’5”

  ♣Weight: 250lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Classified

  ETHAN SLADE: Communications

  Sergeant/Commo Guy, Sgt. 1st Class

  ♣Recruited from the 75th Ranger Regiment,

  Ft. Benning, GA

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon,

  communications

  ♣Communications expert. Employ latest FM,

  multi-channel,

  and satellite communication devices.

  ♣Height: 6’0”

  ♣Weight: 200lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Condor,

  Operation Summit, Operation Volcano,

  Operation Achilles

  SHANE CARTER: Weapons Sergeant, Staff Sgt.

  ♣Recruited from the Marine Corps Forces

  Special Operations Command (MARSOC),

  Camp Lejeune, NC

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon,

  weapons expert/sniper

  ♣Weapons expert. Capable of firing and

  employing all small

  arm and crew served weapons

  ♣Height: 5’11”

  ♣Weight: 180lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Iraqi

  Freedom, Operation Condor, Operation

  Summit, Operation Volcano, Operation

  Achilles

  CORD CARTER: Weapons Sergeant, Staff Sgt.

  ♣Recruited from the Marine Corps

  Forces Special Operations Command

  (MARSOC), Camp Lejeune, NC

  ♣Specialized Skills: direct action,

  unconventional warfare, special recon,

  weapons expert/sniper

  ♣Weapons expert. Capable of firing and

  employing all small

  arm and crew served weapons

  ♣Height: 6’1”

  ♣Weight: 210lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Operation Iraqi

  Freedom, Operation Condor, Operation

  Summit, Operation Volcano, Operation

  Achilles

  MR J: CIA Liaison, Embedded with ISA

  ♣Special Activities Division (SAD) of the

  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

  ♣Specialized Skills: Classified

  ♣Training: Classified

  ♣Height: 5’10”

  ♣Weight: 170lbs

  ♣Combat Experience: Classified

  1

  Chapter 1

  Amy’s day started at sunrise and ended after midnight. Feed the chickens. Feed the cows. Feed herself. Then, after five, feed the alcoholics.

  The rest of the time she spent pretending her husband hadn’t left for deployment with a goodbye fight instead of a goodbye kiss.

  Six months was a little long for a stand-off between husband and wife. And if Shane were home, that time would shrink to hours. But the damn man hadn’t called. Hadn’t written. She’d gotten nothing but a cold shoulder from a third world country. And Shane should have been home from deployment two-weeks ago.

  She paused painting the new nursery pink and put a hand to her aching back. She’d been on her feet for five hours straight trying to finish painting before her shift at the bar. Over three hours ago her feet had swollen past the confines of her tennis shoes and she’d switched to flip-flops. Now she just had to make it through the night without some drunk stepping on her feet and mashing her bare toes. Amy probably should have taken a break, but she was determined to make a place for her daughter.

  Someone knocked on her front door. Eight o’clock. Who would be knocking on her door this late? Most of the residents of Mercy, Mississippi considered this bedtime. Her hand immediately went to her belly, covering her unborn child. Amy was seven months along, only finding out about her condition the week after Shane left. If he were regular military, she could tell him. Let him know he was going to be a father. But when Task Force Scorpion, TF-S, an elite branch of Special Forces deployed, they went off grid.

  Nothing and no one could contact them.

  They knocked again. Amy carefully balanced her wet paintbrush on the open bucket at her feet and headed to the front door, stopping for a quick peek in the mirror. A few smudges of paint dotted her cheek and her ponytail sagged a little. They knocked again. This time more forceful. Two-weeks late.

  Could be someone needed help or her best friends wanting to drag her out of the house and make her pretend to be happy.

  Could be an all-together different reason. One she never wanted to know.

  Don’t answer it.

  Don’t answer it.

  Don’t answer it.

  “Amy, it’s me.”

  Ranger James. The man she should have married.

  Why was he on her front porch and not her husband? They were both in the same unit. If Ranger was home and not Shane…

  Her unborn daughter, Chloe, shoved an elbow into her ribs and Amy rubbed soothing circles over the skin. She took a calming breath. Her doctor told her no undue stress. It’s okay. He’s just letting me know Shane had to stay in the country longer than expected…

  She pasted on her I’m-sure-it’s-nothing-important smile and opened the door.

  The roar of the battering rain immediately surrounded her. A drenched and dripping Ranger stood on her front porch, his truck headlights shining through the downpour. His blond hair plastered to his head. His t-shirt plastered to his chest.

  Do not look at his chest.

  “Amy.” Ranger’s voice still had that edge, the one that always managed to scrape across her nerves. But right now his voice had something else. Something frightening.

  She stepped onto the porch. Lighting flashed, highlighting his expression, and she jerked like she’d been struck in the chest. The raw pain in Ranger’s gaze made her tremble. “No.”

  “Shane.” His voice slammed through her with the force of an eighteen-wheeler.

  Her heart stopped.

  “Shane. He’s…”

  Ranger’s words faded under the roaring in her ears. Her hands went numb. He kept talking, but she couldn’t hear. Couldn’t process anything but the oxygen seeping from her lungs in horror. Just because she hadn’t talked to Shane recently didn’t mean something had happened to him.

  Didn’t mean he was dead.

  She wanted to run. To close the door, curl up in a ball and sob. Instead, Ranger’s eyes filling with tears trapped her. “I’m so sorry. The condolen
ces officer showed up at headquarters. I beat him here. I thought you should hear it from me.”

  No. No. No.

  Not her. Not him. Not her husband.

  Shane. Shane hadn’t failed to call because of their fight. Not because they were flirting with separation. Not because he didn’t love her. He hadn’t called because he was dead.

  Oh God.

  Her stomach twisted, and sharp pain ripped across her back. Amy doubled over and Ranger grabbed her arms, barely keeping her from falling. “Amy, holy shit. You’re… you’re…”

  Pregnant.

  A stabbing cramp ripped through her stomach again. She gasped out loud. “Something’s wrong.”

  *

  That night, Amy delivered a healthy baby girl, with Ranger at her side. When the doctors proclaimed everyone healthy enough to leave, he drove them home. Cheri and Evie, her best friends, basically moved in to help take care of Chloe while Amy grieved and tried to care for her newborn baby girl.

  The next week passed in a daze of flowers and cribs and caskets.

  Ranger finished painting the nursery and put her daughter’s crib together. He did everything her husband should have done.

  The day of the funeral, Cheri and Evie rode in the limo with her. Mrs. Trudy, Amy’s godmother, volunteered to stay home with Chloe. Amy couldn’t bring herself to take her baby to the funeral. Not now.

  Her best friends sat across from her, crying and talking nonsense. Amy sat to the side, staring out the tinted window, watching all the people showing up for the funeral. Shane’s unit lined the cemetery drive, all of them in their dress blues and standing at attention.

  Cops. Firemen. Soldiers. People she knew and people she didn’t recognize. All of them there to honor her husband.

  Amy sat straighter in her seat and dried her tears. She wasn’t just a grieving widow. She was the wife of Staff Sergeant Shane Carter, killed by terrorists. Purple Heart recipient. Fatally injured saving the lives of everyone in his squad.

  They passed a news van. National News America. The same station that had shown Shane’s assassination on national TV the week after she’d learned of his death. She’d been standing in the living room after getting Chloe to sleep for the night. The ten o’clock news flashed an alert right before showing the new viral video. Shane, on his knees, a black hood covering his face and an automatic rifle pressed to his head. The retort of gunfire had erupted. His body falling to the floor. How many women got to watch their husband murdered on live television?

  “Damn leeches. How dare they show up here.” Cheri sat forward in the seat and flipped them off. Too bad the windows were tinted black.

  “Want me to get them out of here?” Evie took Amy’s hand. She stared down at her friend’s grip, seeing but not feeling her touch. Amy blacked out after watching the video and when she’d woken, her body had been blessedly numb, as if anesthetized by a powerful drug. A distant part of her recognized this non-feeling as a sort of shock. A shock she was sure to come crashing out of at some point, but one she held on to with a grip of steel.