Page 67 of Pretty Poison

This Deidre person responded but Rocky couldn’t make out what she said. Queen Bea cackled like a lunatic, so it must’ve been something witty and not mean.

“They think getting up and sticking to a routine is good for us,” Nana said. “I wasn’t a believer at first, but now I see the merits. Besides, when you’re at the short end of your lifespan, you need to make the best of each minute.”

“You’ll outlive us all,” Rocky said.

“Probably,” Nana agreed. Then she had a brief conversation with her nurse before she said, “Oh, good. Deidre is a sweet girl, but she hovers. The coast is clear now, so we can get to the reason for my call.”

“What’s going on?”

“I asked around and uncovered some answers for your investigation.”

“What investigation?” Rocky asked.

“The one involving the rehab nurse,” she whispered. “Helen Girard worked at Whispering Willows before coming here.”

Rocky had already uncovered that tidbit, but Queen Bea sounded so proud of herself. “Did you find out why she left?”

“Nope. And that only makes me more suspicious. These nurses love to gossip and often forget we’re in the room. They share some ridiculously personal things with one another. All of them complain about their former employers. Not Helen. She’s been unusually tight-lipped about her former position.”

“So, it could all be speculation.”

“Wrong, Sherlock. Deidre has a cousin who works at Whispering Willows. She’s the one who said Helen left on bad terms, but management shuts down any inquiries about her tenure there.”

“Interesting,” Rocky said. “Whispering Willows is a pretty swanky place. Maybe she signed a nondisclosure agreement.” He’d find out how much information Helen’s employer was willing to divulge when he requested a work reference.

“Could be,” Nana said. “Do you want me to get the cousin’s name so you can interview her?”

Rocky considered it, but how much could this person tell him? Then again, a pattern in speculation and rumors could help guide him toward where to look. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. “Sure. You can leave a voice mail if I don’t answer when you call back.”

“Or I could just give you her name now.”

Rocky shook his head. Of course she already had the name. He turned and picked up an envelope from the stack of yesterday’s mail and a pen. A shaft of early morning light streamed through the part in the curtains, projecting his shadow onto the wall. It took him a second to realize the protrusion from his midsection wasn’t a funhouse effect or kinky shadow puppet.

Glancing down the length of his body, Rocky confirmed that he was indeed sporting a glorious erection. He couldn’t wait to get back to the bedroom and show Asher. He’d push his husband onto his back and—

“Rockford,” Nana said firmly.

“What?” he asked, cringing because he was sporting wood while talking to his grandmother.

“I said her name is Bethany Fields.”

Rocky scribbled the name down on the envelope. “Thank you so much. I gotta run.”

“To where? You were sound asleep when I called.”

“Asher is here,” Rocky said.

“Hell’s bells, Rockford. Why didn’t you say so? Is he here to stay?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Bring that hunk for a visit,” Nana said before disconnecting the call.

Rocky plugged his cell phone into the charger, then ran back to the bedroom. He slid to a stop next to Asher’s side of the bed. His husband cracked open an eye and stared at his face. Rocky gestured at his morning wood with both hands. “It’s not going to ejaculate itself.”

Asher snagged Rocky’s right wrist and yanked him down onto the bed. As soon as their bodies collided, Asher rolled and pinned Rocky to the mattress. “Good morning.”

“Sure is shaping up to be,” Rocky quipped, hooking his legs over the back of Asher’s thighs.