Desperate Choices(Bad Karma Special Ops Book 1)
by Tracy Brody
Kindle, 128 pages
Published February 4th, 2020 by Tracy Brody Books, LLC
At nineteen, Stephanie Anderson harbored a secret crush on high school senior Ray Lundgren—her brother’s best friend. After Ray left to join the Army, she put her unrequited crush behind her. Over the next five years, she fell in love, married, and started a family. Only her happy life was shattered when her husband was killed eight months ago. Being a single mom was never her plan, but Stephanie’s doing the best she can for her daughter. However, danger may be closing in after she witnesses activity that may tie her husband’s unsolved murder to a drug smuggling operation.
Elite soldier Ray Lundgren has been following orders since high school—even when his best friend forbid him from dating his sister. On leave following a deployment, Ray is back in town when a desperate Stephanie turns to him for help. When he takes charge to help protect her and her daughter, the attraction both tried to deny years ago reignites.
Ray’s time home is running short, so when the police ask for Stephanie’s help to get evidence, they go along with the risky plan to crack the case. When danger emerges from an unexpected source, this time Ray disobeys orders from the authorities, but will he be able to get to Stephanie in time when not only their shot at love, but her life, is in jeopardy?
EXCERPT:
April 2005
“Hey, Dolph!”
Ray’s head jerked, and he grumbled under his breath at the high school nickname he’d despised.
He recognized the voice. But Stephanie Laakso—no, she was Anderson now—had never called him that. Why now? He placed two of his parents’ dining room chairs in the bed of his truck and turned to see Stephanie crossing the neighbors’ lawns, heading toward him with purpose. She balanced her toddler on her hip and motioned for him with her free arm.
“Hey. How’s it going?” The car in front of her house was still there, and behind her, two men stood in her driveway. He eyed them as he strolled toward Stephanie. Both wore tan chinos, long-sleeved dress shirts, and ties, and the redheaded one wore a suit jacket. Their hands were empty—no products for sale or visible Bible tracts—though they could be there to share their faith. He lengthened his stride as they started to follow her.
“Can you help me?”
The way she exaggerated “help me” and her wide-eyed expression stole Ray’s focus from the wisps of naturally blonde hair framing her face. “What do you need?”
Alexis stared up at him and began to cry, probably intimidated by his height.
“I hate to impose, but could you and Emily watch Alexis for me again for a few hours tonight?”
The slight shake of her head contradicted her words.
“These detectives”—she jerked her head, appearing startled they stood a few feet away—“need me to come to the station regarding Sam’s murder.”
Emily? Why would Stephanie bring up his high school girlfriend? She wasn’t making any sense, yet her sky-blue eyes stayed locked on his. Another look at the detectives and things clicked into place. Detectives who wanted her to come in at nearly seven o’clock at night didn’t add up. Sam was killed eight months ago, about a month after Ray’s two-week leave from Iraq. Not likely there’d be a time-sensitive break in the case now. His body tensed the same as if he heard an incoming mortar siren. He thought quickly. “I wish we could help, but I have to finish loading this furniture and, uh, deliver it tonight.” He stopped before saying names or places. If Stephanie avoided using his real name, she could have a reason.
“I understand.” Relief flashed across her face. “Do you have a minute to help me with something in the house, though?”
“Sure.” He wasn’t leaving her side with these goons here.
She turned to face the detectives. “Sorry. I really need to feed my daughter and get her in bed. I can come by in the morning before work. Should I ask for one of you or Detective Boothe?”
The thinner detective with limp brown hair hesitated. Ray added another inch of intimidation by raising on the balls of his feet. Alexis cried harder, and the man cowered. “Detective Boothe is out this week.”
“Okay. Can I get your card?” Stephanie asked.
“Uh, no need. Ask for either of us.” The detectives started to back away.
“You said you’re Detective Wiesner, and you’re Detective Farmer?” She motioned from the thinner guy to the redhead.
“Yes, ma’am. We’ll see you in the morning.” Wiesner nodded to a grumpy-looking Farmer, who cast one more chilling glance at Stephanie before he followed.
While Stephanie opened the trunk of her car, Ray watched the men pull away before he grabbed the groceries and carried them inside.
“You want to tell me what that was about?” He set the bags on the kitchen table. “Because I’d bet a month’s pay those men were not detectives.”
“Hey, Dolph!”
Ray’s head jerked, and he grumbled under his breath at the high school nickname he’d despised.
He recognized the voice. But Stephanie Laakso—no, she was Anderson now—had never called him that. Why now? He placed two of his parents’ dining room chairs in the bed of his truck and turned to see Stephanie crossing the neighbors’ lawns, heading toward him with purpose. She balanced her toddler on her hip and motioned for him with her free arm.
“Hey. How’s it going?” The car in front of her house was still there, and behind her, two men stood in her driveway. He eyed them as he strolled toward Stephanie. Both wore tan chinos, long-sleeved dress shirts, and ties, and the redheaded one wore a suit jacket. Their hands were empty—no products for sale or visible Bible tracts—though they could be there to share their faith. He lengthened his stride as they started to follow her.
“Can you help me?”
The way she exaggerated “help me” and her wide-eyed expression stole Ray’s focus from the wisps of naturally blonde hair framing her face. “What do you need?”
Alexis stared up at him and began to cry, probably intimidated by his height.
“I hate to impose, but could you and Emily watch Alexis for me again for a few hours tonight?”
The slight shake of her head contradicted her words.
“These detectives”—she jerked her head, appearing startled they stood a few feet away—“need me to come to the station regarding Sam’s murder.”
Emily? Why would Stephanie bring up his high school girlfriend? She wasn’t making any sense, yet her sky-blue eyes stayed locked on his. Another look at the detectives and things clicked into place. Detectives who wanted her to come in at nearly seven o’clock at night didn’t add up. Sam was killed eight months ago, about a month after Ray’s two-week leave from Iraq. Not likely there’d be a time-sensitive break in the case now. His body tensed the same as if he heard an incoming mortar siren. He thought quickly. “I wish we could help, but I have to finish loading this furniture and, uh, deliver it tonight.” He stopped before saying names or places. If Stephanie avoided using his real name, she could have a reason.
“I understand.” Relief flashed across her face. “Do you have a minute to help me with something in the house, though?”
“Sure.” He wasn’t leaving her side with these goons here.
She turned to face the detectives. “Sorry. I really need to feed my daughter and get her in bed. I can come by in the morning before work. Should I ask for one of you or Detective Boothe?”
The thinner detective with limp brown hair hesitated. Ray added another inch of intimidation by raising on the balls of his feet. Alexis cried harder, and the man cowered. “Detective Boothe is out this week.”
“Okay. Can I get your card?” Stephanie asked.
“Uh, no need. Ask for either of us.” The detectives started to back away.
“You said you’re Detective Wiesner, and you’re Detective Farmer?” She motioned from the thinner guy to the redhead.
“Yes, ma’am. We’ll see you in the morning.” Wiesner nodded to a grumpy-looking Farmer, who cast one more chilling glance at Stephanie before he followed.
While Stephanie opened the trunk of her car, Ray watched the men pull away before he grabbed the groceries and carried them inside.
“You want to tell me what that was about?” He set the bags on the kitchen table. “Because I’d bet a month’s pay those men were not detectives.”
About the Author:
Tracy Brody has written a series of single-title romances featuring the Bad Karma Special Ops team whose love lives are as dangerous as their missions. A SHOT WORTH TAKING and IN THE WRONG SIGHTS won the Golden Heart® for romantic suspense in 2015 and 2016. DEADLY AIM was a four-time finalist in the Golden Heart.
She has a background in banking, retired to become a domestic engineer, and aims to supplement her husband’s retirement using her overactive imagination. Tracy began writing spec movie and TV scripts, however, when two friends gave her the same feedback on a script, saying that they’d love to see it as a book, she didn’t need to be hit over the head with a literal 2” x 4” to get the message She joined RWA® and developed her craft and learned how to use commas correctly—most of the time. She has a sense of humor and is not afraid to use it. When not on a writing retreat with friends, she enjoys walking in her neighborhood, the park, or especially at the beach talking to herself as she plots books and scenes.
Tracy lives in North Carolina where she and her husband are semi-empty nesters. She has a daughter in college and a son who’s living his dream as a software engineer in Silicon Valley and getting married in Scotland in 2020. https://www.tracybrody.com
~GIVEAWAY~
Tracy's offering up one ebook copy of DESPERATE CHOICES! Enter below for a chance to win and leave a comment for Tracy; we're wondering if you're a fan of Military Romances or if this would be your first!
Well, I know I'm a sucker for ex-military romances!! And now I'm a fan of Ray too!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy military romances. This one sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy ex-military romance and this sounds like a very interesting story.
ReplyDeletelove all types of military romances
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty new to me. Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by the blog and reading about Desperate Choices. I hope you'll check out my series and fall in love with my Bad Karma team!
ReplyDelete