Jerricho didn’t expect his first solo mission to send him to the Middle East nor to rescue his journalist ex-wife and her cameraperson. Finding out why they and the other women had been taken was horrifying in itself, but saving a larger group than he’d first expected then complicates the rescue in a much bigger way.

Brenna had hopes that her ex would show up, as she knew the type of work he did. She’d always wanted a chance to show him how much she’d changed. This was hardly the ideal time, but she might not get a second chance.

Rescuing the women and taking out the kidnappers should have been the end of it, until they realize it’s not as simple as it first seems. The women were objects initially; now they’re targets …

Jerricho has barely settled on his deck with a beer when Diesel calls him with his mission. Apparently his journalist ex-wife, Brenna and her cameraperson have gone missing in a part of the world where a disappearance usually isn’t very good. His partner on this assignment is Killian, and with the data they are getting from the Mavericks they are chasing camera sightings.

Brenna and Jessie are being shuttled from place to place on boats, she’s also been leaving notes where she can. When they reach their final destination they are placed in a paddock with other women. Women from all over the world some crying, some beaten, others just huddled together. One woman brave enough to speak tells Brenna there were more women coming and they were all being sold. Now more than ever, Brenna hopes Jerricho or some SEALs show up to rescue them.

Jerricho is surprised and a bit dismayed when he finds one of Brenna’s note, it simply had his name and an old phone number of his. They also manage to get some additional information that has them needing to find the women quickly. There’s also the problem that there will be more than just two women, and they couldn’t in good conscience leave any of them.

This is a favorite scene.

As soon as the guard was gone again, another rock hit her on the shoulder. She immediately turned and studied the area around her. That she couldn’t see anything was the problem. No light was in the sky tonight. The moon was dark and made it so hard to see anything. Just this sticky soupiness in front of her. As she sat here, another rock hit her.

Finally she picked up the rock and threw it backward. If somebody were there, then at least they would know that she had noticed. But if they weren’t there, they could damn well stop throwing rocks at her. Even that logic was so convoluted she wanted to laugh, but she knew any hilarity would come out completely hysterical.

Instead she groaned and dropped her head onto her knees and just rocked in place. Hearing a different movement, she looked over and watched as the guard stepped away a few feet. He spoke to several other men, and they gestured at the river below them. The guard moved toward the mess going on down below.

She watched, trying to figure out just what was happening. And a hand snaked around through the wooden posts and clapped over her mouth. She froze, her eyes pure white in the darkness.

She heard a voice that she recognized, or thought maybe she recognized, as the man whispered in her ear, “Close your eyes. Stay calm. This is a rescue.”

She immediately stiffened and then sagged in place. A rescue? Who? And did she dare believe them? She had seen all kinds of shenanigans going on here and didn’t trust any of the guards or any of the people who had come with any of the women. It seemed like anybody would cheerfully slice the other’s throat to take over their captives.

As she sat here with this hand over her mouth, she wondered about the closed eyes order, when he whispered again in her ear, “Close your eyes. They’ll think you’re sleeping. The whites of your eyes shine in the darkness.”

She gave an ever-so-slightl nod and slammed her eyes shut.

His hand eased back, and he asked, “You’ll stay quiet?” She nodded again. “There’s room for you to slide through the fence slats,” he said. “Can you do that?” She shook her head. “Why not?”

In as low a voice as she could, she whispered, “All these women need to go too.”

“They will,” he said, “but it’ll take us a little bit longer.” She thought she recognized the voice but just something about it was very different. She shook her head. “I can’t leave them.”

“That’s good news,” he said, “but you’re just making it more difficult.”

She shook her head again, but she reached down with her left hand and squeezed Jessie’s shoulder hard. Jessie shifted back and up, looking at her. “What’s the matter?” And she pointed behind her. Jessie turned ever-so-slightly, and her eyes widened, and her mouth opened up. But Brenna slapped her hand over Jessie’s mouth. Brenna just stared at her, their eyes white, staring at each other.

Jessie leaned forward and whispered, “Who is it?”

“US SEALs,” she said.

At that, Jessie’s eyes opened wide in joy.

Brenna shook her head. “We’re not safe. Hang on. It’s … It’ll get ugly.”

With more understanding than she’d expected, Jessie immediately nodded, looked back at whomever was behind Brenna, and asked, “What do you want us to do?”

“I need you to slip through the wood railing here, so that we can pull you up and off to another area, where we can defend you.”

“But all these women are in trouble,” Jessie said.

“And the plan is to rescue everyone, but I need to get some of you out.”

At that, Jessie immediately slipped through the wood without any issue and, at his order, raced up and over the hillside, keeping quiet and low in the shadows.

“Now will you come?” asked the man behind her. She immediately slid through the wood, trying desperately hard not to make any noise. Then the man said, “Stay down on the ground, don’t run, go very quietly.” And, with that, she slipped up in the same direction that Jessie had disappeared to. What she didn’t realize was the man followed her.

As soon as she got over the hill, she saw a whole pile of shadows on the far side. She raced toward them, only to come up against a solid wall. Arms immediately wrapped around her from behind, pulled her to a stop, and she was told to sit.

Not knowing if she was being taken captive yet again by somebody else, she sat, grateful she was no longer down in the auction house corral but not sure that she wouldn’t be ordered to go right back there.

A small flashlight was turned on and shone into her face. “Brenna?”

She gasped. “Yes,” she said. “Who are you?”

The flashlight turned on the man in front of her. She took one look, burst into tears, and flung her arms around his neck. “Jesus, Jerricho. I was so hoping someone would contact you.” And she hugged him tight.
Dale Mayer. Jerricho (Kindle Locations 651-691). Valley Publishing Ltd..

Things are not going to be simple and it takes quite a while to get the women to relative safety.

In the process Jerricho and Brenna get to know one another again. Brenna has changed a lot since they were together, an awakening of sorts. Of course Jerricho is a bit clueless that he’s falling for his ex and Killian is more than a little amused by that.

Full of suspense, intrigue, action and a touch of sizzle. I couldn’t put this book down!

5 Contented Purrs for Dale!

Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties series. Her contemporary romances are raw and full of passion and emotion (Second Chances, SKIN), her thrillers will keep you guessing (By Death series), and her romantic comedies will keep you giggling (It’s a Dog’s Life and Charmin Marvin Romantic Comedy series).

She honors the stories that come to her – and some of them are crazy and break all the rules and cross multiple genres!

To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in print and ebook format.