Marliss Melton - Show No Fear

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright 2009 by Marliss Arruda

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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First eBook Edition: September 2009

ISBN: 978-0-446-55812-9

TOO FAR GONE

TremendousA mothers frantic fear[a] desperate race.

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

A terrific romantic suspense thriller.

Midwest Book Review

This is a taut, thrilling, well-written novel with an unexpected twistA terrific addition to this Navy SEAL series.

TheRomanceReadersConnection.com

Likable and honorable characters who elicit sympathy and/or empathy; exciting, intelligently crafted plots with inner and outer conflicts to overcome; and heartwarming love stories mark all [the books in this series.] I highly recommend Too Far Gone.

RomRevToday.com

DONT LET GO

4 Stars! Another winner in a top-notch series!Four different plot threads are delicately woven together, each resonating with emotional overtones of loss and rebirth.

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

An exhilarating thrillerReaders will enjoy this fine family drama as Ms. Melton provides a strong tale.

Midwest Book Review

Melton delivers another suspenseful tale that you will never forget.

BookCoveReviews.com

NEXT TO DIE

A romance that sizzles.

Publishers Weekly

There is a lot of action and suspensea work that is as exciting as it is heartwarmingly riveting.

Midwest Book Review

Melton brings her considerable knowledge about the military and intelligence world to this Navy SEAL series. Youll enjoy this peek into the worldand love the romance that develops between Joe and Penny.

FreshFiction.com

TIME TO RUN

Meltondoesnt miss a beat in this involving story.

Publishers Weekly

Edgy contemporary romantic suspenseemotional fireworks as well as some fancy sniper shooting.

Booklist

Meltons compelling protagonists propel the gritty and realistic storytellingExcellent!

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

IN THE DARK

Hooked me from the first pagefilled with romance, suspense, and characters who will pull you in and never let you go.

LISA JACKSON, New York Times bestselling author of Absolute Fear

Packed with action from the first page to the lasta must.

Novel Talk

[A] hard-charging romantic thriller as warm and heady as a Caribbean sun-soaked bay.

BookPage

FORGET ME NOT

Refreshingfine writing, likable characters, and realistic emotions.

Publishers Weekly

A wonderful book, touching at all the right heartstrings. I highly recommend it!

HEATHER GRAHAM, author ofDead on the Dance Floor

The gifted Melton does an excellent job building emotion, danger, and tension in her transfixing novel.

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

Forget Me Not

In the Dark

Time to Run

Next to Die

Dont Let Go

Too Far Gone

This story is written in honor of three American contractors, Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, and Thomas Howes, who were held captive by Colombian rebels for five years and five months. While I was researching this story, you were all still hostages. It had been my intent to raise awareness of your plight, so that you wouldnt be forgotten. My prayers were answered when you were bravely rescued on July 2, 2008, in a combined effort involving the Colombian army and intelligence agents. Welcome home, gentlemen. You were never as alone as you must have felt you were. May you find peace with the past and fulfillment in the future.

Lucys story has been, by far, the toughest, most rewarding book to write in my entire Navy SEALs series. It took extensive research into the testimonials of those whove been held captive in Colombia, have aided the Colombian government in suppressing terrorism, or have interacted with the FARC in some personal way. My thanks goes to Glenn Heggstad, who described his captivity in Colombia in his testimonial Two Wheels Through Terror, giving me insight into that awful experience. My fullest respect and awe go to Russell Martin Stendal, author of Rescue the Captors 2, who, through his fearless missionary work, has converted hundreds of FARC rebels to the Christian faith, causing them to denounce violence and seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing civil war.

Also, I could not have written such a realistic story without the advice of intelligence officers who cannot be named, as well as Navy SEAL commander Mark Divine. Special recognition must be given to retired Australian Services Regiment sniper Chris Nally, for advising me on all matters military. You are my hero!

Lastly, I would be remiss were I not to thank Janie, who believed in my ability to craft a story even without her daily input. Im afraid I have to agree with Lucy, Janie girl. Dodging bullets with a partner is way more fun.

What happens in the jungle stays in the jungle.

INGRID BETANCOURT,

FARC hostage for six years, four months, and nine days

Maiqueta, Venezuela

L ucy Donovan, top-notch case officer for the CIA, considered herself virtually fearless. But the Elite Guards threat to blow up the warehouse, with her trapped inside it, made her skin feel too tight. She wasnt afraid to die, but thoughts of being blown to pieces touched on a memory so raw and painful that she came closer to panicking than she ever had in her life.

With a knife slipped in her hands at the last minute by a sympathetic Elite Guardsman, she had severed the flexicuffs that had kept her bound to a chair. The window through which a warm, sulfurous breeze wafted offered escape and certain survival. Only Lucy couldnt jump out yet. She had a job to finishto find the CDs shed been forced to hide when the Elite Guard first stormed the building.

Beaten and bleeding, with seconds draining away like sand through an hourglass, she slipped from the office to slink along the catwalk edging the outer wall.

The creaking of hinges one level below her made her freeze.