Will Gumble is summoned by his new XO to a quiet, out-of-
the-way bar. This can only mean one thing. Captain Sean
McCoy would take him to task for leaving his daughter
Jessalynn without an explanation or saying good-bye. Will
has not contacted her at all over the past ten years.
That's why Will is so surprised when Captain McCoy never
mentions that incident, only asks him to rescue Jess, off
the record. She's been kidnapped by a Panamanian drug
cartel for the bioweapon Morsyni, for which she is trying
to find an antidote. Will is a Navy SEAL, and Captain
McCoy
tells him he is the only one he trusts find Jess to bring
her home.
Deep in the jungles of Panama, Will allows himself to be
captured by this drug cartel, posing as a renowned
scientist with experience in bio weaponry. He finds Jess,
but the compound is very secure and they are guarded 24/7.
The clock is ticking. In eight days the cartel expects
Jess
and Will to produce the Morsyni in a form that will kill
another drug cartel; revenge for killing the cartel
leader's brother. Can Will get Jess out in time and home
for Christmas?
NAVY SEAL NOEL is a fast paced, inspirational story about
being alone. Most of the action centers on Will and Jess
and their plan to escape to freedom. Both are strong
characters with a faith in God to see them through this
harrowing ordeal. But Jess's faith wavers. Two people Jess
loved dearly have left her. Has God given up on her too?
Liz Johnson brings us an endearing story about coming
home,
not just for Christmas, but where we always belong.
A LETHAL REUNION Abducted by a drug cartel, scientist Jessalynn McCoy's orders are simple—release a deadly toxin, or be killed. Trapped with no options, she's desperate for help…she just never expected it from Will Gumble. The boy who let her down years ago is now a navy SEAL. She trusts his skills, his experience. Yet trusting him is a struggle. Will's Christmas wish is to heal their damaged relationship and get them to safety. But time is running out and someone is on to their escape plans. Any mistake could mean the difference between facing the holidays together or apart. Forever.
Excerpt
“Jess, calm down. I won’t hurt you.” The words made no sense to her muddled brain, but they continued, quiet and assured. “Don’t scream. It’s all right. I won’t let anything happen to you.” It wasn’t the words that made her sink into him, but the voice that, even after all this time, she’d recognize anywhere. Her eyes hadn’t been playing tricks on her that afternoon. Will Gumble was in this compound. In her very room. “I thought I saw you—I thought that was you, but…” Her words were little more than a whisper despite his assurance that it was safe to speak. Her stomach pitched, fear and relief mingling with alarm and the echo of a remembered betrayal. But dealing with her emotions would have to wait until she felt steadier on her feet. Exhaustion and the ebbing of her fight-or-flight adrenaline rush had left her legs like jelly. She leaned into Will. He held out his arms, as though he knew just what she needed. As though he was still someone who cared about taking care of her, being there for her. But she didn’t want him holding her. She wanted answers. She wanted to understand what on earth was happening. Most of all, she wanted to silence the little voice in her head that kept saying Will’s appearance was simply a dream or hallucination. Yanking herself upright at the last possible moment, she shoved his chest with both hands. “You scared me to death! Why did you break into my room? What are you doing here?” His lopsided grin had always started with a little quirk to the left before spreading across his mouth. And that hadn’t changed, even as he looked down at the tiny black-and- white-checkered floor tiles. He scraped his fingers over the black whiskers covering his chin. “Your dad sent me.” “My dad?” “Well, I couldn’t say no to my new XO, could I?” “So you’re still in the navy?” Oh, she sounded bitter—so much more bitter than she wanted to. Why couldn’t her words be flippant and nonchalant, as if it didn’t really matter that she no longer knew even the most basic things about him? He’d popped back into her life, and she didn’t want it to matter. But it did. Maybe because of the extreme situation. Sure. She’d just keep telling herself that. His smile flickered for a moment before he nodded slowly. “I am.” Forcing a chuckle, she said, “I figured when my dad realized I was missing, he’d send a SEAL team to bring me home.” “Not a full team—he just sent one.”