19 Headed for Trouble Read online

  PRAISE FOR

  SUZANNE BROCKMANN

  BORN TO DARKNESS

  “Bestseller [Suzanne] Brockmann takes readers on a pulse-pounding ride with the first installment of her new futuristic paranormal series.… The drama pulls readers in from page one.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “A thrill ride of a series-launcher … Brockmann’s winning tale, part romantic suspense and part science fiction, will leave readers eager for the next in its series.”

  —Booklist (starred review)

  “Romantic suspense superstar Brockmann shifts gears and kicks off a new futuristic series, Fighting Destiny. Born to Darkness features all of Brockmann’s patented fast-paced action and emotional punch. This series is off to a rip-roaring start!”

  —RT Book Reviews (four stars)

  “Enthralling reading … High-octane action kicks the book right into can’t-put-it-down territory.… Brockmann’s latest is darkly thrilling, and as romantically diverse as it is gratifying. Seductive, suspenseful, surprising.”

  —USA Today

  “Action-packed and sexy.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  BREAKING THE RULES

  “In the powerful sixteenth Troubleshooters title, Brockmann masterfully weaves the stories of the four Gillman siblings into a single narrative that reaffirms the importance of family.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “At long last Izzy Zanella gets his due.… Fast paced and filled with emotional land mines, Brockmann gives her readers a great story full of old friends and new adventures.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)

  “The action is relentless and the passion runs deep.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  HOT PURSUIT

  “Brockmann continues to use her patented style of weaving intersecting story lines around a number of different protagonists and relationships. Like an excellent chocolate, a Brockmann book never disappoints.”

  —Romantic Times

  “The action grabs you and drags you along.… [Hot Pursuit] will immediately grab your interest.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  DARK OF NIGHT

  “Provides real chills … a true Brockmann masterpiece!”

  —Romantic Times

  “Once again Brockmann neatly blends high-adrenaline suspense and scorchingly sexy romance into an addictively readable mix.”

  —Booklist

  “Brockmann fans will cheer.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  INTO THE FIRE

  “Another sure-bet winner from the always reliable Brockmann.”

  —Booklist

  “A multilayered tale that includes emotion, romance, action and pulse-pounding suspense … Readers will root for new and old romances and worry about what the future holds for other characters—a trademark of Brockmann’s that increases fan anticipation for the next book.”

  —BookPage

  “Into the Fire is lucky number thirteen for fans of this ever-popular series.… [Brockmann] juggles multiple story lines while keeping the emotional quotient intact.… [Her] thrillers make you think and hold your breath!”

  —Romantic Times

  “A jaw-dropping ‘conclusion’ suggests more fireworks ahead.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  FORCE OF NATURE

  “Intense and packed with emotion, this book is truly a force of nature!”

  —Romantic Times

  “Brockmann deftly delivers another testosterone-drenched, adrenaline-fueled tale of danger and desire that brilliantly combines superbly crafted, realistically complex characters with white-knuckle plotting.”

  —Booklist

  ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT

  “In All Through the Night, Suzanne Brockmann strikes the perfect balance between white-knuckle suspense and richly emotional romance.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “For the holidays, Brockmann gifts her readers with the culmination of a long-delayed love story—that of fan favorite Jules Cassidy. Of course, in true Brockmann style, this wedding tale is packed to the gills with plenty of danger, bombs, terrorists, and stalkers. But, most of all, it is a satisfying love story.”

  —Romantic Times

  “A winning, innovative runup to Christmas from the bestselling Brockmann.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  INTO THE STORM

  “Sexy, suspenseful, and irresistible … [This] novel has all the right ingredients, including terrific characters [and] a riveting plot rich in action and adventure.”

  —Booklist

  “Brockmann is an undisputed master at writing military and suspense fiction [with] action, danger and passion all rolled into one.”

  —Curled Up with a Good Book

  BREAKING POINT

  “Readers will be on the edge of their seats.”

  —Library Journal

  “An action-packed and breathtaking thriller.”

  —Romantic Times

  Headed for Trouble is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Brockmann

  When Frank Met Rosie copyright © 2007 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Thoughts on When Frank Met Rosie copyright © 2007 by Suzanne Brockmann

  When Alyssa and Sam Met the Dentist copyright © 2004 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Waiting copyright © 2005 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Sam Takes an Assignment in Italy copyright © 2007 by Suzanne Brockmann

  When Jenk, Izzy, Gillman, and Lopez Met Tony Vlachic copyright © 2007 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Interview with Tom and Kelly copyright © 2006 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Trapped copyright © 2007 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Conversation with Navy SEALs Mark “Jenk” Jenkins, Dan Gillman, Jay

  Lopez, and Irving “Izzy” Zanella copyright © 2006 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Interview with Kenny and Savannah copyright © 2006 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Home Is Where the Heart Is, Part I copyright © 2008 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Home Is Where the Heart Is, Part II copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Brockmann

  A SEAL and Three Babies copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Brockmann

  FAQs Answered: Interview with Suz copyright © 2006 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Valentine’s Day copyright © 2006 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Glossary of Troubleshooters Terms copyright © 2006 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Shane’s Last Stand copyright © 2012 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Excerpt from Born to Darkness copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Brockmann

  Excerpt from Do or Die copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Brockmann

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  BALLANTINE and the colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  This book contains an excerpt from Do or Die by Suzanne Brockmann. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming hardcover edition.

  eISBN: 978-0-345-52126-2

  Cover illustration: Greg Gulbronson

  www.ballantinebooks.com

  Ballantine Books eBook Edition: May 2013

  v3.1

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Troubleshooters Series Timeline

  When Frank Met Rosie

  (from
the Force of Nature promo book)

  Thoughts on When Frank Met Rosie

  (from the Force of Nature promo book)

  When Alyssa and Sam Met the Dentist

  (first published in the back of Flashpoint)

  Waiting (first published in the back of Hot Target)

  Sam Takes an Assignment in Italy

  (first published in the back of Into the Storm)

  When Jenk, Izzy, Gillman, and Lopez Met Tony Vlachic

  (from the Force of Nature promo book)

  Interview with Tom and Kelly

  (from the Troubleshooters Reader’s Guide)

  Trapped (from the Force of Nature promo book)

  Conversation with Navy SEALs Mark “Jenk” Jenkins, Dan Gillman, Jay Lopez, and Irving “Izzy” Zanella

  (from the Troubleshooters Reader’s Guide)

  Interview with Kenny and Savannah

  (from the Troubleshooters Reader’s Guide)

  Home Is Where the Heart Is, Parts I and II

  (Part I: from the Into the Fire promo booklet, Part II: new)

  A SEAL and Three Babies (new)

  FAQs Answered: Interview with Suz

  (from the Troubleshooters Reader’s Guide)

  Valentine’s Day

  (from the Troubleshooters Reader’s Guide)

  Glossary of Troubleshooters Terms

  (from the Troubleshooters Reader’s Guide)

  Bonus Story: Shane’s Last Stand

  (eBook published in March 2012)

  Dedication

  Other Books by This Author

  Excerpt from Born to Darkness

  Excerpt from Do or Die

  INTRODUCTION

  I started writing my sixteen-book Troubleshooters series in 1999. I’ve covered a lot of ground in the years since then, creating a large stable of characters—some of whom have insisted on being recurring, showing up in book after book, and some of whom who have faded gracefully into the background as new characters were introduced and took center stage.

  One thing is for certain: Regardless of how popular a character was, there was no way to include every single member of SEAL Team Sixteen in each and every one of the books. And even if beloved characters did appear, the situation wasn’t always the right opportunity to get readers caught up on what was going on in their lives.

  Picture a scenario where a SEAL team fast-ropes in to rescue characters who are being held hostage. The SEAL in command does not say, “Hi, my name is Lieutenant Mike Muldoon, and by the way, my wife, Joan, and I just had a baby boy, and even though we’re not getting much sleep, we’re both deliriously happy.”

  I mean, that’s just not gonna happen, right?

  And some characters were so … strong, shall we say, that it was hard to bring them into a book for a walk-on or extra role—they would tend to take over the scene and then the entire book if I didn’t remain vigilant. (I’m talking about you, Sam Starrett!) So I often found myself sending them out of town on some important mission or op just to clear the stage for the newer characters.

  Long story short, some years back, I started writing short stories to keep readers up to date as to what was happening in these characters’ busy and eventful lives.

  But I knew right from the start that I wanted these short stories to have substance. I knew that I didn’t want to write “Sam and Alyssa Get a Puppy.” Instead, the first short that I wrote was a story in which Sam and Alyssa, newly married, are out on a missing persons case, working together for Troubleshooters Incorporated, when they bump into the victim of a notorious serial killer called “the Dentist.”

  I called it “When Alyssa and Sam Met the Dentist,” and it was more of a day-in-the-life character study of how previously cynical Alyssa is subtly being changed by her recent marriage to optimistic Sam.

  This short first appeared in the back of Flashpoint, and interestingly, many readers didn’t recognize that it was just that—a short story. I got email after email, asking me when the rest of that book about that serial killer was going to come out. (Oops.)

  At the same time, I knew that finding evidence of that killer’s handiwork was gnawing at Alyssa, so I wasn’t surprised when the Dentist came up again, in later Sam and Alyssa short stories (included in this collection, too). And for those readers who are thinking, The Dentist sounds familiar …, I finally allowed the deadly killer to go head-to-head with Alyssa (and Sam, naturally) in the full-length Troubleshooters novel Hot Pursuit.

  For those of you who like to know exactly how it all fits together, I’ve included a timeline that allows you to see where each of the stories in this collection falls within the framework of the sixteen published Troubleshooters books, and the two e-published Troubleshooters short stories.

  There’s also a glossary of terms, FYI, at the back of the book, as well as a special bonus short story called “Shane’s Last Stand,” which features the Navy SEAL hero of my futuristic paranormal book Born to Darkness. (Even in the future, SEALs are still SEALs, and the only easy day was yesterday.)

  As always, with all the books that I write, any mistakes made or liberties taken are completely my own.

  Suzanne Brockmann

  May 12, 2012

  TROUBLESHOOTERS SERIES TIMELINE

  1999:

  When Frank Met Rosie

  Timeframe: Thanksgiving Day

  Hero: Navy SEAL Chief Frank O’Leary

  Heroine: Rosie Marchado

  2000:

  1. The Unsung Hero

  Timeframe: August

  First Published: June 2000

  Hero: Navy SEAL Lt. Tom Paoletti

  Heroine: Dr. Kelly Ashton

  Storyline: A SEAL recovering from a head injury spots a believed-to-be-dead terrorist in a quiet little New England town.

  Secondary Romance: Tom’s niece Mallory Paoletti and comic book artist David Sullivan

  World War II Subplot: Resistance in Nazi-occupied France, a love triangle between Charles, Joe, and Cybele.

  2001:

  2. The Defiant Hero

  Timeframe: Spring

  Note: Flashbacks to 1997, with young SEALs Nils, Sam, and WildCard

  First Published: March 2001

  Hero: Navy SEAL Lt. (jg) John “Nils” Nilsson

  Heroine: Meg Moore

  Storyline: The rescue of Meg’s kidnapped grandmother and daughter.

  Secondary Romance: Navy SEAL Sam Starrett and FBI Agent Alyssa Locke

  World War II Subplot: The evacuation of Dunkirk (Eve and Ralph).

  3. Over the Edge

  Timeframe: Summer

  First Published: September 2001

  Hero: Navy SEAL Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok

  Heroine: Navy Reserve helo pilot Lt. (jg) Teresa Howe

  Storyline: The Navy SEAL takedown of a commercial airliner hijacked by terrorists.

  Note: This book came out two weeks before 9/11. Secondary Romance: Navy SEAL Sam Starrett and FBI Agent Alyssa Locke

  World War II Subplot: The Holocaust in Denmark.

  4. Out of Control

  Timeframe: This book was written pre-9/11, and is set in that “before” world, even though the action was meant to take place in early 2002.

  First Published: March 2002

  Hero: Navy SEAL Chief Ken “WildCard” Karmody

  Heroine: Savannah von Hopf

  Storyline: Kenny and Savannah’s scramble through the Indonesian jungle.

  Secondary Romance: Expat David Jones and do-gooder Molly Anderson

  World War II Subplot: German Americans as spies in Nazi Germany (Rose and Hank).

  2002:

  5. Into the Night

  Timeframe: Intentionally vague, to catch up to the post-9/11 world

  First Published: December 2002

  Hero: Navy SEAL Lt. (jg) Mike Muldoon

  Heroine: Joan DaCosta

  Storyline: The terrorist assassination attempt at the Coronado Naval Base.

  Secondary Romance: Mary Lou Starrett and Ihbraham Rah
man

  World War II Subplot: The battle of Tarawa, and the formation of the UDT units, granddaddies to the SEALs (Vince and Charlotte).

  2003:

  6. Gone Too Far

  Timeframe: June

  First Published: July 2003

  Hero: Navy SEAL Lt. Roger “Sam” Starrett

  Heroine: FBI Agent Alyssa Locke

  Storyline: The rescue of Sam’s missing daughter.

  Secondary Romance: FBI Agent Max Bhagat and former hostage Gina Vitagliano

  World War II Subplot: Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (Walt and Dot).

  When Alyssa and Sam Met the Dentist

  Timeframe: Autumn

  2004:

  7. Flashpoint

  Timeframe: Summer

  First Published: April 2004

  Hero: James Nash

  Heroine: Tess Bailey

  Storyline: The search for a terrorist’s missing laptop in an earthquake-ravaged country.

  Secondary Relationship: Friendship between Jim Nash and former SEAL Lawrence Decker

  Waiting

  Main Characters: TS Operative Sam Starrett and the wives of the SEALs of Team Sixteen

  2005:

  8. Hot Target

  Timeframe: Late winter, early spring

  First Published: January 2005

  Hero: Navy SEAL Chief Cosmo Richter

  Heroine: Jane Mercedes Chadwick

  Storyline: The protection of a Hollywood producer receiving death threats for making a movie about a gay World War II hero.

  Secondary Romance: FBI Agent Jules Cassidy and actor Robin Chadwick

  World War II Subplot: Jack and Hal, and the ghost army of the 23rd HQ Special Troops.

  9. Breaking Point

  Timeframe: Summer

  First Published: July 2005

  Hero: FBI Team Leader Max Bhagat Heroine: Gina Vitagliano