Secrets of War

By Leila Lacey

In mere days, Dr. Suzanne Stephson goes from being on top of the world, to unimaginable and painful despair. She has made LA her home for the past seventeen years and she’s worked her butt off to achieve the American dream. Pediatrician to the stars, charming fiancé, independence and happiness are her life. When her mother died of cancer five years ago, she became her little sister’s guardian. Their grandmother, Geraldine, helps and although it was a hard transition, they’ve made it work. Now, without any warning, Suzanne has been hit with the ultimate betrayal. Her fiancé cheated on her, and she is HIV positive.

Stripped of her dignity, she retreats to the only place in the world she feels safe: Texas. With sister and grandmother in tow, the once-famous doctor arrives in her hometown of Brightwood and opens a baby boutique. In her spare time, she volunteers her services as a classically trained pianist to help wounded veterans through music therapy. It’s an attempt to heal both her heart and health while assisting others.

A decorated soldier, beloved son and pillar of his community, Jamie Merrick keeps a debilitating secret hidden in the shadows of his Medal of Honor. Though he is in treatment, only Jamie knows the full truth of that fateful night behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. His nation sees him as a hero, but his cowardice haunts his every waking moment. When he learns that his first love has returned home and is volunteering at the VA, his misery begins to subside. Jamie’s mother had unfairly driven Suzanne and her family away almost two decades ago, making false accusations of infidelity. Once Jamie lays eyes on Serenity, hope renews for a second chance...and a future.

When a former patient discovers why Suzanne left LA, it sparks a fire Jamie that is speeding toward a cataclysmic end. What happens next will change all of their lives forever.

Poignant and brimming with complex characters, Secrets of War is a spellbinding tale of romance, secrets, and betrayal by author R.D. Jordan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Uzoma Family Publications
• Release date: Nov 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540147738

Leila Lacey

Love comes in many shapes and sizes.  Rising Michigan Author Leila Lacey writes from the heart about the trials and tribulations of love and romance from a plus size woman’s perspective.  With over 12 popular books on Amazon to date, she’s steadily claiming her space as a new romantic fiction author to keep an eye on. Bow down to the curves.  That’s the philosophy that’s motivated romantic fiction author Leila Lacey as she’s wrote over a dozen popular books taking a hot and exciting look at love and adventure from a strong, curvy woman’s viewpoint.  The books have been received with enthusiasm, and it’s clear the best is yet to come for these BBW romances (Big Beautiful Woman). “I think it’s important to present strong, beautiful, curvy women that have amazing female to female relationships,” commented Lacey, on what motivates her.  “If we don’t provide alternative role models for people, they could fall into the trap of not loving who is looking them back in the mirror.  Romantic fiction should entertain, but it should also help build confidence and a great self-image.  I’m trying to cover all these things and more in my books.” According to the author, Lacey had a quite unexpected entry into writing.  Although always interested in being a writer she never explored her skills fully until being convinced to join a writing contest.  Within 30 days she had finished her first novel, won the contest, and never looked back.  An example of a woman with confidence proving to herself, and the world, what can be accomplished when dreams are pursued actively. Some of her most popular books in the plus size women genre include:  Phoenix Rising;  A Very Curvy Christmas; Dr. Black’s Patient; Love’s Legacy; Shelby’s Awakening; and many, many more. Readers have responded to her work with enthusiasm.

Book preview

Secrets of War

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By Leila Lacey

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

Copyright 2016, Leila Lacey

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever known, not known or hereafter invented, or stored in any storage or retrieval system is forbidden without written permission of the author.

Editor & Book Formatting by

Leanore Elliott

CHAPTER ONE

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Jamie Michael Merrick glared out the window of his office at the Drug Enforcement Administration off in Brightwood, Texas. Jamie had been with the DEA since he came back from the war eleven years ago, missing three fingers on his left hand and a partial leg amputation of his right leg. He’d been given the Medal of Honor upon his return home, something he didn’t think he deserved. Then the moment he stepped out of the spotlight, he’d been approached by his old buddy to join the DEA.

No one knew Jamie was a DEA agent and that was the way he liked to keep it. In the past two years, he’d been helping to shut down international drug lord, Santiago Taveras, who’d died mysteriously in an explosion in Guatemala. Now, he was after the drug lord’s latest successor, a Bolivian National, reputed to have business connections in the VA hospital here in Brightwood. Jamie had been hot on his tail but needed to find the soul sucking son of a bitch betraying his country from the inside of a VA hospital, no less.

The Merrick family was one of the richest oil family’s in America, his great, great, great grandfather had struck oil in Brightwood decades ago and his family had managed to remain a heavy hitter in the oil business even with the insurgence of overseas oil. Most people thought Jamie was a wealthy cowboy who spent his time traveling the world with a pretty woman draped on his arm.

The thought of this description made him chuckle a little and look over at the framed photo on his desk. He’d never framed a photo in his life, he’d gotten this one from Suzanne Stephenson, along with her Dear John letter when she’d left him seventeen years ago.

Suzy had been his sister’s best friend from the time they were ten years old. She had a monster crush on him for years, but he’d only ever seen her as his bratty little sister’s friend. Jamie was only two years older than they were, but he’d always been more mature for his age.

Then there had been the summer before his senior year. Suzanne returned from taking care of her great-grandmother in her final stage of life. When she came back, she was all woman. He’d always thought she was a great kid. Kind, smart, funny, loving, loyal and she could cook up a storm.

Then she’d showed up to his families annual back to school bar-b-que in a pardon the cliché...an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny bikini. Well, let’s just say, his perspective changed. The photo she’d given him had been from that day.

He remembered seeing her there and pulling on her pigtails as he sauntered up to her with his aviator glasses hung low on his nose. As a teen, Jamie had been filled with bravado and swagger. Not so much these days with the missing leg and all. Looking good, Itty Bitty, he’d said to her.

Even now, he could see her face plain as day, looking shocked he’d noticed her.

You’re not looking to bad yourself, she’d said shyly.

They’d spent the rest of the party together, talking, laughing, and playing super soaker war. When the party ended, he’d offered to drive her home so his sister, Izzy could keep making out with her current boy toy.

Jamie had never expected to have as many things in common with Suzanne as he had. But in that short drive to her house to make curfew, he realized he wanted to know more.

They’d spent the next day together, hiking, horseback riding and then an amazing picnic she’d made of the best food he’d ever put into his mouth.

From that day on, they’d been inseparable.

Jamie had known he was in love and wanted to make her his wife. Then when instead of doing what every other male in Brightwood did after graduating high school...joining the army. He wanted to go to college with Suzanne. His mother had told him he was a fool and going to waste his life. But all he’d cared about was being with his Suzy, the woman of his dreams. His air.

Until the day he’d come home late from football practice, and the housekeeper had handed him a note and a wrapped picture frame. The note simply said.

I’m ending this before we both make the biggest mistake of our lives. I need and deserve better.

Even though he’d promised himself he would never forgive her for the way she left him. He still kept his photo on his desk, as a reminder, there is no such thing as true love.

It’d hit him like a ton of bricks when he’d seen her walking into the VA hospital last week.

With the way the rumor mill worked around this town, he was surprised he didn’t know until then that she, her grandmother and sister had moved back to town after the death of her mother.

Someone at the VA hospital helped to run international drug operation. He’d been trying to get close to someone there, without them realizing the hospital was under investigation. Until he’d seen Suzanne teaching her music therapy class.

He chuckled as he thought of that, music therapy for a bunch of guys who knew the ins and outs of WMD’s better than they knew how to order a pizza. But to his surprise, he could tell from the classes he’d sat in on, the music seemed helpful, with the symptoms of PTSD.

Picking up the newspaper he’d been reading, the headline blared at him

Gunnery Sergeant Found Dead From Overdose in Mansfield Park!

Jamie had been on this case for a little over seven months and no closer to finding the head of this ring’s snake, only the aftermath of men who’d put their lives on the line to protect this country.

He’d tried to find a way in, something anything. But the VA was a place full of secrets and he knew the only way he would get in was to be brought in. As much as he hated it. Suzanne would be that in. Whether either of them liked it or not.

* * * *

Dr. Suzanne Stephenson strummed on the Boston grand piano, playing Chopins Études, Op. 10. The Boston grand pianos were impressive musical instruments due to their unique and proprietary design. This piano reflected tone, touch, and durability, consistent with its heritage. The soundboard itself crafted from solid spruce. At just over 7½ feet, this amazing instrument produced a musical performance of a much larger grand piano. Which was why Suzy had chosen it to play for her musical PTSD Therapy.

She’d had been back home in Brightwood, Texas for five months, and what a first five months it’d been. Born and raised in this small oil town in southern Texas, with a population of three thousand, she knew without a doubt it would be considered an all American town. Brightwood’s sons graduated high school then enlisted in the military. There were no visions of colleges and dorm rooms for them.

No, every little boy did his duty and protected his country. Which was why Brightwood Memorial Hospital was so filled with broken men. Men who were sick, physically and mentally.

This VA hospital was a leader in helping veterans in the community. From its humble beginnings as a soldier’s and sailor’s hospital to being nationally recognized as one of the best community hospitals, Brightwood partnered with patients to transition to a new era of healthcare by providing traditional and alternative healthcare for veterans.

While there is no cure for PTSD, many of the disorder's troubling physical symptoms can be minimized or even completely alleviated by a wide variety of therapies. Conventional therapies such as medication weren’t always as useful in healing the aspects of the illness referred to as injuries to the soul or spirit.

Music therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder provided one possible way to address the indefinable, yet very real damage. Physicians often scoffed at such non-scientific treatments. Nonetheless, reports of less frequent nightmares, insomnia, depression, and agitation provided data to support the theory that a PTSD sufferer's quality of life might be improved by this relatively simple, non-invasive technique.

Suzy had been playing the piano in a music therapy group for a little over two weeks helping with Veterans who suffer from severe PTSD.

Dr. Robyn Esposito had started the music therapy program, encouraging soldiers to learn to play the acoustic guitar, in these times of distress. Unfortunately, learning to play an instrument was not physically possible or effective for some soldiers.

Suzy offered to play the piano for them, after coming to say hi to her old friend, she’d sat in on one of the music therapy sessions. She’d done a little research on PTSD and the effects of music in therapy. Wanting to help in a more meaningful way than playing UNO with the seventy- five and older crowd, she made the suggestion to Dr. Esposito that she do the music therapy class. As a classically trained musician, she could play the piano for them, rather than them trying to play, they could listen. Listening to certain sounds may well stimulate and perhaps eventually, improve damaged neural pathways. Specifically, brain structures including the hippocampus, which has observed to be smaller in PTSD sufferers than in the general population.

As she finished the song, she was given a resounding sound of whistles in approval.

Thank You. Thank you. She nodded her head, standing and taking a bow. She checked her watch and realized she went over her hour of therapy. She guessed the music was therapy for her too. I’m so sorry guys. I seem to have gone over my time. Group dismissed, she said jokingly.

As the classroom emptied out, Suzy gathered her things and covered the piano. Then she realized someone stood in the back of the room watching her. She raised her gaze as he stepped away from the wall and swallowed heavily as she stared at him.

CHAPTER TWO

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Suzy stared at this tall, striking dark haired man in a grey vested business suit. With broad shoulders and narrow hips, he stood in hand tooled leather books. Even at this distance, those deep set cold black eyes were formidable. So was he...a sexy beast.

Yes, avoiding your past in a town of two thousand people was nearly impossible.

Suzy knew a one on one with Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Jamie Merrik would be hard. She’d been told by her best friend, Izzy all about how he’d had his Special Ops sniper career cut short after an ambush attack in Iraq, leaving him with several horrifying injuries, including losing his left leg and three fingers on his hand. He most likely suffered from PTSD, although from what she’d been told, he was in denial about the PTSD.

Suzy remembered Jamie as a happy guy with supreme musical talents. While she’d been a master at the piano, he’d played the guitar like he was born with it attached to his hands.

Dr. Esposito had told Suzanne , Jamie’s current state of mind was pretty fractured, having spent six months at the Brightwood Memorial hospital, a year ago. Then now, he had two weekly therapy sessions where he was considering going through the music therapy program.

She needed to keep him as a patient in her mind, not the man she’d once thought she would marry and have babies