Excerpt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you leave the army, but stay around?” Grant asked Kelly. “Australia or Vanuatu. Always plenty of private security jobs up for grabs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I couldn\u2019t. The brass made it clear I needed to resign, or I would be legally charged. And if I lost my case, I might be jailed as well as dishonorably discharged.\u201d She huffed. \u201cSo I was forced out of the career I loved on an unproven drug charge while Ronnie invented the cheating story to make himself look like the injured party. He wanted me out of the army and away from my friends, yet he insisted I stay around. Take a desk job with a friend of his, a business partner, so he could keep doing whatever he wanted while I was kept close and still under his control.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you ran away?\u201d His face screwed up with pain \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I should have tried harder to help you sort out that mess. Done more to keep you in Australia. You could have taken a private security job. Kept fighting crime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That made her laugh. Between their army friends, there was a long standing joke about Kelly\u2019s drive to fight crime and get justice for victims. They frequently teased her about being the female Aussie version of Superman. Fighting for justice on all fronts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She shook her head. \u201cNo. Staying around was too dangerous because Ronnie discovered that I\u2019d been digging through his paperwork to find something incriminating on he and his business mate. Whatever I uncovered would always make me a threat to Ronnie and anyone working with him. My only option was to get out of the country before his associates became aware that I had uncovered some of their secrets. I didn\u2019t have enough evidence to expose them at that time, though Ronnie sensed I was about to go public with what I knew. I needed to leave Vanuatu quickly before things went from bad to worse. I didn\u2019t know how far Ronnie would go to ensure my silence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBriefing in five in the common room,\u201d Jacky called to her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kelly was grateful that her partner had subtly nudged the other two men towards the building and allowed she and Grant a few minutes privacy. She acknowledged her friend with a nod. \u201cBe right there.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She turned to Grant. \u201cWater under the bridge now. I always knew Ronnie could track me down, same as you could have found me with a bit of sleuthing. Hiding from anyone ex-military isn\u2019t foolproof so I covered my tracks enough that old friends or distant family members couldn\u2019t trace me, although I knew that one day my past would reappear.\u201d She waved a hand towards Jacky. \u201cBut I\u2019m living in a safer place now and working with people who\u2019d protect me with their dying breath.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"KJ_International](\"https:\/\/www.suzilove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/KJ_MockUp_HighwayBillboard_YellowRed.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\nBook Hooks: \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you leave the army, but stay around?" Grant asked Kelly. "Australia or Vanuatu." #MilitarySuspense #ContemporaryRomance #kellysjustice #SouthPacific #Vanuatu https:\/\/books2read.com\/SuziLoveKellysJustice <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n![\"KJ_Kelly's](\"https:\/\/www.suzilove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/KJ_kellysJustice_D2D-1024x633.png\")
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